424B5 1 d424b5.htm PENN VIRGINIA CORPORATION Penn Virginia Corporation
Table of Contents

Filed Pursuant to Rule No. 424(b)(5)

Registration No. 333-172674

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 
Class of Securities Registered   Proposed
Aggregate
Offering
Price
  Amount of
Registration
Fee(1)

7.25% Senior Notes due 2019

  $300,000,000   $34,830

Subsidiary Guarantees of 7.25% Senior Notes due 2019

  (2)   (2)
 
 

 

(1)

The registration fee is being paid in reliance upon Rules 456(b) and 457(r) in connection with the securities offered from Registration Statement File No. 333-172674 by means of this prospectus supplement.

(2)

In accordance with Rule 457(n), no separate fee is payable with respect to the Subsidiary Guarantees.


Table of Contents

Prospectus supplement

(To prospectus dated March 8, 2011)

LOGO

$300,000,000

7.25% Senior Notes due 2019

Interest payable April 15 and October 15

The notes will mature on April 15, 2019. Interest on the notes will accrue from April 13, 2011 and the first payment will be on October 15, 2011.

We may redeem some or all of the notes at any time on or after April 15, 2015 at the redemption prices set forth beginning on page S-32 and prior to such date at a “make-whole” redemption price, in each case, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of redemption. We may also redeem up to 35% of the notes prior to April 15, 2014 with cash proceeds we receive from certain equity offerings. If we sell certain assets and do not reinvest the proceeds or repay senior indebtedness or if we experience specific kinds of changes of control, we must offer to repurchase the notes.

The notes will be our senior unsecured obligations and will rank equally with all of our other unsecured senior indebtedness that is not by its terms subordinated to the notes. The notes will be senior to our existing and future subordinated indebtedness. The notes will be effectively subordinated to all of our secured indebtedness (including our revolving credit facility) to the extent of the collateral securing such indebtedness.

The obligations under the notes will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by our subsidiaries that guarantee our indebtedness under our revolving credit facility. The guarantee of any subsidiary will be released when such subsidiary no longer has outstanding or guarantees certain specified indebtedness, when such subsidiary is no longer a subsidiary of ours or when such subsidiary is designated as an unrestricted subsidiary under the terms of the indenture. The guarantees will be equal in right of payment with the existing and future unsecured senior indebtedness of the guarantors, including the guarantees of our revolving credit facility, and will rank senior to the future subordinated indebtedness of the guarantors. The guarantees will be effectively junior to all existing and future secured indebtedness of the guarantors, including guarantees of our revolving credit facility to the extent of the collateral securing such indebtedness.

Investing in the notes involves risks. See “Risk factors” beginning on page S-13.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these notes or determined if this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

      Public offering price(1)    Underwriting
discounts and
commissions
    

Proceeds to
Penn Virginia
Corporation

(before expenses)

 
   

Per note

   100.0%      2.0%         98.0%   

Total

   $300,000,000      $6,000,000        $294,000,000  
   

(1) Plus accrued interest, if any, from April 13, 2011.

The notes will not be listed on a securities exchange. Currently, there is no public market for the notes.

We expect that delivery of the notes to purchasers will be made on or about April 13, 2011 in book-entry form through The Depository Trust Company for the account of its participants, including Clearstream Banking société anonyme and Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V.

 

Joint book-running managers

 

J.P. Morgan

       
  BofA Merrill Lynch      
   

RBC Capital Markets

   
     

Wells Fargo Securities

 
       

Barclays Capital

 

 

Senior co-managers

 

BNP PARIBAS   Credit Suisse

 

 

Co-managers

 

BMO Capital Markets   Capital One Southcoast   Comerica Securities   PNC Capital Markets LLC   Scotia Capital

April 5, 2011


Table of Contents

Table of contents

 

Prospectus supplement

 

About this prospectus supplement

     S-ii   

Forward-looking statements

     S-iii   

Summary

     S-1   

Risk factors

     S-13   

Use of proceeds

     S-25   

Capitalization

     S-26   

Description of other indebtedness

     S-27   

Description of notes

     S-30   

Book-entry, delivery and form

     S-93   

Certain U.S. federal income tax consequences

     S-98   

Underwriting

     S-103   

Legal matters

     S-105   

Engineers

     S-105   

Experts

     S-105   

Available information

     S-106   

Incorporation of certain documents by reference

     S-107   

Prospectus

 

About this prospectus

     1   

About Penn Virginia Corporation

     1   

The subsidiary guarantors

     1   

Where you can find more information

     1   

Forward-looking statements

     3   

Risk factors

     5   

Use of proceeds

     5   

Ratios of earnings to fixed charges

     5   

Description of debt securities

     6   

Description of capital stock

     16   

Description of depositary shares

     19   

Description of warrants

     20   

Plan of distribution

     21   

Legal matters

     22   

Experts

     22   

 

S-i


Table of Contents

About this prospectus supplement

This document is in two parts. The first part is this prospectus supplement and the documents incorporated by reference herein, which, among other things, describes the specific terms of this offering. The second part, the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference therein, gives more general information, some of which may not apply to this offering. If the description of this offering varies between this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, you should rely on the information in this prospectus supplement.

You should rely only on the information contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and any related free writing prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information. We are not and the underwriters are not making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of this prospectus supplement.

Except in the section under the caption “Description of notes” and unless specified otherwise or the context otherwise requires, all references in this prospectus supplement to “Penn Virginia,” “Issuer,” “us,” “we,” “our” or “our Company” are to Penn Virginia Corporation, a Virginia corporation, together with its consolidated subsidiaries.

We expect that the delivery of the notes will be made against payment therefor on or about April 13, 2011, which is the sixth business day following the date of pricing of the notes (such settlement cycle being herein referred to as “T+6”). Under Rule 15c6-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in three business days, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, purchasers who wish to trade the notes on the date of pricing of the notes or during the next succeeding two business days will be required, by virtue of the fact that the notes initially will settle in T+6, to specify an alternate settlement cycle at the time of any such trade in order to prevent failed settlement and should consult their own advisors.

 

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Forward-looking statements

Some of the information included in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents we incorporate by reference herein and therein contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). These statements use forward-looking words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “achievable,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “expect,” “estimate,” “project” or other words and phrases of similar meaning. These statements discuss goals, intentions and expectations as to future trends, plans, events, results of operations or financial condition or state other “forward-looking” information. A forward-looking statement may include a statement of the assumptions or bases underlying the forward-looking statements. We believe we have chosen these assumptions or bases in good faith and that they are reasonable. However, we caution you that assumed facts or bases almost always vary from actual results, and the differences between assumed facts or bases and actual results can be material, depending on the circumstances. When considering forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind the cautionary statements in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents we have incorporated by reference herein and therein, including in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010 (our “2010 Annual Report”). These statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are subject to various risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including, but not limited, to:

 

 

the volatility of commodity prices for natural gas, natural gas liquids (“NGLs”) and oil;

 

 

our ability to develop, explore for, acquire and replace oil and gas reserves and sustain production;

 

 

any impairments, write-downs or write-offs of our reserves or assets;

 

 

the projected demand for and supply of natural gas, NGLs and oil;

 

 

reductions in the borrowing base under our existing revolving credit facility (our “Revolver”);

 

 

our ability to contract for drilling rigs, supplies and services at reasonable costs;

 

 

our ability to obtain adequate pipeline transportation capacity for our oil and gas production at reasonable cost and to sell the production at, or at reasonable discounts to, market prices;

 

 

the uncertainties inherent in projecting future rates of production for our wells and the extent to which actual production differs from estimated proved oil and gas reserves;

 

 

drilling and operating risks;

 

 

our ability to compete effectively against other independent and major oil and natural gas companies;

 

 

uncertainties related to expected benefits from acquisitions of oil and natural gas properties;

 

 

environmental liabilities that are not covered by an effective indemnity or insurance;

 

 

the timing of receipt of necessary regulatory permits;

 

 

the effect of commodity and financial derivative arrangements;

 

 

our ability to maintain adequate financial liquidity and to access adequate levels of capital on reasonable terms;

 

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the occurrence of unusual weather or operating conditions, including force majeure events;

 

 

our ability to retain or attract senior management and key technical employees;

 

 

counterparty risk related to their ability to meet their future obligations;

 

 

changes in governmental regulation or enforcement practices, especially with respect to environmental, health and safety matters;

 

 

uncertainties relating to general domestic and international economic and political conditions; and

 

 

other risks set forth in Item 1A of our 2010 Annual Report.

Additional information concerning these and other factors can be found in our press releases and public periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Many of the factors that will determine our future results are beyond the ability of management to control or predict. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which reflect management’s views only as of the date hereof. All forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements in this section and elsewhere in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and in the documents incorporated herein and therein by reference. Other than as required under the securities laws, we undertake no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements, or to make any other forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in expectations or otherwise.

 

S-iv


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Summary

This summary highlights selected information contained elsewhere in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and in the documents we incorporate by reference herein and therein. This summary is not complete and does not contain all of the information that you should consider before deciding whether or not to invest in the notes. For a more complete understanding of our Company and this offering, we encourage you to read this entire document, including “Risk factors,” the financial and other information incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and the other documents to which we have referred. The notes we will issue in this offering will be guaranteed by each of the subsidiaries of Penn Virginia Corporation that guarantee our indebtedness under our revolving credit facility.

Penn Virginia Corporation

We are an independent oil and gas company engaged primarily in the exploration, development and production of natural gas and oil in various domestic onshore regions of the United States. We have a geographically diverse asset base with core areas of operations in Texas, Appalachia, the Mid-Continent and Mississippi regions. Our operations include both conventional and unconventional developmental drilling opportunities, as well as some exploratory prospects.

The year 2010 was transformational for us. In June 2010, we disposed of our remaining ownership interests in Penn Virginia Resource Partners, L.P. (“PVR”) and Penn Virginia GP Holdings, L.P. (“PVG”). We transitioned to a “pure play” E&P company, and we began, and are continuing, to refocus our operations on drilling in economically attractive natural gas, oil and NGL-rich areas. To this end, we disposed of our Gulf Coast assets and exited the area in January 2010, and since then we invested approximately $160 million to increase our leaseholds in potentially higher return prospects in the Mid-Continent and the Marcellus Shale and to establish a position in the oil rich Eagle Ford Shale. We have also suspended drilling on our acreage located in east Texas and Mississippi, which is primarily lower return, dry gas and held by production, with the option to resume drilling there when natural gas prices justify renewed investment.

Prior to June 2010, we indirectly owned partner interests in PVR, a publicly traded limited partnership formed by us in 2001 that is engaged in the coal and natural resource management and natural gas midstream businesses, principally through our ownership of general and limited partner interests in PVG, a publicly traded limited partnership formed by us in 2006.

Our oil and gas business

We have a geographically diverse asset base with core areas of operation in Texas, Appalachia, the Mid-Continent and Mississippi. As of December 31, 2010, we had proved natural gas and oil reserves of approximately 942 billion cubic feet equivalent (“Bcfe”), of which 79% were natural gas and 53% were proved developed, with an SEC pre-tax PV-10 value of $878.1 million and standardized measure of discounted future net cash flows of $641.4 million. See “—Summary reserve, production and operating data” for a reconciliation of PV-10 to standardized measure of discounted future net cash flows.

 

 

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For the year ended December 31, 2010, we had average daily production of 128.5 million cubic feet equivalent (“MMcfe”) per day (excluding the average daily production of our Gulf Coast properties, which we sold in January 2010). Our properties generally have long reserve lives and reasonably stable and predictable well production characteristics with a ratio of proved reserves to production of approximately 20 years.

The following table sets forth by region the estimated quantities of proved reserves, production and reserves to production ratio:

 

      Proved reserves as of December 31, 2010      Average daily
production(1)
 
Region    Proved
reserves
(Bcfe)
     % Total
proved
reserves
     % Proved
developed
    

Reserves
to production
ratio

(in years)

    

Year ended
December 31,
2010

(MMcfe)

 
   

Texas

     448         48%         38%         33.1         37.1   

Appalachia

     120         13%         95%         11.5         28.5   

Mid-Continent

     192         20%         60%         12.5         42.0   

Mississippi

     182         19%         57%         23.8         20.9   
                       

Total

     942         100%         53%         20.1         128.5   
   

(1) Does not include data for our Gulf Coast properties, which we sold in a transaction that closed on January 29, 2010. During the period from January 1, 2010 to January 29, 2010, the average daily production from these properties was 0.8 MMcfe.

The following table sets forth certain information regarding our net acres of leasehold interests:

 

      As of March 31, 2011  
     Net acres
(in thousands)
     % Developed      % Undeveloped  

 

Eagle Ford Shale

     14.9         37%         63%   

Marcellus Shale

     56.1         1%         99%   

Mid-Continent

     128.5         62%         38%   

Other

     846.6         74%         26%   
                          

Total

  

 

 

 

1,046.1

 

  

  

 

 

 

68%

 

  

  

 

 

 

32%

 

  

   

Business strengths

High quality asset base in attractive regions. We own and operate a geographically diversified reserve base, which we believe reduces potential operational and reserve risks. Our properties are located in geological basins in Texas, the Mid-Continent, Appalachia and Mississippi and provide a multi-year inventory of development drilling and exploration projects. Our proved reserves are characterized by long-lived, lower-risk, predictable production profiles.

Track record of growth at low-cost. Between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2010, we drilled 885 gross wells with an average success rate of 96% and replaced a weighted average of 326% of our proved reserves each year through the drill-bit. During the same five-year period, our proved reserves grew at a compound average growth rate of approximately 23% per year. We believe our finding and development costs compare favorably to those of our competitors.

Exposure to significant unconventional resources. Our primary operations for 2011 are focused on the Eagle Ford Shale, Marcellus Shale and Mid-Continent. We have approximately 199,000 net acres across these regions. During 2011, we plan to drill 72 gross wells in these areas. As of December 31, 2010, we did not report any proved reserves for the Eagle Ford or Marcellus Shales since we are drilling our first horizontal wells in these areas during 2011.

 

 

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Experienced management and technical teams. Our senior management team has an average of over 25 years of industry experience and is supported by technical and operating personnel who also have substantial industry experience and expertise. Over the past five years, the management team and their staff have increased our proved reserves from approximately 437 Bcfe at December 31, 2006 (excluding our Gulf Coast properties) to approximately 942 Bcfe at December 31, 2010 and have increased our production from approximately 25 Bcfe in 2006 (excluding our Gulf Coast properties) to approximately 47 Bcfe in 2010.

Business strategy

Focus on higher margin projects. We intend to focus on higher margin natural gas, oil and NGLs development projects in the Eagle Ford Shale, Marcellus Shale and Mid-Continent. Approximately 95% of our planned capital expenditures in 2011 are dedicated to these areas of operation. This strategy reflects the ongoing weakness in natural gas prices and the relative strength in oil and NGL prices. In 2011, we anticipate 25% to 30% of our total production will consist of oil and NGLs as compared to approximately 18% in 2010.

Grow primarily through unconventional resource drilling. We are applying horizontal drilling technology in our three focus areas, the Eagle Ford Shale, Marcellus Shale and Mid-Continent, which we believe will maximize reserve additions, production rates and rates of return. In 2011, we plan to allocate up to $225 million (approximately 70%) and $65 million (approximately 20%) of our planned 2011 oil and gas capital expenditures to development and exploratory drilling and related activities, most of which will be in these three areas. We feel exploratory drilling provides operational balance and future development growth opportunities.

Pursue selective leasehold and producing property acquisition opportunities in our core areas. Our experienced management team and technical professionals consistently look for opportunities to extend our leasehold acreage, especially in our focus areas. Adding acreage to our leasehold position increases the number of drilling prospects necessary to continue to grow our reserves and production. We anticipate allocating up to $30 million, or approximately 10%, of our 2011 oil and gas capital expenditures to leasehold acquisitions.

Redeploy cash raised from the sale of non-core assets into our focus areas. In 2010, we realized net proceeds of $365 million through the sale of certain non-core assets, including our remaining interests in PVG. We reinvested a significant portion of these net proceeds in 2010 through drilling and completion activities, leasehold acquisitions and other operational expenditures, and we expect to use our remaining proceeds in a similar fashion during 2011.

Manage risk exposure through an active hedging program. We actively manage our exposure to commodity price fluctuations by hedging the commodity price risk for our expected production through the use of derivatives, typically costless collar and swap contracts. The level of our hedging activity and duration of the instruments employed depend upon our cash flows at risk, available hedge prices and our operating strategy. For 2011, we have hedged over 50% of our estimated natural gas production, at average floor and ceiling prices of $5.22 and $6.47 per million British thermal units, respectively.

Maintain a strong financial position. We expect to continue to use our substantial cash flows from operations to fund the majority of our capital requirements, including working capital, supplemented as needed by debt financing, equity issuances and the sale of non-core assets while maintaining a conservative capital structure.

 

 

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Recent developments

Tender offer for convertible notes

On March 8, 2011, we commenced a cash tender offer (the “Tender Offer”) for any and all of our outstanding 4.50% Convertible Senior Subordinated Notes due 2012 (our “2012 Convertible Notes”). The Tender Offer is scheduled to expire on April 11, 2011 at 12:00 midnight, New York City time, unless extended. Of the $230 million aggregate principal amount of our 2012 Convertible Notes outstanding prior to the commencement of the Tender Offer, approximately $225 million aggregate principal amount have been validly tendered and not validly withdrawn as of the close of business on April 4, 2011. 2012 Convertible Notes tendered pursuant to the Tender Offer may be withdrawn by the holder at any time prior to the expiration date of the Tender Offer. The net proceeds of this offering will be used to fund the purchase of our 2012 Convertible Notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn prior to the expiration date pursuant to the Tender Offer. See “Use of proceeds.”

Consent solicitation relating to senior notes

On March 24, 2011, we initiated a consent solicitation (the “Consent Solicitation”) from holders of our existing 10.375% Senior Notes due 2016 (our “2016 Senior Notes”) for an amendment (the “Proposed Amendment”) to the indenture governing the 2016 Senior Notes that would permit us to purchase, repurchase, redeem, defease or otherwise acquire for value our 2012 Convertible Notes. The Consent Solicitation expired on April 1, 2011 at 5:00 p.m., New York City time. Of the $300 million aggregate principal amount of our 2016 Senior Notes outstanding on the record date with respect to the Consent Solicitation, holders representing $294.2 million aggregate principal amount of our 2016 Senior Notes consented to the Proposed Amendment.

Corporate information

We were founded in 1882 and are a Virginia corporation. Our corporate headquarters and principal executive offices are located at Four Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 200, 100 Matsonford Road, Radnor, Pennsylvania 19087, and our telephone number is (610) 687-8900. We maintain a website at http://www.pennvirginia.com. The information on our website is not part of this prospectus supplement, and you should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents we incorporate by reference herein when making a decision as to whether to invest in the notes.

 

 

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The offering

The summary below describes the principal terms of the notes. Certain of the terms and conditions described below are subject to important limitations and exceptions. The “Description of notes” section of this prospectus supplement, together with the “Description of Debt Securities” section in the accompanying prospectus, contains a more detailed description of the terms and conditions of the notes. For purposes of this summary of the notes, references to the “Company,” “issuer,” “us,” “we” and “our” refer only to Penn Virginia Corporation and do not include our subsidiaries.

 

Issuer

Penn Virginia Corporation

 

Securities

$300,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 7.25% Senior Notes due 2019

 

Maturity

April 15, 2019

 

Interest payment dates

Interest is payable on the notes on April 15 and October 15 of each year, beginning on October 15, 2011. Interest will accrue from April 13, 2011.

 

Optional redemption

We may, at our option, redeem all or part of the notes at any time prior to April 15 , 2015, at a make-whole price, and on or after April 15, 2015, at fixed redemption prices, in each case, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of redemption, as described under “Description of notes—Optional redemption.” In addition, prior to April 15, 2014, we may, at our option, redeem up to 35% of the notes with the proceeds of certain equity offerings.

 

Ranking

The notes will be our general unsecured, senior obligations. Accordingly, they will rank:

 

   

senior in right of payment to all of our existing and future indebtedness that is expressly subordinated to the notes, including any 2012 Convertible Notes not validly tendered pursuant to the Tender Offer;

 

   

equal in right of payment with any of our existing and future unsecured indebtedness that is not by its terms subordinated to the notes, including our outstanding 2016 Senior Notes;

 

   

effectively junior to our existing and future secured indebtedness, including indebtedness under our Revolver, to the extent of our assets constituting collateral securing such indebtedness; and

 

   

structurally subordinated to all existing and future indebtedness and other liabilities (other than indebtedness and liabilities owed to us) of our non-guarantor subsidiaries.

 

 

As of December 31, 2010, after giving effect to the issuance and sale of the notes and the application of the estimated net proceeds therefrom as set forth under “Use of proceeds” and assuming that $218.5 million of our 2012 Convertible Notes had been validly tendered and not validly withdrawn pursuant to the Tender Offer

 

 

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(which represents 95% of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of our 2012 Convertible Notes), we would have had total indebtedness of $611.5 million, which excludes $8.3 million of unamortized original issue discount, the $0.7 million in letters of credit outstanding under our Revolver and availability of up to $299.3 million under our Revolver.

 

Subsidiary guarantees

The notes initially will be jointly and severally guaranteed on a senior unsecured basis by certain of our existing domestic oil and gas subsidiaries. In the future, the guarantees may be released or terminated under certain circumstances. Each subsidiary guarantee will be a general unsecured obligation of the subsidiary guarantor and will rank:

 

   

senior in right of payment to all existing and future subordinated indebtedness of that subsidiary guarantor;

 

   

equal in right of payment to all existing and future senior unsecured indebtedness of that subsidiary guarantor;

 

   

effectively junior to that subsidiary guarantor’s existing and future secured indebtedness, including its guarantee of indebtedness under our Revolver, to the extent of the value of the assets of such subsidiary guarantor constituting collateral securing such indebtedness; and

 

   

structurally junior to the indebtedness and other liabilities of our non-guarantor subsidiaries.

 

  Certain of our subsidiaries will not guarantee the notes. At December 31, 2010, our non-guarantor subsidiaries had de minimis indebtedness and other liabilities, which indebtedness would rank structurally senior to the notes and related guarantees.

 

Covenants

The indenture governing the notes will contain covenants that, among other things, limit our ability and the ability of our restricted subsidiaries to:

 

   

incur additional debt;

 

   

make certain investments or pay dividends or distributions on our capital stock or purchase, redeem or retire capital stock;

 

   

sell assets, including capital stock of our restricted subsidiaries;

 

   

restrict dividends or other payments by restricted subsidiaries;

 

   

create liens that secure debt;

 

   

enter into transactions with affiliates; and

 

   

merge or consolidate with another company.

 

 

These covenants are subject to a number of important limitations and exceptions that are described later in this prospectus supplement under the caption “Description of notes—Certain covenants.” In addition, certain of the covenants listed above will terminate before the notes mature if both of the specified rating agencies assign the

 

 

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notes an investment grade rating in the future and no events of default exist under the indenture. Any covenants that cease to apply to us as a result of achieving investment grade ratings will not be restored, even if the credit ratings assigned to the notes later fall below investment grade.

 

Change of control offer

If we experience certain kinds of changes of control, we must give holders of the notes the opportunity to sell us their notes at 101% of their principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest. However, in such an event, we might not be able to pay you the required repurchase price for the notes you present to us because we might not have sufficient funds available at that time, or the terms of our Revolver may prevent us from applying funds to repurchase the notes.

 

No public market

The notes are a series of securities for which there is currently no established trading market. The underwriters have advised us that they presently intend to make a market in the notes. However, you should be aware that they are not obligated to make a market and may discontinue their market-making activities at any time without notice. As a result, a liquid market for the notes may not be available if you try to sell your notes. We do not intend to apply for a listing of the notes on any securities exchange or any automated dealer quotation system.

 

Use of proceeds

We intend to use a portion of the net proceeds from this offering to fund the Tender Offer described under “—Recent developments—Tender offer for convertible notes.” Any remaining net proceeds will be used to provide additional working capital for general corporate purposes. Certain of the underwriters or their affiliates are holders of our 2012 Convertible Notes and, accordingly, they will receive a portion of the net proceeds of this offering in connection with the Tender Offer.

 

Form

The notes will be represented by registered global securities registered in the name of Cede & Co., the nominee of the depositary, The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”). Beneficial interests in the notes will be shown on, and transfers will be effected through, records maintained by DTC and its participants.

 

Risk factors

See “Risk factors” beginning on page S-13 of this prospectus supplement for important information regarding us and an investment in the notes.

 

 

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Summary historical financial data

The following tables show our selected historical financial data as of and for the periods indicated. Our selected income statements, statements of cash flows and balance sheets historical financial data as of and for the years ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008 have been derived from our audited consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto. The following tables should be read together with our historical financial statements and the accompanying notes and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” which are included in our 2010 Annual Report, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.

Consolidated financial data

 

      Year ended December 31,  
($ in thousands)    2010     2009     2008  
   

Income statement data:

      

Revenues:

      

Natural gas

   $ 171,141      $ 169,666      $ 368,801   

Crude oil

     53,532        43,258        46,529   

Natural gas liquids

     26,663        15,735        21,292   

Gain on sale of property and equipment

     648        2,372        31,426   

Other

     2,454        4,175        1,442   
        

Total revenues

   $ 254,438      $ 235,206      $ 469,490   

Operating expenses:

      

Lease operating

   $ 35,757      $ 44,392      $ 51,419   

Gathering, processing and transportation

     14,180        11,307        8,105   

Production and ad valorem taxes

     13,917        15,044        22,369   

General and administrative

     58,383        49,690        47,477   

Exploration

     49,641        57,754        42,436   

Depreciation, depletion and amortization

     134,700        154,351        135,687   

Impairments

     45,959        106,415        19,963   

Other

     709        1,599        -   
        

Total operating expenses

   $ 353,246      $ 440,552      $ 327,456   
        

Operating income (loss)

   $ (98,808   $ (205,346   $ 142,034   

Other income (expense):

      

Interest expense

     (53,679     (44,231     (24,627

Derivatives

     41,906        31,568        29,745   

Other

     2,403        1,259        2,073   
        

Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes

     (108,178     (216,750     149,225   

Income tax (expense) benefit

     42,851        85,894        (55,606
        

Net income (loss) from continuing operations

     (65,327     (130,856     93,619   

Income from discontinued operations, net of tax

     33,448        53,488        87,901   

Gain on sale of discontinued operations, net of tax

     51,546        -        -   
        

Net income (loss)

     19,667        (77,368     181,520   

Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in discontinued operations

     (28,090     (37,275     (60,436
        

Income (loss) attributable to Penn Virginia Corporation

   $ (8,423   $ (114,643   $ 121,084   
        
   

 

 

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      Year ended December 31,  
($ in thousands)    2010     2009     2008  
   

Balance sheet data (at period end):

      

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 120,911      $ 79,017      $ -   

Net property and equipment

     1,705,584        1,479,452        1,646,215   

Total assets

     1,944,600        2,888,507        2,996,565   

Total long-term debt, including current maturities

     506,536        498,427        539,438   

Total shareholders’ equity

     980,276        1,237,999        1,222,442   

Cash flow data:

      

Net cash flows provided by (used in):

      

Operating activities

   $ 79,839      $ 117,733      $ 246,587   

Investing activities

     (240,115     (190,582     (514,537

Financing activities

     202,170        151,866        263,926   

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges(1)

     -        -        5.3x   

Other financial data and key credit statistics:

      

EBITDAX(2)

   $ 173,347      $ 179,693      $ 307,364   

Adjusted EBITDAX(2)

     184,565        221,972        351,382   

Total interest expense(3)

     55,063        47,545        28,039   

Ratio of total long-term debt to Adjusted EBITDAX

     2.74x        2.25x        1.54x   

Ratio of Adjusted EBITDAX to total interest expense(3)

     3.35x        4.67x        12.53x   
   

(1) The data is unaudited for all periods presented. For purposes of computing our ratio of earnings to fixed charges on a consolidated basis, (x) earnings consist of the aggregate of income (before adjustment for income taxes, extraordinary items and income or loss from equity investees), plus fixed charges, amortization of capitalized interest and distributed income of equity investees, and minus capitalized interest, and (y) fixed charges consist of interest expense (including amounts capitalized), amortization of debt issuance costs and the portion of rental expense representing the interest factor. For the years ended December 31, 2010 and 2009, we had a deficiency of earnings to fixed charges of $49,559 and $165,533, respectively.

 

 

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(2) EBITDAX represents net income, on a consolidated basis, before income tax expense, interest expense, depreciation, depletion and amortization, impairment of oil and gas properties, non-cash derivative loss (gain), loss (gain) on sale of property and equipment, gain on other asset sales, non-cash compensation expense and exploration expenses. Adjusted EBITDAX represents EBITDAX plus cash distributions we received in respect of our partner interest in PVG and PVR. EBITDAX and Adjusted EBITDAX are not measures calculated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). EBITDAX and Adjusted EBITDAX should not be considered as alternatives to net income, income before taxes, net cash flow from operating activities or any other measure of financial performance presented in accordance with GAAP. We believe that EBITDAX is a widely accepted financial indicator of a company’s ability to incur and service debt and to fund capital expenditures. Because EBITDAX is commonly used in the oil and gas industry, we believe it is useful in evaluating our ability to meet our interest obligations in connection with this offering. EBITDAX and Adjusted EBITDAX calculations may vary among entities, so our computation of EBITDAX and Adjusted EBITDAX may not be comparable to EBITDAX and Adjusted EBITDAX, or similar measures, of other entities. In evaluating EBITDAX and Adjusted EBITDAX, we believe that investors should consider, among other things, the amount by which EBITDAX and Adjusted EBITDAX exceed interest costs, how EBITDAX and Adjusted EBITDAX compare to payments of principal on debt and how EBITDAX and Adjusted EBITDAX compare to capital expenditures for each period. The following table provides a reconciliation of net income to EBITDAX and to Adjusted EBITDAX:

 

      Year ended December 31,  
($ in thousands)    2010     2009     2008  
   

Net income (loss) from continuing operations

   $ (65,327   $ (130,856   $ 93,619   

Add:

      

Interest expense

     53,679        44,231        24,627   

Income tax expense (benefit)

     (42,851     (85,894     55,606   

Depreciation, depletion and amortization expense

     134,700        154,351        135,687   
        

EBITDA

   $ 80,201      $ (18,168   $ 309,539   

Impairments

     45,959        106,415        19,963   

Non-cash derivative loss (gain)

     (9,088     26,579        (37,365

Loss (gain) on sale of property and equipment

     61        (773     (31,426

Gain on other asset sales

     (1,238     (1,241     (1,742

Non-cash compensation expense

     7,811        9,127        5,959   
        

Adjusted EBITDA

   $ 123,706      $ 121,939      $ 264,928   

Exploration expense

     49,641        57,754        42,436   
        

EBITDAX

   $ 173,347      $ 179,693      $ 307,364   

Distributions received from PVG and PVR(a)

     11,218        42,279        44,018   
        

Adjusted EBITDAX(b)

   $ 184,565      $ 221,972      $ 351,382   
   

(a) In June 2010, we disposed of our remaining ownership interests in PVG and PVR. The data reflects distributions we received from PVG and PVR with respect to the first quarter of 2010 and each of the four quarters of 2009 and 2008.

(b) Adjusted EBITDAX represents EBITDAX as defined in our Revolver. See “Description of other indebtedness—Our revolver.”

(3) Total interest includes interest expense plus interest capitalized during the period.

 

 

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Summary reserve, production and operating data

Estimates of our oil and natural gas reserves and present values as of and for the years ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008 are derived from reserve reports prepared by Wright & Company, Inc. Guidelines established by the SEC regarding the present value of future net cash flows were utilized to prepare these estimates. Estimates of reserves and their value are inherently imprecise and are subject to constant revision and change, and they should not be construed as representing the actual quantities of future production or cash flows to be realized from oil and natural gas properties or the fair market value of such properties.

The following table sets forth summary data with respect to estimated proved reserves and future net cash flows on a historical basis as of and for the periods presented:

 

      As of December 31,  
($ in thousands, except where noted)    2010      2009      2008  
   

Proved reserves:

        

Natural gas (billion cubic feet)

     745         777         754   

Oil and condensate (MMbbl)

     32.8         26.4         27.0   

Total (Bcfe)

     942         935         916   

% gas

     79%         83%         82%   

% proved developed

     53%         47%         51%   

Ratio of proved reserves to production (years)(1)

     20.1         18.3         19.5   

PV-10(2)

   $ 878,147       $ 688,167       $ 907,965   

Standardized measure of discounted future net cash flows

   $ 641,419       $ 524,771       $ 729,401   

Average price used in calculation of standardized measure of discounted future net cash flows(3):

        

Gas ($/Mcf)

   $ 4.38       $ 3.87       $ 5.71   

Oil ($/Bbl)

   $ 79.43       $ 61.18       $ 44.60   
   

(1) Calculated by dividing year-end reserves by annual production rates. This methodology implies that reserves are produced ratably over the reserve life indicated. Actual production rates for new wells tend initially to increase to peak production and thereafter to decline at an initially accelerated rate before moderating to decrease much more gradually over the majority of the well’s productive life.

(2) PV-10 is the present value of estimated future revenues to be generated from the production of proved reserves, before income taxes, net of estimated production and future development costs, using prices and costs as of the date of estimation without future escalation, without giving effect to financial hedging activities, non-property related expenses such as general and administrative expenses, debt service and depreciation, depletion and amortization, and discounted using an annual discount rate of 10%. Standardized measure is the present value of estimated future cash inflows from proved natural gas and oil reserves, less future development and production costs and future income tax expenses, discounted at 10% per annum to reflect timing of future cash flows and using the same pricing assumptions as are used to calculate PV-10. Standardized measure differs from PV-10 because standardized measure includes the effect of future income taxes.

PV-10 is considered a non-GAAP measure. We believe the presentation of the PV-10 value is relevant and useful to our investors because it presents the discounted future net cash flows attributable to our proved reserves before taking into account corporate income taxes. We believe investors and creditors utilize our PV-10 value as a basis for comparison of the relative size and value of our reserves to other companies. Neither PV-10 value nor standardized measure reflects the impact of financial hedging transactions. The following reconciles our PV-10 value to our standardized measure:

 

      As of December 31,  
($ in thousands)    2010      2009      2008  
   
                   (unaudited)  

PV-10 value

   $ 878,147       $ 688,167       $ 907,965   

Income tax effect

     236,728         163,396         178,564   
        

Standardized measure

   $ 641,419       $ 524,771       $ 729,401   
   

(3) Natural gas and oil prices were based on sales prices per thousand cubic feet (“Mcf”) and standard barrel of 42 U.S. gallons liquid volume (“Bbl”) in effect on the applicable date, with the representative price of natural gas adjusted for basis premium and British thermal unit, content to arrive at the appropriate net price.

 

 

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The following table sets forth production, average sales prices and production costs with respect to our oil and gas properties for the periods presented:

 

      Year ended December 31,  
     2010      2009      2008  
   

Total production:

        

Natural gas (MMcf)

     38,919         43,338         41,493   

Crude oil (MBbl)

     709         750         506   

NGL (MBbl)

     672         527         392   
        

Total production (MMcfe)

     47,201         51,000         46,881   
        

Realized prices, before derivatives:

        

Natural gas ($/Mcf)

   $ 4.40       $ 3.91       $ 8.89   

Crude oil ($/Bbl)

     75.56         57.68         91.95   

NGL ($/Bbl)

     39.69         29.86         54.32   
        

Total ($/Mcfe(1))

   $ 5.32       $ 4.48       $ 9.31   
        

Realized prices, after derivatives:

        

Natural gas ($/Mcf)

   $ 5.27       $ 5.19       $ 8.71   

Crude oil ($/Bbl)

     74.94         63.49         91.40   

NGL ($/Bbl)

     39.69         29.86         54.32   
        

Total ($/Mcfe)

   $ 6.03       $ 5.66       $ 9.15   
        

Production Costs ($/Mcfe):

        

Lease operating

   $ 0.76       $ 0.87       $ 1.10   

Gathering, processing and transportation

     0.30         0.22         0.17   

Production and ad valorem taxes

     0.29         0.29         0.48   

General and administrative

     1.24         0.97         1.01   
        

Total production costs

   $ 2.59       $ 2.35       $ 2.76   
   

(1) Thousand cubic feet equivalent.

 

 

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Risk factors

An investment in the notes is subject to a number of risks. You should carefully consider the following risks, as well as the section entitled “Risk Factors” included in our 2010 Annual Report incorporated herein and therein by reference, as well as the information in the accompanying prospectus and the other documents incorporated herein by reference, in evaluating this investment. If any of these risks actually occur, our business, financial condition or results of operations could suffer.

Risks relating to the offering

After completion of the offering, we will have a significant amount of indebtedness and we may incur additional indebtedness.

At December 31, 2010, we and the guarantors of the notes had an aggregate of approximately $530.0 million of debt outstanding and would have been able to incur an additional $299.3 million (net of $0.7 million of letters of credit) under our Revolver. Assuming that we had completed this offering and that $218.5 million of our 2012 Convertible Notes had been validly tendered and not validly withdrawn pursuant to the Tender Offer (which represents 95% of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of our 2012 Convertible Notes), in each case at December 31, 2010, we and the guarantors of the notes would have had an aggregate of approximately $611.5 million of debt (including the notes) outstanding (excluding $8.3 million of unamortized original issue discount) and would have been able to incur an additional $299.3 million (net of $0.7 million of letters of credit) under our Revolver (after giving effect to the automatic reduction in the borrowing base under the Revolver resulting from the issuance of the notes). We and our subsidiaries may incur additional indebtedness in the future. Subject to certain conditions, the terms of the indenture under which the notes will be issued and our other existing debt instruments do not prohibit us or our subsidiaries from incurring additional indebtedness. Accordingly, should our current debt levels increase, the risks related to the notes and our indebtedness generally that we and our subsidiaries now face could also increase.

Any increase in our level of indebtedness will have several important effects on our future operations, including, without limitation:

 

 

we will have additional cash requirements in order to support the payment of interest on our outstanding indebtedness;

 

 

increases in our outstanding indebtedness and leverage will increase our vulnerability to adverse changes in general economic and industry conditions, as well as to competitive pressure; and

 

 

depending on the levels of our outstanding debt, our ability to obtain additional financing for working capital, capital expenditures, general corporate and other purposes may be limited.

Our ability to service our indebtedness depends on certain financial, business and other factors, many of which are beyond our control.

Our ability to make scheduled payments of principal and interest on our indebtedness or to refinance our debt obligations depends on our future financial condition and operating performance, which will be subject to general economic conditions and to certain financial, business and other factors affecting our consolidated operations, many of which are beyond our

 

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control. If we are unable to generate sufficient cash flows from operations in the future to service our debt, we may be forced, among other things:

 

 

to seek additional financing in the debt or equity markets;

 

to refinance or restructure all or a portion of its indebtedness, including the notes;

 

to sell selected assets;

 

to reduce or delay planned capital expenditures; or

 

to reduce or delay planned operating expenditures.

Such measures might not be successful and might not enable us to service our debt. In addition, any such financing, refinancing or sale of assets might not be available on economically favorable terms.

The indenture governing the notes and our Revolver impose restrictions on our operations and activities, including on our ability to dispose of assets or operations to meet our debt service and other obligations. If we are unable to comply with any of these restrictions or covenants, the trustee or the banks, as appropriate, could cause our debt to become due and payable prior to maturity.

Our Revolver and other debt instruments have restrictive covenants that could limit our financial flexibility.

The indentures related to the notes, our 2016 Senior Notes and our 2012 Convertible Notes and our Revolver contain financial and other restrictive covenants that limit our ability to engage in activities that may be in our long-term best interests. Our ability to borrow under our Revolver is subject to compliance with certain financial covenants, including leverage and interest coverage ratios. Our Revolver includes other restrictions that, among other things, limit our ability to incur indebtedness; grant liens; engage in mergers, consolidations and liquidations; make asset dispositions, restricted payments and investments; enter into transactions with affiliates; and amend, modify or prepay certain indebtedness. The indenture related to the notes will contain limitations on our ability to effect mergers and change of control events, as well as other limitations, including:

 

 

limitations on the declaration and payment of dividends or other restricted payments;

 

 

limitations on incurring additional indebtedness or issuing preferred stock;

 

 

limitations on the creation or existence of certain liens;

 

 

limitations on incurring restrictions on the ability of certain of our subsidiaries to pay dividends or other payments;

 

 

limitations on transactions with affiliates; and

 

 

limitations on the sale of assets.

See “Description of other indebtedness.” Our failure to comply with these covenants could result in an event of default that, if not cured or waived, could result in the acceleration of all of our debts. We do not have sufficient working capital to satisfy our debt obligations in the event of an acceleration of all or a significant portion of our outstanding indebtedness.

The notes are unsecured obligations and will be effectively subordinated to our secured indebtedness.

Our obligations under the notes will not be secured by any of our assets and are and will be effectively subordinated to any of our existing and future secured indebtedness to the extent of

 

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the collateral securing such secured indebtedness. Accordingly, in the event of our bankruptcy, liquidation or any similar proceeding, holders of the notes will be entitled to payment only after the holders of any of our secured indebtedness have been paid out of the proceeds of the collateral securing such secured indebtedness, together with the accrued and unpaid interest. At December 31, 2010, we and the guarantors of the notes did not have any secured indebtedness outstanding. See “Description of other indebtedness.” The indenture under which the notes will be issued and our other existing debt instruments will permit us, subject to certain limits, to incur additional secured obligations, including up to $525 million of indebtedness under our Revolver (subject to availability under our Revolver), all of which would be secured.

The notes will be structurally subordinated to indebtedness of our non-guarantor subsidiaries.

You will not have any claim as a creditor against any of our non-guarantor subsidiaries, and indebtedness and other liabilities, including trade payables, of those subsidiaries will be effectively senior to your claims against those subsidiaries. Our right to receive any assets of any of our non-guarantor subsidiaries upon their bankruptcy, liquidation or reorganization, and therefore the right of the holders of the notes to participate in those assets, will be effectively subordinated to the claims of those non-guarantor subsidiaries’ creditors, including trade creditors. In addition, even if we are a creditor of any of our non-guarantor subsidiaries, our rights as a creditor would be subordinate to any security interest in the assets of such non-guarantor subsidiary’s subsidiaries and any indebtedness of such non-guarantor subsidiary’s subsidiaries that is senior to that held by us. Certain of our subsidiaries are non-guarantor unrestricted subsidiaries. At December 31, 2010, our non-guarantor subsidiaries had a de minimis amount of outstanding indebtedness and other liabilities. However, the indenture under which the notes will be issued will permit these subsidiaries, so long as they are unrestricted subsidiaries, to incur additional indebtedness without any limitation.

We may not have the ability to raise funds necessary to finance any change of control offer required by the indenture.

If a change of control occurs as described in the section “Description of notes—Change of control,” we would be required to offer to repurchase the notes at 101% of their principal amount together with all accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of purchase. The indenture governing our 2016 Senior Notes contains substantially the same change of control provisions that will be contained in the indenture governing the notes. Our Revolver currently provides that certain change of control events will constitute a default and, in the event of such a default, the holders of such indebtedness could elect to declare all funds borrowed to be due and payable, together with accrued and unpaid interest. Any of our future debt agreements may contain similar restrictions and provisions. We might not be able to repurchase the notes upon a change of control because we may not have sufficient financial resources to repurchase the notes tendered by holders upon a change of control. Our failure to repurchase the notes upon a change of control would cause a default under the indenture governing the notes offered hereby.

An active trading market may not develop for the notes.

The notes will constitute a new issue of securities for which there is no active public trading market. We do not intend to apply for listing of the notes on a securities exchange. The liquidity of the trading market in the notes and the market prices quoted for the notes may be adversely affected by changes in the overall market for this type of securities and by changes in our financial performance or prospects or in the performance or prospects for companies in our industry generally. As a consequence, an active trading market may not develop for the notes, you may not be able to sell the notes, or, even if you can sell the notes, you may not be able to sell them at a price that would be acceptable to you.

 

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Federal and state laws allow courts, under specific circumstances, to void guarantees and to require you to return payments received from guarantors.

Although you will be direct creditors of the guarantors by virtue of the guarantees, existing or future creditors of any guarantor could avoid or subordinate that guarantor’s guarantee under the fraudulent conveyance laws if they were successful in establishing that:

 

 

the guarantee was incurred with fraudulent intent; or

 

 

the guarantor did not receive fair consideration or reasonably equivalent value for issuing its guarantee and

 

   

was insolvent at the time of the guarantee;

 

   

was rendered insolvent by reason of the guarantee;

 

   

was engaged in a business or transaction for which its assets constituted unreasonably small capital to carry on its business; or

 

   

intended to incur, or believed that it would incur, debt beyond its ability to pay such debt as it matured.

The measures of insolvency for purposes of determining whether a fraudulent conveyance occurred vary depending upon the laws of the relevant jurisdiction and upon the valuation assumptions and methodology applied by the court. Generally, however, a company would be considered insolvent for purposes of the foregoing if:

 

 

the sum of the company’s debts, including contingent, unliquidated and unmatured liabilities, is greater than all of such company’s property at a fair valuation; or

 

 

if the present fair saleable value of the company’s assets is less than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability on its existing debts as they become absolute and matured.

We cannot assure you as to what standard a court would apply in order to determine whether a guarantor was “insolvent” as of the date its guarantee was issued, and we cannot assure you that, regardless of the method of valuation, a court would not determine that any guarantors were insolvent on that date. The subsidiary guarantees could be subject to the claim that, since the guarantees were incurred for our benefit, and only indirectly for the benefit of the other guarantors, the obligations of the guarantors thereunder were incurred for less than reasonably equivalent value or fair consideration.

Risks relating to our oil and gas business

Natural gas and crude oil prices are volatile, and a substantial or extended decline in prices would hurt our profitability and financial condition.

Our revenues, operating results, cash flows, profitability, future rate of growth and the carrying value of our oil and gas properties depend heavily on prevailing market prices for natural gas and crude oil. Historically, natural gas and crude oil prices have been volatile, and they are likely to continue to be volatile. Wide fluctuations in natural gas and crude oil prices may result from relatively minor changes in the supply of and demand for oil and gas, market demand and other factors that are beyond our control, including:

 

 

domestic and foreign supplies of oil, natural gas and NGLs;

 

political and economic conditions in oil or gas producing regions;

 

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overall domestic and foreign economic conditions;

 

prices and availability of and demand for, alternative fuels;

 

the availability of transportation facilities;

 

weather conditions; and

 

domestic and foreign governmental regulation.

Some of our projections and estimates are based on assumptions as to the future prices of natural gas and crude oil. These price assumptions are used for planning purposes. We expect our assumptions will change over time and that actual prices in the future will likely differ from our estimates. Any substantial or extended decline in the actual prices of natural gas or crude oil would have a material adverse effect on our financial position and results of operations (including reduced cash flows and borrowing capacity and possible asset impairment), the quantities of natural gas and crude oil reserves that we can economically produce, the quantity of estimated proved reserves that may be attributed to our properties and our ability to fund our capital program.

The borrowing base under our Revolver has been reduced and may be further reduced in the future if commodity prices decline.

The borrowing base under our Revolver is currently $420 million. Under the terms of our Revolver, the issuance of the notes will automatically result in a reduction of the borrowing base under our Revolver by $21 million. In addition, the borrowing base under our Revolver will be further reduced by an amount equal to 30% of the aggregate principal amount of our 2012 Convertible Notes that remain outstanding following the Tender Offer.

In addition, our borrowing base is re-determined twice a year. If oil and natural gas commodity prices deteriorate, we anticipate that the borrowing base under our Revolver may be further reduced. As a result, we may be unable to obtain adequate funding under our Revolver. If funding is not available when needed, or is available only on unfavorable terms, it might adversely affect our development plan as currently anticipated and our ability to make new acquisitions, each of which could have a material adverse effect on our production, revenues and results of operations.

Our future performance depends on our ability to find or acquire additional oil and gas reserves that are economically recoverable.

Unless we successfully replace the reserves that we produce, our reserves will decline, eventually resulting in a decrease in oil and gas production and lower revenues and cash flows from operations. We have historically succeeded in substantially replacing reserves primarily through exploration and development and, to a lesser extent, acquisitions. We have conducted such activities on our existing oil and gas properties as well as on newly acquired properties. We may not be able to continue to replace reserves from such activities at acceptable costs. The currently depressed oil and gas prices may further limit the types of reserves that can be developed at acceptable costs. Lower prices also decrease our cash flows and may cause us to reduce capital expenditures. The business of exploring for, developing or acquiring reserves is capital intensive. We may not be able to make the necessary capital investments to maintain or expand our oil and gas reserves if cash flows from operations are reduced and external sources of capital remain limited or unavailable due to the deterioration of the global economy, including financial and credit markets. In addition, exploration and development activities involve numerous risks that may result in dry holes, the failure to produce oil and gas in commercial quantities and the inability to fully produce discovered reserves.

 

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We are continually identifying and evaluating acquisition opportunities. However, competition for producing oil and gas properties is intense and many of our competitors have financial and other resources substantially greater than those available to us. In the event we are successful in completing an acquisition, we cannot ensure that such acquisition will consist of properties that contain economically recoverable reserves or that such acquisition will be profitably integrated into our operations.

We may not be able to fund our planned capital expenditures.

We make, and will continue to make, substantial capital expenditures to find, acquire, develop, exploit and produce oil and natural gas reserves. In 2011, we anticipate making capital expenditures, excluding acquisitions, of approximately $320 million.

If oil and gas prices decrease or we encounter operating difficulties that result in our cash flows from operations being less than expected, we may have to reduce the capital we can spend unless we have borrowing capacity under our Revolver or we can raise additional funds through debt or equity financing.

Future cash flows and the availability of financing will also be subject to a number of variables, such as our success in locating and producing new reserves, the level of production from existing wells and prices of oil and natural gas.

If our revenues were to decrease due to lower oil and natural gas prices, decreased production or other reasons, and if we could not obtain capital through the Revolver, or otherwise on acceptable terms, our ability to execute our development plans, replace our reserves or maintain production levels could be greatly limited.

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

Oil and gas drilling and production activities are subject to numerous risks, including the risk that no commercially productive natural gas or oil reserves will be found. The costs of drilling, completing and operating wells are often uncertain, and drilling operations may be curtailed, delayed or canceled as a result of a variety of factors, many of which are beyond our control. These factors include:

 

 

unexpected drilling conditions;

 

pressure or irregularities in formations;

 

equipment failures or accidents;

 

costs of, or shortages or delays in the availability of, drilling rigs, equipment and materials;

 

shortages in experienced labor;

 

failure to secure necessary regulatory approvals and permits;

 

title problems;

 

fires, explosions, blow-outs and surface cratering; and

 

adverse weather conditions.

The prevailing prices of oil and gas also affect the cost of and the demand for drilling rigs, production equipment and related services. The availability of drilling rigs can vary significantly from region to region at any particular time. Although land drilling rigs can be moved from one region to another in response to changes in levels of demand, an undersupply of rigs in any region may result in drilling delays and higher drilling costs for the rigs that are available in that region.

The wells we drill may not be productive and we may not recover all or any portion of our investment in such wells. The seismic data and other technologies we use do not allow us to

 

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know conclusively prior to drilling a well that natural gas or oil 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. Drilling activities can result in dry wells or wells that are productive but do not produce sufficient net revenues after operating and other costs to cover initial drilling costs.

Our future drilling activities may not be successful, nor can we be sure that our overall drilling success rate or our drilling success rate within a particular area will not decline. Unsuccessful drilling activities could have a material adverse effect on our business results of operations, cash flows or financial condition. Also, we may not be able to obtain any options or lease rights in potential drilling locations that we identify. Although we have identified numerous potential drilling locations, we may not be able to economically produce oil or natural gas from all of them.

We are exposed to the credit risk of our customers and joint interest partners, and nonpayment or nonperformance by these parties would reduce our cash flows.

We are subject to risk from loss resulting from our customers’ and joint interest partners’ nonperformance or nonpayment. We depend on a limited number of customers for a significant portion of our revenues. In 2010, 59% of our total consolidated product revenues resulted from four of our customers. Any nonpayment or nonperformance by our customers would reduce our cash flows.

Our business involves many operating risks that may result in substantial losses for which insurance may be unavailable or inadequate.

Our operations are subject to all of the risks and hazards typically associated with the exploitation, development and exploration for and the production and transportation of oil and natural gas. These operating risks include:

 

 

fires, explosions, blowouts, cratering and casing collapses;

 

 

formations with abnormal pressures;

 

 

pipeline ruptures or spills;

 

 

uncontrollable flows of oil, natural gas or well fluids;

 

 

environmental hazards such as natural gas leaks, oil spills and releases of hazardous materials; and

 

 

natural disasters.

Any of these risks could result in substantial losses resulting from injury or loss of life, damage to or destruction of property, natural resources and equipment, pollution and other environmental damages, clean-up costs, regulatory investigations and enforcement proceedings and penalties and suspension of operations. In addition, under certain circumstances, we may be liable for environmental damage and costs to remediate contamination caused by previous owners or operators of properties that we own, lease or operate. As a result, we may incur substantial liabilities to third parties or governmental entities, which could reduce or eliminate funds available for exploration, development or acquisitions or cause us to incur losses.

In accordance with industry practice, we maintain insurance against some, but not all, of the risks described above. We cannot assure you that our insurance will be adequate to cover losses or liabilities. Also, we cannot predict the continued availability of insurance at premium levels that justify its purchase. No assurance can be given that we will be able to maintain insurance in the

 

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future at rates we consider reasonable. The occurrence of a significant event, not fully insured or indemnified against, could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations or financial condition.

Our business depends on transportation facilities owned by others.

We deliver substantially all of our oil and natural gas production through pipelines that we do not own. The marketability of our production depends upon the availability, proximity and capacity of these pipelines as well as gathering systems and processing facilities. The unavailability or lack of available capacity on these systems and facilities could result in the shut-in of producing wells or the delay or discontinuance of development plans for properties. Federal, state and local regulation of oil and natural gas production and transportation, tax and energy policies, changes in supply and demand, pipeline pressures, damage to or destruction of pipelines and general economic conditions could adversely affect our ability to produce, gather and market our oil and natural gas.

Estimates of oil and natural gas reserves are not precise.

This prospectus supplement contains, and certain documents incorporated herein by reference contain, estimates of our proved oil and gas reserves and the estimated future net cash flows from such reserves. These estimates are based upon various assumptions, including assumptions required by the SEC relating to oil and natural gas prices, drilling and operating expenses, capital expenditures, taxes and availability of funds. The process of estimating oil and natural gas reserves is complex. This process requires significant decisions and assumptions in the evaluation of available geological, geophysical, engineering and economic data for each reservoir. These estimates are dependent on many variables and, therefore, changes often occur as these variables evolve and commodity prices fluctuate. Any material inaccuracies in these reserve estimates or underlying assumptions could materially affect the estimated quantities and present value of our reserves.

Actual future production, oil and gas prices, revenues, taxes, development expenditures, operating expenses and quantities of recoverable oil and gas reserves will most likely vary from those estimated. Any significant variance could materially affect the estimated quantities and present value of reserves disclosed by us. In addition, we may adjust estimates of proved reserves to reflect production history, results of exploration and development, prevailing oil and gas prices and other factors, many of which are beyond our control.

At December 31, 2010, approximately 47% of our estimated proved reserves were proved undeveloped. Estimation of proved undeveloped reserves and proved developed non-producing reserves is based on volumetric calculations and adjacent reserve performance data. Recovery of proved undeveloped reserves requires significant capital expenditures and successful drilling operations. Production revenues from proved developed non-producing reserves will not be realized until some time in the future. The reserve data assumes that we will make significant capital expenditures to develop our reserves. Although we have prepared estimates of our reserves and the costs associated with these reserves in accordance with industry standards, these estimated costs may not be accurate, development may not occur as scheduled and actual results may not occur as estimated.

You should not assume that the present value of estimated future net cash flows (standardized measure) referred to herein is the current fair value of our estimated oil and gas reserves. In accordance with SEC requirements, we base the estimated discounted future net cash flows from our proved reserves on prices and costs on the date of the estimate. Actual current and future

 

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prices and costs may be materially higher or lower than the prices and costs as of the date of the estimate. As a result, net present value estimates using actual prices and costs may be significantly less than the SEC estimate that is provided herein. 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 for us.

We may record impairment losses on our oil and gas properties.

Quantities of proved reserves are estimated based on economic conditions in existence in the period of assessment. Lower oil and gas prices may have the impact of shortening the economic lives on certain fields because it becomes uneconomic to produce all recoverable reserves on such fields, thus reducing proved property reserve estimates. If such revisions in the estimated quantities of proved reserves occur, it will have the effect of increasing the rates of depreciation, depletion and amortization (“DD&A”) on the affected properties, which would decrease earnings or result in losses through higher DD&A expense. The revisions may also be sufficient enough to cause impairment losses on certain properties that would result in a further non-cash charge to reported earnings.

GAAP requires that the carrying value of oil and gas properties be reviewed on a periodic basis for possible impairment. An impairment charge is recognized when the carrying value of oil and gas properties is greater than the undiscounted future net cash flows attributable to the property. In addition to revisions to reserves and the impact of lower commodity prices, impairments may occur due to increases in estimated operating and development costs. During the past several years, we have been required to impair certain of our oil and gas properties and related assets. If natural gas, crude oil and NGL prices decline or we drill uneconomic wells, it is reasonably possible that we will have to record a significant impairment in the future. While an impairment charge reflects our ability to recover the carrying value of our investments, it does not impact our cash flows from operating activities.

We have limited control over the activities on properties we do not operate.

In 2010, other companies operated approximately 27% of our net production. Our success in properties operated by others will depend upon a number of factors outside of our control, including timing and amount of capital expenditures, the operator’s expertise and financial resources, approval of other participants in drilling wells, selection of technology and maintenance of safety and environmental standards. We have limited ability to influence or control the operation or future development of these non-operated properties or the amount of capital expenditures that we are required to fund for their operation. Our dependence on the operator and other working interest owners for these projects and our limited ability to influence or control the operation and future development of these properties could have a material adverse effect on the realization of our targeted returns or lead to unexpected future costs.

Certain working interest owners in our properties have the right to control the timing of drilling activities on our properties under certain circumstances.

Under certain circumstances, certain of the other working interest owners in our properties have the right to limit the amount of drilling activities that can take place on our properties at any given time. If these working interest owners chose to exercise this right, we could be required to scale back anticipated drilling activities on the affected properties. In such an event, production from the affected properties would be deferred, thereby decreasing production from the properties in the short-term.

 

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Our producing property acquisitions carry significant risks.

Acquisition of producing oil and gas properties is a key element of maintaining and growing reserves and production. Competition for these assets has been and will continue to be intense. In the event we do complete an acquisition, its success will depend on a number of factors, many of which are beyond our control. These factors include the purchase price, future oil and gas prices, the ability to reasonably estimate or assess the recoverable volumes of reserves, rates of future production and future net revenues attainable from reserves, future operating and capital costs, results of future exploration, exploitation and development activities on the acquired properties and future abandonment and possible future environmental or other liabilities. There are numerous uncertainties inherent in estimating quantities of proved oil and gas reserves, actual future production rates and associated costs and potential liabilities with respect to prospective acquisition targets. Actual results may vary substantially from those assumed in the estimates. A customary review of subject properties will not necessarily reveal all existing or potential problems.

Additionally, significant acquisitions can change the nature of our operations and business depending upon the character of the acquired properties if they have substantially different operating and geological characteristics or are in different geographic locations than our existing properties. To the extent that acquired properties are substantially different than our existing properties, our ability to efficiently realize the expected economic benefits of such transactions may be limited.

Integrating acquired businesses and properties involves a number of special risks. These risks include the possibility that management may be distracted from regular business concerns by the need to integrate operations and systems and that unforeseen difficulties can arise in integrating operations and systems and in retaining and assimilating employees. Any of these or other similar risks could lead to potential adverse short-term or long-term effects on our operating results, and may cause us to not be able to realize any or all of the anticipated benefits of the acquisitions.

Derivative transactions may limit our potential gains and involve other risks.

In order to manage our exposure to price risks in the sale of our oil and natural gas, we periodically enter into oil and gas price hedging arrangements with respect to a portion of our expected production. Our hedges are limited in duration, usually for periods of two years or less. While intended to reduce the effects of volatile oil and natural gas prices, such transactions may limit our potential gains if oil or natural gas prices were to rise over the price established by the hedging arrangements. In trying to maintain an appropriate balance, we may end up hedging too much or too little, depending upon how oil or natural gas prices fluctuate in the future.

In addition, derivative 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 basis differentials between delivery points for our production and the delivery point assumed in the hedge arrangement;

 

 

the counterparties to our futures contracts fail to perform under the contracts; or

 

 

a sudden, unexpected event materially impacts oil or natural gas prices.

 

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In addition, derivative instruments involve basis risk. Basis risk in a derivative contract occurs when the index upon which the contract is based is more or less variable than the index upon which the hedged asset is based, thereby making the hedge less effective. For example, a NYMEX index used for hedging certain volumes of production may have more or less variability than the regional price index used for the sale of that production.

We are subject to complex laws and regulations that can adversely affect the cost, manner or feasibility of doing business.

Exploration, development, production and sale of oil and gas are subject to extensive federal, state and local laws and regulations, including complex environmental laws. Future laws or regulations, any adverse changes in the interpretation of existing laws and regulations, inability to obtain necessary regulatory approvals or a failure to comply with existing legal requirements may harm our business, results of operations or financial condition. We may be required to make large expenditures to comply with environmental and other governmental regulations. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations may result in the suspension or termination of operations and subject us to administrative, civil and criminal penalties. Matters subject to regulation include drilling bonds, spacing of wells, unitization and pooling of properties and taxation. Our operations are also regulated extensively under environmental laws, including those relating to discharges of oil, gas or other regulated materials into the air, soil or water, and the management of regulated wastes. Our operations create the risk of environmental liabilities to the government or third parties, including for damages to natural resources, personal property or human health, fines and penalties for violations of applicable laws or permits, and the costs of investigation and remediation of releases of regulated materials. Some of these liabilities, particularly for releases of regulated materials into the environment and for damages to natural resources, personal property or human health, may be both strict and under certain circumstances, joint and several in nature. Moreover, laws and regulations protecting the environment have become more stringent in recent years and that trend appears likely to continue. In addition, pollution and similar environmental risks generally are not fully insurable. These liabilities and costs could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

The recent adoption of derivatives legislation by the U.S. Congress could have an adverse effect on our ability to use derivative instruments to reduce the effect of commodity price, interest rate and other risks associated with our business.

The U.S. Congress adopted comprehensive financial reform legislation that establishes federal oversight and regulation of the over-the-counter derivatives market and entities, such as us, that participate in that market. The new legislation, known as the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Act”) was signed into law on July 21, 2010 and requires the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (the “CFTC”) and the SEC to promulgate rules and regulations implementing the new legislation within 360 days from the date of enactment. In its rulemaking under the Act, the CFTC has proposed regulations to set position limits for certain futures and option contracts in the major energy markets and for swaps that are their economic equivalents. Certain bona fide hedging transactions or positions would be exempt from these position limits. It is not possible at this time to predict when the CFTC will finalize these regulations. The financial reform legislation may also require us to comply with margin requirements and with certain clearing and trade-execution requirements in connection with our derivative activities, although the application of those provisions to us is uncertain at this time. The financial reform legislation may also require the counterparties to our derivative instruments to spin off some of their derivatives activities to a separate entity, which may not be as

 

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creditworthy as the current counterparty. The new legislation and any new regulations could significantly increase the cost of derivative contracts (including through requirements to post collateral which could adversely affect our available liquidity), materially alter the terms of derivative contracts, reduce the availability of derivatives to protect against risks that we encounter, reduce our ability to monetize or restructure our existing derivative contracts and increase our exposure to less creditworthy counterparties. If we reduce our use of derivatives as a result of the legislation and regulations, our results of operations may become more volatile and our cash flows may be less predictable, which could adversely affect our ability to plan for and fund capital expenditures. Finally, the legislation was intended, in part, to reduce the volatility of oil and natural gas prices, which some legislators attributed to speculative trading in derivatives and commodity instruments related to oil and natural gas. Our revenues could therefore be adversely affected if a consequence of the legislation and regulations is to lower commodity prices. Any of these consequences could have a material adverse effect on us, our financial condition and our results of operations.

Risks relating to taxes

Certain U.S. federal income tax deductions currently available with respect to oil and gas exploration and development may be eliminated as a result of future legislation.

Legislation has been proposed in the U.S. Congress that would, if enacted into law, make significant changes to U.S. federal income tax laws, including the elimination of certain key U.S. federal income tax preferences currently available to oil and natural gas exploration and production companies. These changes include, but are not limited to, (i) the repeal of the percentage depletion allowance for oil and natural gas properties, (ii) the elimination of current deductions for intangible drilling and development costs, (iii) the elimination of the deduction for certain domestic production activities and (iv) an extension of the amortization period for certain geological and geophysical expenditures. It is unclear whether these or similar changes will be enacted and, if enacted, how soon any such changes could become effective. The passage of this legislation or any other similar changes in U.S. federal income tax laws could eliminate or postpone certain tax deductions that are currently available with respect to oil and natural gas exploration and development, and any such change could have a material adverse effect on us.

 

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Use of proceeds

We estimate the net proceeds to us from this offering will be approximately $293.0 million, after deducting estimated fees and expenses payable by us (including underwriting discounts and commissions). We intend to use a portion of the net proceeds from this offering to fund the Tender Offer described under “Summary—Recent developments—Tender offer for convertible notes.” Any remaining net proceeds will be used to provide additional working capital for general corporate purposes.

Certain of the underwriters or their affiliates are holders of our 2012 Convertible Notes and, accordingly, they will receive a portion of the net proceeds of this offering in connection with the Tender Offer. See “Underwriting.”

 

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Capitalization

The following table sets forth our capitalization as of December 31, 2010:

 

 

on an actual basis; and

 

 

on an as adjusted basis to reflect the issuance of the notes in this offering and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in “Use of proceeds” and assuming that $218.5 million aggregate principal amount of our 2012 Convertible Notes had been validly tendered and not validly withdrawn pursuant to the Tender Offer.

You should read the information below in conjunction with the section entitled “Use of proceeds” herein, and the section entitled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our audited consolidated financial statements and related notes, which are included in our 2010 Annual Report, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.

 

      As of December 31, 2010  
($ in thousands)    Actual     As
adjusted(1)
 
   

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 120,911      $ 184,246   
        

Long-term debt:

    

Revolver(2)

   $ -      $ -   

2016 Senior Notes (principal amount of $300,000)

     292,487        292,487   

7.25% Notes due 2019

     -        300,000   

2012 Convertible Notes (principal amount of $230,000)

     214,049        10,702   
        

Total debt

   $ 506,536      $ 603,189   
        

Shareholders’ equity:

    

Preferred stock of $100 par value—100,000 shares authorized, none issued

     -        -   

Common stock of $0.01 par value—128,000,000 shares authorized—45,556,854 shares issued

     267        267   

Paid-in capital

     680,981        680,981   

Retained earnings

     300,473        283,098   

Accumulated other comprehensive income and other

     (1,445     (1,445
        

Total shareholders’ equity

   $ 980,276      $ 962,901   
        

Total capitalization

   $ 1,486,812      $ 1,566,090   
   

(1) Assumes that $218.5 million aggregate principal amount of our 2012 Convertible Notes outstanding had been validly tendered and not validly withdrawn as of December 31, 2010 pursuant to the Tender Offer (which represents 95% of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of our 2012 Convertible Notes). As of the close of business on April 4, 2011, approximately $225 million aggregate principal amount of our 2012 Convertible Notes have been validly tendered and not validly withdrawn pursuant to the Tender Offer. See “Summary—Recent developments—Tender offer for convertible notes.”

(2) After giving effect to the issuance and sale of the notes and the application of the net proceeds therefrom, as of December 31, 2010, we would have had availability of up to $299.3 million under our Revolver, net of $0.7 million in letters of credit outstanding.

 

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Description of other indebtedness

Our revolver

Our Revolver provides for a $300 million revolving credit facility and matures in November 2012. We have the option to increase the aggregate commitments under our Revolver by up to an additional $225 million upon the receipt of additional commitments from one or more lenders. Our Revolver is limited by a borrowing base calculation, and the availability under our Revolver may not exceed the lesser of the aggregate commitments or the borrowing base. As of December 31, 2010, the borrowing base, which is redetermined semi-annually, was $420 million. Our Revolver is available to us for general purposes including working capital, capital expenditures and acquisitions and includes a $20 million sublimit for the issuance of letters of credit.

Borrowings under our Revolver bear interest, at our option, at either (i) a rate derived from the London Interbank Offered Rate, as adjusted for statutory reserve requirements for Eurocurrency liabilities (the “Adjusted LIBOR”), plus an applicable margin ranging from 2.000% to 3.000% or (ii) the greater of (a) the prime rate, (b) federal funds effective rate plus 0.5% and (c) the one-month Adjusted LIBOR plus 1.0%, in each case, plus an applicable margin (ranging from 1.000% to 2.000%). In each case, the applicable margin is determined based on the ratio of our outstanding borrowings to the available Revolver capacity.

Our Revolver is guaranteed by Penn Virginia Corporation and all of our material subsidiaries (the “Guarantor Subsidiaries”). The obligations under our Revolver are secured by a first priority lien on substantially all of our proved oil and gas reserves and a pledge of the equity interests in the Guarantor Subsidiaries.

As of December 31, 2010, there were no amounts outstanding under our Revolver, and we had available borrowing capacity of $299.3 million, net of outstanding letters of credit of $0.7 million. In addition, there were no borrowings outstanding during 2010.

The financial covenants under our Revolver require us to abide by specified financial covenants, as follows:

 

 

Total debt to EBITDAX, each as defined in our Revolver, for any four consecutive quarters may not exceed 4.0 to 1.0, reducing to 3.5 to 1.0 for periods ending on or after September 30, 2011. EBITDAX, which is a non-GAAP measure, generally means net income plus interest expense, taxes, depreciation, depletion and amortization expenses, exploration expenses, impairments, other non-cash charges or losses and the amount of cash distributions received from PVG and PVR.

 

 

The current ratio, as of the last day of any quarter, may not be less than 1.0 to 1.0. The current ratio is generally defined as current assets to current liabilities. Current assets and current liabilities attributable to derivative instruments are also excluded. In addition, current assets include the amount of any unused commitment under our Revolver.

As of December 31, 2010, we were in compliance with the applicable covenants of our Revolver.

In the event that we would be in default of our covenants under our Revolver, we could appeal to the banks for a waiver of the covenant. Should the banks deny our appeal to waive the covenant requirement, the outstanding borrowings under our Revolver would become payable on demand and would be reclassified as a component of current liabilities on our consolidated balance sheet. In addition, our Revolver imposes limitations on dividends and distributions, as well as limits our

 

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ability to incur indebtedness, grant liens, make certain loans, acquisitions and investments, make any material change to the nature of our business or enter into a merger or sale of our assets, including the sale or transfer of interests in our subsidiaries.

Our 2016 senior notes

As of December 31, 2010, we had $300.0 million (excluding the unamortized original issue discount of $7.5 million) of our 2016 Senior Notes outstanding. Our 2016 Senior Notes bear interest at an annual rate of 10.375% and mature in June 2016. Interest is payable semi-annually in arrears on June 15 and December 15 of each year. Our 2016 Senior Notes were sold at 97% of par, equating to an effective yield to maturity of approximately 11%. Beginning in June 2013, we may redeem all or part of our 2016 Senior Notes at a redemption price beginning at 105.188% of the principal amount and reducing to 100.0% in June 2015 and thereafter. Our 2016 Senior Notes are senior to our existing and future subordinated indebtedness and are effectively subordinated to all of our secured indebtedness, including our Revolver, to the extent of the collateral securing such indebtedness. The obligations under our 2016 Senior Notes are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by the Guarantor Subsidiaries. The covenants contained in the indenture governing our 2016 Senior Notes are substantially similar to the covenants that will be contained in the indenture governing the notes.

Our 2012 convertible notes, note hedges and warrants

As of December 31, 2010, we had $230.0 million (excluding the unamortized original issue discount of $16.0 million) of our 2012 Convertible Notes outstanding. Our 2012 Convertible Notes bear interest at a rate of 4.50% per year payable semiannually in arrears on May 15 and November 15 of each year. On March 8, 2011, we commenced the Tender Offer. See “Summary—Recent developments—Tender offer for convertible notes.”

Our 2012 Convertible Notes are convertible into cash up to the principal amount thereof and shares of our common stock, if any, in respect of the excess conversion value, based on an initial conversion rate of 17.3160 shares of common stock per $1,000 principal amount of our 2012 Convertible Notes (which is equal to an initial conversion price of approximately $57.75 per share of common stock), subject to adjustment, and, if not converted or repurchased earlier, will mature on November 15, 2012. Holders of our 2012 Convertible Notes may convert their 2012 Convertible Notes at their option prior to the close of business on the business day immediately preceding September 15, 2012 only under the following circumstances: (i) during any fiscal quarter if the last reported sale price per share of common stock for at least 20 trading days (whether or not consecutive) in the 30 consecutive trading days ending on the last trading day of the immediately preceding fiscal quarter is greater than or equal to 130% of the then applicable conversion price on each such trading day; (ii) during the five business day period after any ten consecutive trading day period in which the trading price per $1,000 principal amount of our 2012 Convertible Notes for each day of such period was less than 98% of the product of the last reported sale price per share of common stock and the applicable conversion rate on each such day; or (iii) upon the occurrence of certain corporate events set forth in the indenture governing our 2012 Convertible Notes. On and after September 15, 2012 until the close of business on the third business day immediately preceding November 15, 2012, holders of our 2012 Convertible Notes may convert their 2012 Convertible Notes at any time, regardless of the foregoing circumstances.

The holders of our 2012 Convertible Notes who convert their 2012 Convertible Notes in connection with a make-whole fundamental change, as defined in the indenture governing our 2012

 

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Convertible Notes, may be entitled to an increase in the conversion rate as specified in the indenture governing our 2012 Convertible Notes. Additionally, in the event of a fundamental change, as defined in the indenture governing our 2012 Convertible Notes, the holders of our 2012 Convertible Notes may require us to purchase all or a portion of their 2012 Convertible Notes at a purchase price equal to 100% of the principal amount of our 2012 Convertible Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any.

Our 2012 Convertible Notes are our unsecured senior subordinated obligations, ranking junior in right of payment to any of our senior indebtedness and to any of our secured indebtedness to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness and equal in right of payment to any of our future unsecured senior subordinated indebtedness. Our 2012 Convertible Notes will rank senior in right of payment to any of our future junior subordinated indebtedness and will structurally rank junior to all existing and future indebtedness of our subsidiaries.

In connection with the sale of our 2012 Convertible Notes, we entered into convertible note hedge transactions (the “Note Hedges”) with respect to shares of our common stock with affiliates of certain of the underwriters of our 2012 Convertible Notes (the “Option Counterparties”). The Note Hedges cover, subject to anti-dilution adjustments, the net shares of our common stock that would be deliverable to converting noteholders in the event of a conversion of our 2012 Convertible Notes. In December 2007, we paid an aggregate amount of $18.6 million of the net proceeds from the sale of our 2012 Convertible Notes for the cost of the Note Hedges (after such cost was offset by the proceeds of the Warrants described below).

We also entered into separate warrant transactions (the “Warrants”) whereby we sold to the Option Counterparties warrants to acquire, subject to anti-dilution adjustments, approximately 3,982,680 shares of our common stock at an exercise price of $74.25 per share. In December 2007, we received proceeds of $18.2 million resulting from this sale. Upon exercise of the Warrants, we will deliver shares of our common stock equal to the difference between the then market price and the strike price of the Warrants.

If the market value per share of our common stock at the time of conversion of our 2012 Convertible Notes is above the strike price of the Note Hedges, the Note Hedges entitle us to receive from the Option Counterparties net shares of our common stock (and cash for any fractional share cash amount) based on the excess of the then current market price of our common stock over the strike price of the Note Hedges. Additionally, if the market price of our common stock at the time of exercise of the Warrants exceeds the strike price of the Warrants, we will owe the Option Counterparties net shares of our common stock (and cash for any fractional share cash amount), not offset by the Note Hedges, in an amount based on the excess of the then current market price of our common stock over the strike price of the Warrants.

In connection with the Tender Offer, we may enter into agreements with one or more of the Option Counterparties pursuant to which we would terminate or otherwise unwind in part or in full certain of the Note Hedges and the Warrants.

 

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Description of notes

We will issue the Notes under an indenture, as supplemented by a supplemental indenture (collectively the “Indenture”), among us, the Subsidiary Guarantors and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”). The terms of the Notes include those expressly set forth in the Indenture and those made part of the Indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “Trust Indenture Act”). The Indenture is unlimited in aggregate principal amount, although the issuance of Notes in this offering will be limited to $300.0 million. We may issue an unlimited principal amount of additional notes having identical terms and conditions as the Notes (the “Additional Notes”). We will only be permitted to issue such Additional Notes in compliance with the covenant described under the subheading “—Certain covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock.” Any Additional Notes will be part of the same issue as the Notes that we are currently offering and will vote on all matters with the holders of the Notes. Unless the context otherwise requires, for all purposes of the Indenture and this “Description of notes,” references to the Notes include any Additional Notes actually issued.

This description of notes is intended to be a useful overview of the material provisions of the Notes and the Indenture. Since this description of notes is only a summary, you should refer to the Indenture for a complete description of the obligations of the Company and your rights.

You will find the definitions of capitalized terms used in this description of notes under the heading “Certain definitions.” For purposes of this description, references to “the Company,” “we,” “our” and “us” refer only to Penn Virginia Corporation and not to any of its subsidiaries.

General

The Notes. The Notes:

 

 

are general unsecured, senior obligations of the Company;

 

 

mature on April 15, 2019;

 

 

will be issued in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess of $2,000;

 

 

will be represented by one or more registered Notes in global form, but in certain circumstances may be represented by Notes in definitive form, see “Book-entry, delivery and form”;

 

 

rank senior in right of payment to all existing and future Subordinated Obligations of the Company, including any of the Convertible Notes that remain outstanding after consummation of the Transactions;

 

 

rank equally in right of payment to any future senior Indebtedness of the Company, without giving effect to collateral arrangements including the Existing Senior Notes and the Senior Secured Credit Agreement;

 

 

will be initially unconditionally guaranteed on a senior basis by Penn Virginia Holding Corp., Penn Virginia Oil & Gas Corporation, Penn Virginia Oil & Gas GP LLC, Penn Virginia Oil & Gas LP LLC, Penn Virginia Oil & Gas, L.P., Penn Virginia MC Corporation, Penn Virginia MC Energy L.L.C. and Penn Virginia MC Operating Company L.L.C., representing each Restricted Subsidiary of the Company that currently is a borrower (in the case of Penn Virginia Holding Corp.) or guarantees (in the case of the other Subsidiary Guarantors) the Senior Secured Credit Agreement, see “—Subsidiary guarantees”;

 

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effectively rank junior to any existing or future secured Indebtedness of the Company, including amounts that may be borrowed under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement, to the extent of the value of the collateral securing such Indebtedness; and

 

 

rank structurally junior to the indebtedness and other obligations of our non-guarantor subsidiaries, including each of our Unrestricted Subsidiaries.

Interest. Interest on the Notes will compound semi-annually and will:

 

 

accrue at the rate of 7.25% per annum;

 

 

accrue from the Issue Date or, if interest has already been paid, from the most recent interest payment date;

 

 

be payable in cash semi-annually in arrears on April 15 and October 15, commencing on October 15, 2011;

 

 

be payable to the holders of record on the April 1 and October 1 immediately preceding the related interest payment dates; and

 

 

be computed on the basis of a 360-day year comprised of twelve 30-day months.

If an interest payment date falls on a day that is not a Business Day, the interest payment to be made on such interest payment date will be made on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on such interest payment date, and no additional interest will accrue as a result of such delayed payment. The Company will pay interest on overdue principal of the Notes at the above rate, and overdue installments of interest at such rate, to the extent lawful.

Payments on the Notes; paying agent and registrar

We will pay principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes at the office or agency designated by the Company in the City and State of New York, except that we may, at our option, pay interest on the Notes by check mailed to holders of the Notes at their registered address as it appears in the registrar’s books. We have initially designated the corporate trust office of the Trustee in New York, New York to act as our paying agent and registrar. We may, however, change the paying agent or registrar without prior notice to the holders of the Notes, and the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries may act as paying agent or registrar.

We will pay principal of, premium, if any, and interest on, Notes in global form registered in the name of or held by The Depository Trust Company or its nominee in immediately available funds to The Depository Trust Company or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered holder of such global Note.

Transfer and exchange

A holder may transfer or exchange Notes in accordance with the Indenture. The registrar and the Trustee may require a holder, among other things, to furnish appropriate endorsements and transfer documents in connection with a transfer of Notes. No service charge will be imposed by the Company, the Trustee or the registrar for any registration of transfer or exchange of Notes, but the Company may require a holder to pay a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax or other governmental taxes and fees required by law or permitted by the Indenture. The Company is not

 

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required to transfer or exchange any Note selected for redemption. Also, the Company is not required to transfer or exchange any Note for a period of 15 days before a selection of Notes to be redeemed.

The registered holder of a Note will be treated as the owner of it for all purposes.

Optional redemption

On and after April 15, 2015, we may redeem all or, from time to time, a part of the Notes upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ notice, at the following redemption prices (expressed as a percentage of principal amount of the Notes), plus accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes, if any, to the applicable redemption date (subject to the right of holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date), if redeemed during the twelve-month period beginning on April 15 of the years indicated below:

 

Year    Percentage  
   

2015

     103.625%   

2016

     101.813%   

2017 and thereafter

     100.000%   
   

Prior to April 15, 2014, we may, at our option, on any one or more occasions redeem up to 35% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes (including Additional Notes) issued under the Indenture with the Net Cash Proceeds of one or more Equity Offerings at a redemption price of 107.250% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the redemption date (subject to the right of holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date); provided that

 

(1)   at least 65% of the original principal amount of the Notes issued on the Issue Date remains outstanding after each such redemption; and

 

(2)   the redemption occurs within 90 days after the closing of the related Equity Offering.

In addition, the Notes may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at any time prior to April 15, 2015 at the option of the Company upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ prior notice mailed by first-class mail to each holder of Notes at its registered address, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes redeemed plus the Applicable Premium as of, and accrued and unpaid interest to, the applicable redemption date (subject to the right of holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date). “Applicable Premium” means, with respect to any Note on any applicable redemption date, the greater of:

 

(1)   1.0% of the principal amount of such Note; and

 

(2)   the excess, if any, of:

 

  (a)   the present value at such redemption date of (i) the redemption price of such Note at April 15, 2015 (such redemption price being set forth in the table appearing above under the caption “Optional redemption”) plus (ii) all required interest payments (excluding accrued and unpaid interest to such redemption date) due on such Note through April 15, 2015 computed using a discount rate equal to the Treasury Rate as of such redemption date plus 50 basis points; over

 

  (b)   the principal amount of such Note.

 

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“Treasury Rate” means, as of any redemption date, the yield to maturity at the time of computation of United States Treasury securities with a constant maturity (as compiled 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 redemption date (or, if such Statistical Release is no longer published, any publicly available source or similar market data)) most nearly equal to the period from the redemption date to April 15, 2015; provided, however, that if the period from the redemption date to April 15, 2015 is not equal to the constant maturity of a 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 period from the redemption date to April 15, 2015 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.

The Company will calculate the Treasury Rate prior to such redemption date and file with the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate setting forth the Applicable Premium and the Treasury Rate and showing the calculation of each in reasonable detail.

Selection and notice

If the Company is redeeming less than all of the outstanding Notes, the Trustee will select the Notes for redemption in compliance with the requirements of the principal national securities exchange, if any, on which the Notes are listed or, if the Notes are not listed, then on a pro rata basis (or in case of global notes, on as nearly a pro rata basis as is practicable, subject to the procedures of The Depository Trust Company), by lot or by such other method as the Trustee in its sole discretion will deem to be fair and appropriate, although no Note of $2,000 in original principal amount or less will be redeemed in part. If any Note is to be redeemed in part only, the notice of redemption relating to such Note will state the portion of the principal amount thereof to be redeemed. A new Note in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion thereof will be issued in the name of the holder thereof upon cancellation of the partially redeemed Note. On and after the redemption date, interest will cease to accrue on Notes or the portion of them called for redemption unless we default in the payment thereof.

Mandatory redemption; Offers to purchase; Open market purchases

We are not required to make mandatory redemption payments or sinking fund payments with respect to the Notes. However, under certain circumstances, we may be required to offer to purchase Notes as described under the captions “—Change of control” and “—Certain covenants—Limitation on sales of assets and Subsidiary stock.”

We may acquire Notes by means other than a redemption, whether by tender offer, open market purchases, negotiated transactions or otherwise, in accordance with applicable securities laws, so long as such acquisition does not otherwise violate the terms of the Indenture. However, other existing or future agreements of the Company may limit the ability of the Company or its Subsidiaries to purchase Notes prior to maturity.

Ranking

The Notes will be general unsecured obligations of the Company that rank senior in right of payment to all existing and future Indebtedness that is expressly subordinated in right of payment

 

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to the Notes, including any of the Convertible Notes that remain outstanding after consummation of the Transactions. The Notes will rank equally in right of payment with all existing and future liabilities of the Company that are not so subordinated, including our Existing Senior Notes and the Senior Secured Credit Agreement, and will be effectively subordinated to all of the secured Indebtedness, including Indebtedness Incurred under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement, to the extent of the value of the collateral securing such Indebtedness, and liabilities of any of our Subsidiaries that do not guarantee the Notes (including each of our Unrestricted Subsidiaries). In the event of bankruptcy, liquidation, reorganization or other winding up of the Company or its Subsidiary Guarantors or upon a default in payment with respect to, or the acceleration of, any Indebtedness under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement or other secured Indebtedness, the assets of the Company and its Subsidiary Guarantors that secure secured Indebtedness will be available to pay obligations on the Notes and the Subsidiary Guarantees only after all Indebtedness under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement and other secured Indebtedness has been repaid in full from such assets. In addition, in the event of bankruptcy, liquidation, reorganization or other winding up of an Unrestricted Subsidiary, the assets of such Unrestricted Subsidiary will be available to pay obligations on the Notes only after all obligations of such Unrestricted Subsidiary have been repaid in full from such assets. In addition, in the event of bankruptcy, liquidation, reorganization or other winding up of an Unrestricted Subsidiary, the assets of such Unrestricted Subsidiary will be available to pay obligations on the Notes only after all obligations of such Unrestricted Subsidiary have been repaid in full from such assets. We advise you that there may not be sufficient assets remaining to pay amounts due on any or all the Notes and the Subsidiary Guarantees then outstanding.

As of December 31, 2010, on an as adjusted basis after giving effect to this offering and the application of net proceeds from this offering as more fully described in “Use of proceeds” and assuming $218.5 million of the Convertible Notes had been validly tendered and not withdrawn pursuant to the Tender Offer (which represents 95% of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the 2012 Convertible Notes):

 

 

we and our Subsidiary Guarantors would have had $611.5 million of total Indebtedness (excluding $8.3 million of unamortized original issue discount); and

 

 

of the $611.5 million of total Indebtedness, none would have constituted secured Indebtedness under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement and we would have additional availability of $299.3 million (net of $0.7 million of letters of credit) under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement as to which the Notes would have been effectively subordinated to the extent of the assets secured thereby.

As of December 31, 2010, the Company’s Subsidiaries (other than the Subsidiary Guarantors) would have had de minimis indebtedness and other liabilities, which indebtedness would rank structurally senior to the Notes and the related Subsidiary Guarantees.

Subsidiary guarantees

The Subsidiary Guarantors will, jointly and severally, fully and unconditionally guarantee on a senior unsecured basis our obligations under the Notes and all obligations under the Indenture. The obligations of Subsidiary Guarantors under the Subsidiary Guarantees will rank equally in right of payment with other Indebtedness of such Subsidiary Guarantor, including its guarantee of the Senior Secured Credit Agreement and the Existing Senior Notes, except to the extent such other Indebtedness is expressly subordinate to the obligations arising under the Subsidiary Guarantee.

 

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As of December 31, 2010, on an as adjusted basis and after giving effect to this offering and the application of net proceeds from this offering, as more fully described under “Use of proceeds,” the Subsidiary Guarantors would have had $611.5 million of Indebtedness, consisting of unsecured guarantees of $611.5 million (excluding $8.3 million of unamortized original issue discount) under the Existing Senior Notes and the Notes.

Although the Indenture will limit the amount of Indebtedness that Restricted Subsidiaries may Incur, such Indebtedness may be substantial and such limitation is subject to a number of significant qualifications. Moreover, the Indenture does not impose any limitation on the Incurrence by such Subsidiaries of liabilities that are not considered Indebtedness under the Indenture. See “—Certain covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock.”

The obligations of each Subsidiary Guarantor under its Subsidiary Guarantee will be limited as necessary to prevent that Subsidiary Guarantee from constituting a fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer under applicable law, although no assurance can be given that a court would give the holder the benefit of such provision. See “Risk factors—Risks relating to the offering—Federal and state laws allow courts, under specific circumstances, to void guarantees and to require you to return payments received from guarantors.” If a Subsidiary 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 Subsidiary Guarantee could be reduced to zero. If the obligations of a Subsidiary Guarantor under its Subsidiary Guarantee were avoided, holders of Notes would have to look to the assets of any remaining Subsidiary Guarantors for payment. There can be no assurance in that event that such assets would suffice to pay the outstanding principal and interest on the Notes.

In the event a Subsidiary Guarantor is sold or disposed of (whether by merger, consolidation, the sale of its Capital Stock or the sale of all or substantially all of its assets (other than by lease)) and whether or not the Subsidiary Guarantor is the surviving corporation in such transaction to a Person which is not the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, such Subsidiary Guarantor will be released from its obligations under its Subsidiary Guarantee if the sale or other disposition does not violate the covenants described under “Certain covenants—Limitation on sales of assets and Subsidiary stock.”

In addition, a Subsidiary Guarantor will be released from its obligations under the Indenture, and its Subsidiary Guarantee, upon the release or discharge of the Guarantee that resulted in the creation of such Subsidiary Guarantee pursuant to the covenant described under “—Future subsidiary guarantors,” except a release or discharge by or as a result of payment under such Guarantee; if the Company designates such Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary and such designation complies with the other applicable provisions of the Indenture or in connection with any covenant defeasance, legal defeasance or satisfaction and discharge of the Notes as provided below under the captions “Defeasance” and “Satisfaction and discharge.”

Initially, all of the Company’s Subsidiaries, other than certain Subsidiaries that do not currently guarantee the Senior Secured Credit Agreement, will be Subsidiary Guarantors and Restricted Subsidiaries. In addition, under certain circumstances, the Company may designate additional Subsidiaries as Unrestricted Subsidiaries. None of the Unrestricted Subsidiaries will be subject to the restrictive covenants in the Indenture and none will guarantee the Notes.

 

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Change of control

If a Change of Control occurs, unless the Company has previously or concurrently exercised its right to redeem all of the Notes as described under “Optional redemption,” each holder will have the right to require the Company to repurchase all or any part (equal to $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess of $2,000) of such holder’s Notes at a purchase price in cash equal to 101% of the principal amount of the Notes plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of purchase (subject to the right of holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date).

Within 30 days following any Change of Control, unless we have previously or concurrently exercised our right to redeem all of the Notes as described under “Optional redemption,” we will mail a notice (the “Change of Control Offer”) to each holder, with a copy to the Trustee, stating:

 

(1)   that a Change of Control has occurred and that such holder has the right to require us to purchase such holder’s Notes at a purchase price in cash equal to 101% of the principal amount of such Notes plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of purchase (subject to the right of holders of record on a record date to receive interest on the relevant interest payment date) (the “Change of Control Payment”);

 

(2)   the repurchase date (which shall be no earlier than 30 days nor later than 60 days from the date such notice is mailed) (the “Change of Control Payment Date”);

 

(3)   that any Note not properly tendered will remain outstanding and continue to accrue interest;

 

(4)   that unless we default in the payment of the Change of Control Payment, all Notes accepted for payment pursuant to the Change of Control Offer will cease to accrue interest on the Change of Control Payment Date;

 

(5)   that holders electing to have any Notes purchased pursuant to a Change of Control Offer will be required to surrender such Notes, with the form entitled “Option of Holder to Elect Purchase” on the reverse of such Notes completed, to the paying agent specified in the notice at the address specified in the notice prior to the close of business on the third Business Day preceding the Change of Control Payment Date;

 

(6)   that holders will be entitled to withdraw their tendered Notes and their election to require us to purchase such Notes; provided that the paying agent receives, not later than the close of business on the 30th day following the date of the Change of Control notice, a telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter setting forth the name of the holder of the Notes, the principal amount of Notes tendered for purchase, and a statement that such holder is withdrawing its tendered Notes and its election to have such Notes purchased;

 

(7)   that if we are redeeming less than all of the Notes, the holders of the remaining Notes will be issued new Notes and such new Notes will be equal in principal amount to the unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered. The unpurchased portion of the Notes must be equal to a minimum principal amount of $2,000 and an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess of $2,000; and

 

(8)   the procedures determined by us, consistent with the Indenture, that a holder must follow in order to have its Notes repurchased.

 

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On the Change of Control Payment Date, the Company will, to the extent lawful:

 

(1)   accept for payment all Notes or portions of Notes (in a minimum principal amount of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess of $2,000) properly tendered pursuant to the Change of Control Offer;

 

(2)   deposit with the paying agent an amount equal to the Change of Control Payment in respect of all Notes or portions of Notes properly tendered and not properly withdrawn; and

 

(3)   deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee the Notes so accepted together with an Officers’ Certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of Notes or portions of Notes being purchased by the Company.

The paying agent will promptly mail to each holder of Notes properly tendered and not properly withdrawn the Change of Control Payment for such Notes, and the Trustee will promptly authenticate and mail (or cause to be transferred by book entry) 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 minimum principal amount of $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess of $2,000.

If the Change of Control Payment Date is on or after an interest record date and on or before the related interest payment date, any accrued and unpaid interest will be paid to the Person in whose name a Note is registered at the close of business on such record date, and no further interest will be payable to holders who tender pursuant to the Change of Control Offer.

The Change of Control provisions described above will be applicable whether or not any other provisions of the Indenture are applicable. Except as described above with respect to a Change of Control, the Indenture does not contain provisions that permit the holders to require that the Company repurchase or redeem the Notes in the event of a takeover, recapitalization or similar transaction.

We will not be required to make a Change of Control Offer upon a Change of Control if a third party makes the Change of Control Offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements set forth in the Indenture applicable to a Change of Control Offer made by us and purchases all Notes validly tendered and not withdrawn under such Change of Control Offer.

A Change of Control Offer may be made in advance of a Change of Control, and conditioned upon the occurrence of a Change of Control, if a definitive agreement is in place for the Change of Control at the time of making the Change of Control Offer.

We will comply, to the extent applicable, with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 of the Exchange Act and any other securities laws or regulations in connection with the repurchase of Notes as a result of a Change of Control. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with provisions of the Indenture, or compliance with the Change of Control provisions of the Indenture would constitute a violation of any such laws or regulations, we will comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached our obligations described in the Indenture by virtue of our compliance with such securities laws or regulations.

Our ability to repurchase Notes pursuant to a Change of Control Offer may be limited by a number of factors. The occurrence of certain of the events that constitute a Change of Control would constitute a default under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement. In addition, certain events that

 

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may constitute a change of control under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement and cause a default under that agreement will not constitute a Change of Control under the Indenture. Future Indebtedness of the Company and its Subsidiaries may also contain prohibitions of certain events that would constitute a Change of Control or require such Indebtedness to be repurchased upon a Change of Control. Moreover, the exercise by the holders of their right to require the Company to repurchase the Notes could cause a default under such Indebtedness, even if the Change of Control itself does not, due to the financial effect of such repurchase on the Company. Finally, the Company’s ability to pay cash to the holders upon a repurchase may be limited by the Company’s then existing financial resources. There can be no assurance that sufficient funds will be available when necessary to make any required repurchases.

Even if sufficient funds were otherwise available, the terms of the Senior Secured Credit Agreement will, and other and/or future Indebtedness may, prohibit the Company’s prepayment or repurchase of Notes before their scheduled maturity. Consequently, if the Company is not able to prepay the Indebtedness under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement and any such other Indebtedness containing similar restrictions or obtain requisite consents, the Company will be unable to fulfill its repurchase obligations if holders of Notes exercise their repurchase rights following a Change of Control, resulting in a default under the Indenture. A default under the Indenture may result in a cross-default under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement.

If holders of not less than 90% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes validly tender and do not withdraw such Notes in a Change of Control Offer and the Company, or any third party making a Change of Control Offer in lieu of the Company as described above, purchases all of the Notes validly tendered and not withdrawn by such holders, the Company will have the right, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ prior notice, given not more than 30 days following such purchase pursuant to the Change of Control Offer described above, to redeem all Notes that remain outstanding following such purchase at a redemption price in cash equal to the applicable Change of Control Payment plus, to the extent not included in the Change of Control Payment, accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of redemption.

The Change of Control provisions described above may deter certain mergers, tender offers and other takeover attempts involving the Company. The Change of Control purchase feature is a result of negotiations between the underwriters and us. As of the Issue Date, we have no present intention to engage in a transaction involving a Change of Control, although it is possible that we could decide to do so in the future. Subject to the limitations discussed below, we could, in the future, enter into certain transactions, including acquisitions, refinancings or other recapitalizations, that would not constitute a Change of Control under the Indenture, but that could increase the amount of indebtedness outstanding at such time or otherwise affect our capital structure or credit ratings. Restrictions on our ability to incur additional Indebtedness are contained in the covenants described under “Certain covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock” and “Certain covenants—Limitation on Liens.” Such restrictions in the Indenture can be waived only with the consent of the holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding. Except for the limitations contained in such covenants, however, the Indenture will not contain any covenants or provisions that may afford holders of the Notes protection in the event of a highly leveraged transaction.

The definition of “Change of Control” includes a disposition of all or substantially all of the property and assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole to any Person. Although there is a limited body of case law interpreting the phrase “substantially all,” there is no precise established definition of the phrase under applicable law. Accordingly, in certain circumstances there may be a degree of uncertainty as to whether a particular transaction

 

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would involve a disposition of “all or substantially all” of the property or assets of a Person. As a result, it may be unclear as to whether a Change of Control has occurred and whether a holder of Notes may require the Company to make an offer to repurchase the Notes as described above. The Chancery Court of Delaware raised the possibility that a Change of Control occurring as a result of a failure to have Continuing Directors comprising a majority of the Board of Directors may be unenforceable on public policy grounds.

The provisions under the Indenture relative to our obligation to make an offer to repurchase the Notes as a result of a Change of Control may be waived or modified or terminated with the written consent of the holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for the Notes) prior to the occurrence of such Change of Control.

Certain covenants

Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock

The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, Incur any Indebtedness (including Acquired Indebtedness) and the Company will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to issue Preferred Stock; provided, however, that the Company may Incur Indebtedness and any of the Subsidiary Guarantors may Incur Indebtedness and issue Preferred Stock if on the date thereof:

 

(1)   the Consolidated Coverage Ratio for the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries is at least 2.25 to 1.00, determined on a pro forma basis (including a pro forma application of proceeds); and

 

(2)   no Default will have occurred or be continuing or would occur as a consequence of Incurring the Indebtedness or transactions relating to such Incurrence.

The first paragraph of this covenant will not prohibit the Incurrence of the following Indebtedness:

 

(1)   Indebtedness of the Company or a Subsidiary Guarantor Incurred pursuant to one or more Credit Facilities in an aggregate amount not to exceed the greater of (a) $500.0 million or (b) an amount equal to the sum of $225.0 million and 30.0% of the Company’s Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets determined as of the date of the Incurrence of such Indebtedness after giving effect to the application of the proceeds therefrom, in each case outstanding at any one time;

 

(2)   Guarantees by the Company or Subsidiary Guarantors of Indebtedness of the Company or a Subsidiary Guarantor, as the case may be, Incurred in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture; provided that in the event such Indebtedness that is being Guaranteed is a Subordinated Obligation or a Guarantor Subordinated Obligation, then the related Guarantee shall be subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or the Subsidiary Guarantee to at least the same extent as the Indebtedness being Guaranteed, as the case may be;

 

(3)  

Indebtedness of the Company owing to and held by any Restricted Subsidiary or Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary owing to and held by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary; provided, however, that (i) any subsequent issuance or transfer of Capital Stock or any other event which results in any such Indebtedness being held by a Person other than the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company and (ii) any sale or other transfer of

 

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any such Indebtedness to a Person other than the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company shall be deemed, in each case, to constitute an Incurrence of such Indebtedness by the Company or such Subsidiary, as the case may be;

 

(4)   Indebtedness represented by (a) the Notes issued on the Issue Date and all Subsidiary Guarantees, (b) any Indebtedness (other than the Indebtedness described in clauses (1), (2) and 4(a)) outstanding on the Issue Date after giving effect to the Transactions (including the Existing Senior Notes) and (c) any Refinancing Indebtedness Incurred in respect of any Indebtedness described in this clause (4) or clause (5) or Incurred pursuant to the first paragraph of this covenant;

 

(5)   Indebtedness of a Person that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or is acquired by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary or merged into the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary in accordance with the Indenture and outstanding on the date on which such Person became a Restricted Subsidiary or was acquired by or was merged into the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary (other than Indebtedness Incurred (a) to provide all or any portion of the funds utilized to consummate the transaction or series of related transactions pursuant to which such Person became a Restricted Subsidiary or was otherwise acquired by or was merged into the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary or (b) otherwise in connection with, or in contemplation of, such acquisition); provided, however, that at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or is acquired by or was merged into the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, the Company would have been able to Incur $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the first paragraph of this covenant after giving effect to the Incurrence of such Indebtedness pursuant to this clause (5);

 

(6)   the Incurrence by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of Indebtedness represented by Capitalized Lease Obligations, mortgage financings or purchase money obligations, in each case Incurred for the purpose of financing all or any part of the purchase price or cost of construction or improvements or carrying costs of property used in the business of the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, and Refinancing Indebtedness Incurred to Refinance any Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to this clause (6) in an aggregate outstanding principal amount which, when taken together with the principal amount of all other Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to this clause (6) and then outstanding, will not exceed $20.0 million at any time outstanding;

 

(7)   Permitted Acquisition Indebtedness;

 

(8)   Indebtedness Incurred in respect of (a) self-insurance obligations, bid, appeal, reimbursement, performance, surety and similar bonds and completion guarantees provided by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business and any Guarantees or letters of credit functioning as or supporting any of the foregoing bonds or obligations and (b) obligations represented by letters of credit for the account of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary in order to provide security for workers’ compensation claims (in the case of clauses (a) and (b) other than for an obligation for money borrowed);

 

(9)   the Incurrence by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Indebtedness arising from Guarantees of Indebtedness of joint ventures at any time outstanding not to exceed the greater of $10.0 million or 1.0% of the Company’s Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets determined as of the date of the Incurrence of such Indebtedness after giving pro forma effect to such Incurrence and the application of proceeds therefrom;

 

(10)   Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company or of any of the Subsidiary Guarantors; and

 

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(11)   in addition to the items referred to in clauses (1) through (10) above, Indebtedness of the Company and its Subsidiary Guarantors in an aggregate outstanding principal amount which, when taken together with the principal amount of all other Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to this clause (11) and then outstanding, will not at any time exceed the greater of $35.0 million or 2.5% of the Company’s Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets, determined as of the date of Incurrence of such Indebtedness after giving effect to such Incurrence and the application of the proceeds therefrom.

For purposes of determining compliance with, and the outstanding principal amount of any particular Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to and in compliance with, this covenant:

 

(1)   in the event an item of that Indebtedness meets the criteria of more than one of the types of Indebtedness described in the first and second paragraphs of this covenant, the Company, in its sole discretion, will classify such item of Indebtedness on the date of Incurrence and, subject to clause (2) below may later classify, reclassify or redivide all or a portion of such item of Indebtedness, in any manner that complies with this covenant;

 

(2)   all Indebtedness outstanding on the date of the Indenture under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement shall be deemed Incurred on the Issue Date under clause (1) of the second paragraph of this covenant;

 

(3)   Guarantees of, or obligations in respect of letters of credit supporting, Indebtedness which is otherwise included in the determination of a particular amount of Indebtedness shall not be included;

 

(4)   if obligations in respect of letters of credit are Incurred pursuant to a Credit Facility and are being treated as Incurred pursuant to clause (1) of the second paragraph above and the letters of credit relate to other Indebtedness, then such other Indebtedness shall not be included;

 

(5)   the principal amount of any Disqualified Stock of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, or Preferred Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Subsidiary Guarantor, will be equal to the greater of the maximum mandatory redemption or repurchase price (not including, in either case, any redemption or repurchase premium) or the liquidation preference thereof;

 

(6)   Indebtedness permitted by this covenant need not be permitted solely by reference to one provision permitting such Indebtedness but may be permitted in part by one such provision and in part by one or more other provisions of this covenant permitting such Indebtedness; and

 

(7)   the amount of Indebtedness issued at a price that is less than the principal amount thereof will be equal to the amount of the liability in respect thereof determined in accordance with GAAP.

Accrual of interest, accrual of dividends, the amortization of debt discount or the accretion of accreted value, the payment of interest in the form of additional Indebtedness, the payment of dividends in the form of additional shares of Preferred Stock or Disqualified Stock and unrealized losses or charges in respect of Hedging Obligations (including those resulting from the application of ASC 815) will not be deemed to be an Incurrence of Indebtedness for purposes of this covenant. The amount of any Indebtedness outstanding as of any date shall be (i) the accreted value thereof in the case of any Indebtedness issued with original issue discount and (ii) the principal amount or liquidation preference thereof, together with any interest thereon that is more than 30 days past due, in the case of any other Indebtedness.

 

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If at any time an Unrestricted Subsidiary becomes a Restricted Subsidiary, any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary shall be deemed to be Incurred by a Restricted Subsidiary as of such date (and, if such Indebtedness is not permitted to be Incurred as of such date under this “Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock” covenant, the Company shall be in Default of this covenant).

For purposes of determining compliance with any U.S. dollar-denominated restriction on the Incurrence of Indebtedness, the U.S. dollar-equivalent principal amount of Indebtedness denominated in a foreign currency shall be calculated based on the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date such Indebtedness was Incurred, in the case of term Indebtedness, or first committed, in the case of revolving credit Indebtedness; provided that if such Indebtedness is Incurred to refinance other Indebtedness denominated in a foreign currency, and such refinancing would cause the applicable U.S. dollar-denominated restriction to be exceeded if calculated at the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date of such refinancing, such U.S. dollar-denominated restriction shall be deemed not to have been exceeded so long as the principal amount of such refinancing Indebtedness does not exceed the principal amount of such Indebtedness being refinanced. Notwithstanding any other provision of this covenant, the maximum amount of Indebtedness that the Company may Incur pursuant to this covenant shall not be deemed to be exceeded solely as a result of fluctuations in the exchange rate of currencies. The principal amount of any Indebtedness Incurred to refinance other Indebtedness, if Incurred in a different currency from the Indebtedness being refinanced, shall be calculated based on the currency exchange rate applicable to the currencies in which such Refinancing Indebtedness is denominated that is in effect on the date of such refinancing.

The Indenture will not treat (1) unsecured Indebtedness as subordinated or junior to secured Indebtedness merely because it is unsecured or (2) senior Indebtedness as subordinated or junior to any other senior Indebtedness merely because it has a junior priority with respect to the same collateral.

Limitation on Restricted Payments

The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, directly or indirectly, to:

 

(1)   declare or pay any dividend or make any payment or distribution on or in respect of the Company’s Capital Stock (including any payment or distribution in connection with any merger or consolidation involving the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries) except:

 

  (a)   dividends or distributions by the Company payable solely in Capital Stock of the Company (other than Disqualified Stock) or in options, warrants or other rights to purchase such Capital Stock of the Company; and

 

  (b)   dividends or distributions payable to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary and if such Restricted Subsidiary is not a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary, to minority stockholders (or owners of an equivalent interest in the case of a Subsidiary that is an entity other than a corporation) so long as the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary receives at least its pro rata share of such dividend or distribution;

 

(2)   purchase, redeem, defease, retire or otherwise acquire for value any Capital Stock of the Company or any direct or indirect parent of the Company held by Persons other than the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary (other than in exchange for Capital Stock of the Company (other than Disqualified Stock));

 

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(3)   purchase, repurchase, redeem, defease or otherwise acquire or retire for value, prior to scheduled maturity, scheduled repayment or scheduled sinking fund payment, any Subordinated Obligations or Guarantor Subordinated Obligations (other than (x) Indebtedness permitted under clause (3) of the second paragraph of the covenant “—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock”, (y) the purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement of Subordinated Obligations or Guarantor Subordinated Obligations purchased in anticipation of satisfying a sinking fund obligation, principal installment or final maturity, in each case due within one year of the date of purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement or (z) the purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement for value of any or all of the Convertible Notes and any related call options or warrants issued at the time of the issuance thereof); or

 

(4)   make any Restricted Investment in any Person;

(any such dividend, distribution, purchase, redemption, repurchase, defeasance, other acquisition, retirement or Restricted Investment referred to in clauses (1) through (4) shall be referred to herein as a “Restricted Payment”), if at the time the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary makes such Restricted Payment:

 

(a)   a Default shall have occurred and be continuing (or would result therefrom);

 

(b)   the Company is not able to Incur an additional $1.00 of Indebtedness pursuant to the covenant described under the first paragraph under “—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock” after giving effect, on a pro forma basis, to such Restricted Payment; or

 

(c)   the aggregate amount of such Restricted Payment and all other Restricted Payments declared or made subsequent to the Issue Date would exceed the sum of:

 

  (i)   50% of Consolidated Net Income for the period (treated as one accounting period) from April 1, 2011 to the end of the most recent fiscal quarter ending prior to the date of such Restricted Payment for which internal financial statements are in existence (or, in case such Consolidated Net Income is a deficit, minus 100% of such deficit);

 

  (ii)   100% of the aggregate Net Cash Proceeds and the fair market value (as determined by the Company’s Board of Directors in good faith) of property or securities other than cash (including Capital Stock of Persons engaged primarily in the Oil and Gas Business or assets used in the Oil and Gas Business), in each case received by the Company from the issue or sale of its Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) or other capital contributions subsequent to the Issue Date (other than Net Cash Proceeds received from an issuance or sale of such Capital Stock to (x) management, employees, directors or any direct or indirect parent of the Company, to the extent such Net Cash Proceeds have been used to make a Restricted Payment pursuant to clause (5)(a) of the next succeeding paragraph, (y) a Subsidiary of the Company or (z) an employee stock ownership plan, option plan or similar trust (to the extent such sale to an employee stock ownership plan, option plan or similar trust is financed by loans from or Guaranteed by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary unless such loans have been repaid with cash on or prior to the date of determination));

 

  (iii)  

the amount by which Indebtedness of the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries is reduced on the Company’s balance sheet upon the conversion or exchange (other than by a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of the Company) subsequent to the Issue Date of any Indebtedness of the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries convertible or exchangeable for Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company (less the amount of any

 

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cash, or the fair market value of any other property (other than such Capital Stock), distributed by the Company upon such conversion or exchange), together with the net proceeds, if any, received by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries upon such conversion or exchange; and

 

  (iv)   the amount equal to the aggregate net reduction in Restricted Investments made by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in any Person after the Issue Date resulting from:

 

  (A)   repurchases, repayments or redemptions of such Restricted Investments by such Person, proceeds realized upon the sale of such Restricted Investment (other than to a Subsidiary of the Company), repayments of loans or advances or other transfers of assets (including by way of dividend or distribution) by such Person to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

  (B)   the redesignation of Unrestricted Subsidiaries as Restricted Subsidiaries (valued in each case as provided in the definition of “Investment”) not to exceed, in the case of any Unrestricted Subsidiary, the amount of Investments previously made by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in such Unrestricted Subsidiary, which amount in each case under this clause (iv) was included in the calculation of the amount of Restricted Payments; provided, however, that no amount will be included under this clause (iv) to the extent it is already included in Consolidated Net Income; and

 

  (C)   the sale by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (other than to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary) of all or a portion of the Capital Stock of an Unrestricted Subsidiary or a distribution from an Unrestricted Subsidiary or a dividend from an Unrestricted Subsidiary (whether any such distribution or dividend is made with proceeds from the issuance by such Unrestricted Subsidiary of its Capital Stock or otherwise).

The provisions of the preceding paragraph will not prohibit:

 

(1)   any Restricted Payment made by exchange for, or out of the proceeds of the substantially concurrent sale of, Capital Stock of the Company (other than Disqualified Stock and other than Capital Stock issued or sold to a Subsidiary or an employee stock ownership plan or similar trust to the extent such sale to an employee stock ownership plan or similar trust is financed by loans from or Guaranteed by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary unless such loans have been repaid with cash on or prior to the date of determination) or a substantially concurrent cash capital contribution received by the Company from its shareholders; provided, however, that (a) such Restricted Payment will be excluded from subsequent calculations of the amount of Restricted Payments and (b) the Net Cash Proceeds from such sale of Capital Stock or capital contribution will be excluded from clause (c)(ii) of the preceding paragraph;

 

(2)  

any purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement of Subordinated Obligations of the Company or Guarantor Subordinated Obligations of any Subsidiary Guarantor made by exchange for, or out of the proceeds of the substantially concurrent sale of, Subordinated Obligations of the Company or any purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement of Guarantor Subordinated Obligations made by exchange for or out of the proceeds of the substantially concurrent sale of Guarantor Subordinated Obligations that, in each case, is permitted to be Incurred pursuant to the covenant described under “—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred

 

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Stock”; provided, however, that such purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance, acquisition or retirement will be excluded from subsequent calculations of the amount of Restricted Payments;

 

(3)   any purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement of Disqualified Stock of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary made by exchange for, or out of the proceeds of the substantially concurrent sale of, Disqualified Stock of the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, that, in each case, is permitted to be Incurred pursuant to the covenant described under “—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock”; provided, however, that such purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance, acquisition or retirement will be excluded from subsequent calculations of the amount of Restricted Payments;

 

(4)   dividends paid or distributions made within 60 days after the date of declaration if at such date of declaration such dividend or distribution would have complied with this covenant; provided, however, that such dividends and distributions will be included in subsequent calculations of the amount of Restricted Payments; and provided further, however, that for purposes of clarification, this clause (4) shall not include cash payments in lieu of the issuance of fractional shares included in clause (9) below;

 

(5)   so long as no Default has occurred and is continuing, (a) the purchase of Capital Stock or options, warrants, equity appreciation rights or other rights to purchase or acquire Capital Stock of the Company held by any existing or former employees, management or directors of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company or their assigns, estates or heirs, in each case in connection with the repurchase provisions under employee stock option or stock purchase agreements or other agreements to compensate management, employees or directors; provided that such redemptions or repurchases pursuant to this subclause (a) during any calendar year will not exceed $2.0 million in the aggregate (with unused amounts in any calendar year being carried over to succeeding calendar years); provided further, that such amount in any calendar year may be increased by an amount not to exceed (A) the cash proceeds received by the Company from the sale of Capital Stock of the Company to members of management or directors of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries that occurs after the Issue Date (to the extent the cash proceeds from the sale of such Capital Stock have not otherwise been applied to the payment of Restricted Payments by virtue of the clause (c) of the preceding paragraph), plus (B) the cash proceeds of key man life insurance policies received by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries after the Issue Date, less (C) the amount of any Restricted Payments made pursuant to clauses (A) and (B) of this clause (5)(a); provided further, however, that the amount of any such repurchase or redemption under this subclause (a) will be excluded in subsequent calculations of the amount of Restricted Payments and the proceeds received from any such sale will be excluded from clause (c)(ii) of the preceding paragraph; and (b) the cancellation of loans or advances to employees or directors of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company the proceeds of which are used to purchase Capital Stock of the Company, in an aggregate amount not in excess of $2.0 million at any one time outstanding; provided, however, that the amount of such cancelled loans and advances will be included in subsequent calculations of the amount of Restricted Payments;

 

(6)  

repurchases, redemptions or other acquisitions or retirements for value of Capital Stock deemed to occur upon the exercise of stock options, warrants, rights to acquire Capital Stock or other convertible securities if such Capital Stock represents a portion of the exercise or exchange price thereof, and any repurchases, redemptions or other acquisitions or retirements for value of Capital Stock made in lieu of withholding taxes in connection with

 

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any exercise or exchange of warrants, options or rights to acquire Capital Stock; provided, however, that such repurchases will be excluded from subsequent calculations of the amount of Restricted Payments;

 

(7)   the purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement for value of any Subordinated Obligation (i) at a purchase price not greater than 101% of the principal amount of such Subordinated Obligation in the event of a Change of Control in accordance with provisions similar to the covenant described under “Change of control” or (ii) at a purchase price not greater than 100% of the principal amount thereof in accordance with provisions similar to the covenant described under “—Limitation on sales of assets and Subsidiary stock”; provided that, prior to or simultaneously with such purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement, the Company has made the Change of Control Offer or Asset Disposition Offer, as applicable, as provided in such covenant with respect to the Notes and has completed the repurchase or redemption of all Notes validly tendered for payment in connection with such Change of Control Offer or Asset Disposition Offer; provided, however, that such repurchases will be included in subsequent calculations of the amount of Restricted Payments;

 

(8)   payments or distributions to dissenting stockholders pursuant to applicable law or in connection with the settlement or other satisfaction of legal claims made pursuant to or in connection with a consolidation, merger or transfer of assets; provided, however, that any payment pursuant to this clause (8) shall be included in the calculation of the amount of Restricted Payments;

 

(9)   cash payments in lieu of the issuance of fractional shares; provided, however, that any payment pursuant to this clause (9) shall be excluded in the calculation of the amount of Restricted Payments;

 

(10)   so long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the payment of dividends on the Company’s Common Stock of an amount per annum not to exceed $0.25 per share (but in no event in excess of $15.0 million in the aggregate during any calendar year pursuant to this clause (10)); provided, however, that the amount of such Restricted Payments will be included in subsequent calculations of Restricted Payments;

 

(11)   the declaration and payment of scheduled or accrued dividends to holders of any class of or series of Disqualified Stock of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries issued on or after the Issue Date in accordance with the covenant captioned “—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock,” to the extent such dividends are included in Consolidated Interest Expense; provided, however, that any payment pursuant to this clause (11) shall be excluded in the calculation of the amount of Restricted Payments; and

 

(12)   Restricted Payments in an amount not to exceed $25.0 million at any one time outstanding; provided, however, that the amount of such Restricted Payments will be included in subsequent calculations of the amount of Restricted Payments.

The amount of all Restricted Payments (other than cash) shall be the fair market value on the date of such Restricted Payment of the asset(s) or securities proposed to be paid, transferred or issued by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, pursuant to such Restricted Payment. The fair market value of any cash Restricted Payment shall be its face amount and the fair market value of any non-cash Restricted Payment shall be determined conclusively by the Board of Directors of the Company acting in good faith whose resolution with respect thereto shall be delivered to the Trustee.

 

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In the event that a Restricted Payment meets the criteria of more than one of the exceptions described in (1) through (12) above or is entitled to be made pursuant to the first paragraph above, the Company shall, in its sole discretion, classify such Restricted Payment.

As of the Issue Date, only Penn Virginia Holding Corp., Penn Virginia Oil & Gas Corporation, Penn Virginia Oil & Gas GP LLC, Penn Virginia Oil & Gas LP LLC, Penn Virginia Oil & Gas, L.P., Penn Virginia MC Corporation, Penn Virginia MC Energy L.L.C. and Penn Virginia MC Operating Company L.L.C. will be Restricted Subsidiaries. Certain other Subsidiaries of the Company that do not currently guarantee the Senior Secured Credit Agreement or the Existing Senior Notes will be Unrestricted Subsidiaries as of the Issue Date. We will not permit any Unrestricted Subsidiary to become a Restricted Subsidiary except pursuant to the last sentence of the definition of “Unrestricted Subsidiary.” For the purpose of designating any Restricted Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, all outstanding Investments by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries (except to the extent repaid) in the Subsidiary so designated will be deemed to be Restricted Payments in an amount determined as set forth in the last sentence of the definition of “Investment.” Such designation will be permitted only if a Restricted Payment in such amount would be permitted at such time, whether pursuant to the first paragraph of this covenant or under clause (12) of the second paragraph of this covenant, or pursuant to the definition of “Permitted Investments,” and if such Subsidiary otherwise meets the definition of an Unrestricted Subsidiary. Unrestricted Subsidiaries will not be subject to any of the restrictive covenants set forth in the Indenture.

Limitation on Liens

The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create, Incur or suffer to exist any Lien (the “Initial Lien”) other than Permitted Liens upon any of its property or assets (including Capital Stock of Restricted Subsidiaries), including any income or profits therefrom, whether owned on the date of the Indenture or acquired after that date, which Lien is securing any Indebtedness, unless contemporaneously with the Incurrence of such Liens effective provision is made to secure the Indebtedness due under the Notes or, in respect of Liens on any Restricted Subsidiary’s property or assets, any Subsidiary Guarantee of such Restricted Subsidiary, equally and ratably with (or senior in priority to in the case of Liens with respect to Subordinated Obligations or Guarantor Subordinated Obligations, as the case may be) the Indebtedness secured by such Lien for so long as such Indebtedness is so secured.

Any Lien created for the benefit of the holders of the Notes pursuant to the preceding paragraph shall provide by its terms that such Lien shall be automatically and unconditionally released and discharged upon the release and discharge of the Initial Lien.

Limitation on restrictions on distributions from Restricted Subsidiaries

The Company will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, create or otherwise cause or permit to exist or become effective any consensual encumbrance or consensual restriction on the ability of any Restricted Subsidiary to:

 

(1)   pay dividends or make any other distributions on its Capital Stock or pay any Indebtedness or other obligations owed to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (it being understood that the priority of any Preferred Stock in receiving dividends or liquidating distributions prior to dividends or liquidating distributions being paid on Common Stock shall not be deemed a restriction on the ability to make distributions on Capital Stock);

 

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(2)   make any loans or advances to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (it being understood that the subordination of loans or advances made to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary to other Indebtedness Incurred by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary shall not be deemed a restriction on the ability to make loans or advances); or

 

(3)   sell, lease or transfer any of its property or assets to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary.

The preceding provisions will not prohibit:

 

  (i)   any encumbrance or restriction pursuant to or by reason of an agreement in effect at or entered into on the Issue Date, including, without limitation, the indenture governing the Existing Senior Notes, the indenture governing the Convertible Notes and the Indenture, in each case as in effect on such date;

 

  (ii)   any encumbrance or restriction with respect to a Person pursuant to or by reason of an agreement relating to any Capital Stock or Indebtedness Incurred by a Person on or before the date on which such Person was acquired by the Company or another Restricted Subsidiary (other than Capital Stock or Indebtedness Incurred as consideration in, or to provide all or any portion of the funds utilized to consummate, the transaction or series of related transactions pursuant to which such Person was acquired by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary or in contemplation of the transaction) and outstanding on such date; provided that any such encumbrance or restriction shall not extend to any assets or property of the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary other than the assets and property so acquired;

 

  (iii)   encumbrances and restrictions contained in contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business, not relating to any Indebtedness, and that do not, individually or in the aggregate, detract from the value of, or from the ability of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries to realize the value of, property or assets of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in any manner material to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

  (iv)   any encumbrance or restriction with respect to an Unrestricted Subsidiary pursuant to or by reason of an agreement that the Unrestricted Subsidiary is a party to entered into before the date on which such Unrestricted Subsidiary became a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that such agreement was not entered into in anticipation of the Unrestricted Subsidiary becoming a Restricted Subsidiary and any such encumbrance or restriction shall not extend to any assets or property of the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary other than the assets and property so acquired;

 

  (v)   with respect to any Foreign Subsidiary, any encumbrance or restriction contained in the terms of any Indebtedness or any agreement pursuant to which such Indebtedness was Incurred if either (1) the encumbrance or restriction applies only in the event of a payment default or a default with respect to a financial covenant in such Indebtedness or agreement or (2) the Company determines that any such encumbrance or restriction will not materially affect the Company’s ability to make principal or interest payments on the Notes, as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be conclusive;

 

  (vi)  

any encumbrance or restriction with respect to a Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to an agreement effecting a refunding, replacement or refinancing of Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to an agreement referred to in clauses (i) through (v) or clause (xii) of this

 

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paragraph or this clause (vi) or contained in any amendment, restatement, modification, renewal, supplemental, refunding, replacement or refinancing of an agreement referred to in clauses (i) through (v) or clause (xii) of this paragraph or this clause (vi); provided that the encumbrances and restrictions with respect to such Restricted Subsidiary contained in any such agreement taken as a whole are no less favorable in any material respect to the holders of the Notes than the encumbrances and restrictions contained in the agreements governing the Indebtedness being refunded, replaced or refinanced;

 

  (vii)   in the case of clause (3) of the first paragraph of this covenant, any encumbrance or restriction:

 

  (a)   that restricts in a customary manner the subletting, assignment or transfer of any property or asset that is subject to a lease (including leases governing leasehold interests or farm-in agreements or farm-out agreements relating to leasehold interests in Oil and Gas Properties), license or similar contract, or the assignment or transfer of any such lease (including leases governing leasehold interests or farm-in agreements or farm-out agreements relating to leasehold interests in Oil and Gas Properties), license (including, without limitation, licenses of intellectual property) or other contract;

 

  (b)   contained in mortgages, pledges or other security agreements permitted under the Indenture securing Indebtedness of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary to the extent such encumbrances or restrictions restrict the transfer of the property subject to such mortgages, pledges or other security agreements;

 

  (c)   contained Hedging Obligations permitted from time to time under the Indenture;

 

  (d)   pursuant to customary provisions restricting dispositions of real property interests set forth in any reciprocal easement agreements of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

  (e)   restrictions on cash or other deposits imposed by customers under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business; or

 

  (f)   provisions with respect to the disposition or distribution of assets or property in operating agreements, joint venture agreements, development agreements, area of mutual interest agreements and other agreements that are customary in the Oil and Gas Business and entered into in the ordinary course of business.

 

  (viii)   (a) purchase money obligations for property acquired in the ordinary course of business and (b) Capitalized Lease Obligations permitted under the Indenture, in each case, that impose encumbrances or restrictions of the nature described in clause (3) of the first paragraph of this covenant on the property so acquired;

 

  (ix)   any encumbrance or restriction with respect to a Restricted Subsidiary (or any of its property or assets) imposed pursuant to an agreement entered into for the direct or indirect sale or disposition of all or a portion of the Capital Stock or assets of such Restricted Subsidiary (or the property or assets that are subject to such restriction) pending the closing of such sale or disposition;

 

  (x)   any customary encumbrances or restrictions imposed pursuant to any agreement of the type described in the definition of “Permitted Business Investment”;

 

  (xi)   encumbrances or restrictions arising or existing by reason of applicable law or any applicable rule, regulation or order;

 

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  (xii)   other Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries permitted to be Incurred pursuant to an agreement entered into subsequent to the Issue Date in accordance with the covenant described under the caption “—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock”; provided that the provisions relating to such encumbrance or restriction contained in such Indebtedness are not materially less favorable to the Company taken as a whole, as determined by the Board of Directors of the Company in good faith, than the provisions contained in the Senior Secured Credit Agreement and in the Indenture as in effect on the Issue Date;

 

  (xiii)   the issuance of Preferred Stock by a Restricted Subsidiary or the payment of dividends thereon in accordance with the terms thereof; provided that issuance of such Preferred Stock is permitted pursuant to the covenant described under the caption “—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock” and the terms of such Preferred Stock do not expressly restrict the ability of a Restricted Subsidiary to pay dividends or make any other distributions on its Capital Stock (other than requirements to pay dividends or liquidation preferences on such Preferred Stock prior to paying any dividends or making any other distributions on such other Capital Stock);

 

  (xiv)   supermajority voting requirements existing under corporate charters, bylaws, stockholders agreements and similar documents and agreements;

 

  (xv)   restrictions on cash or other deposits or net worth imposed by customers under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business; and

 

  (xvi)   the Senior Secured Credit Agreement as in effect as of the Issue Date, and any amendments, modifications, restatements, renewals, increases, supplements, refundings, replacements or refinancings thereof; provided that such amendments, modifications, restatements, renewals, increases, supplements, refundings, replacements or refinancings are no more restrictive with respect to such dividend and other payment restrictions than those contained in the Senior Secured Credit Agreement as in effect on the Issue Date.

Limitation on sales of assets and Subsidiary stock

The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, make any Asset Disposition unless:

 

(1)   the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, receives consideration at the time of such Asset Disposition at least equal to the fair market value (such fair market value to be determined on the date of contractually agreeing to such Asset Disposition), as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors (including as to the value of all non-cash consideration), of the shares and assets subject to such Asset Disposition;

 

(2)   (a) at least 75% of the consideration received by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, from such Asset Disposition is in the form of cash or Cash Equivalents or Additional Assets, or any combination thereof or (b) the fair market value of all forms of consideration other than those in clause (a) since the Issue Date which does not exceed in the aggregate 10% of the Company’s Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets of the Company measured at the time the determination is made; and

 

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(3)   except as provided in the next paragraph, an amount equal to 100% of the Net Available Cash from such Asset Disposition is applied, within one year from the later of the date of such Asset Disposition or the receipt of such Net Available Cash, by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be:

 

  (a)   to the extent the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, elects (or is required by the terms of any Indebtedness), to prepay, repay, redeem or purchase Indebtedness of the Company under the Senior Secured Credit Agreement, any other Indebtedness of the Company or a Subsidiary Guarantor that is secured by a Lien permitted to be Incurred under the Indenture or Indebtedness (other than Disqualified Stock) of any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary that is not a Subsidiary Guarantor; provided, however, that, in connection with any prepayment, repayment, redemption or purchase of Indebtedness pursuant to this clause (a), the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary will retire such Indebtedness and will cause the related commitment (if any) to be permanently reduced in an amount equal to the principal amount so prepaid, repaid, redeemed or purchased; or

 

  (b)   to invest in Additional Assets;

provided that pending the final application of any such Net Available Cash in accordance with this covenant, the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries may temporarily reduce Indebtedness or otherwise invest such Net Available Cash in any manner not prohibited by the Indenture.

Any Net Available Cash from Asset Dispositions that is not applied or invested as provided in the preceding paragraph will be deemed to constitute “Excess Proceeds.” Not later than the day following the date that is one year from the later of the date of such Asset Disposition or the receipt of such Net Available Cash, if the aggregate amount of Excess Proceeds exceeds $20.0 million, the Company will be required to make an offer (“Asset Disposition Offer”) to all holders of Notes and, to the extent required by the terms of other Pari Passu Indebtedness, to all holders of other Pari Passu Indebtedness outstanding with similar provisions requiring the Company to make an offer to purchase such Pari Passu Indebtedness with the proceeds from any Asset Disposition (“Pari Passu Notes”) to purchase the maximum principal amount of Notes and any such Pari Passu Notes to which the Asset Disposition Offer applies that may be purchased out of the Excess Proceeds, at an offer price in cash in an amount equal to 100% of the principal amount (or, in the event such Pari Passu Indebtedness of the Company was issued with significant original issue discount, 100% of the accreted value thereof) of the Notes and Pari Passu Notes plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any (or in respect of such Pari Passu Indebtedness, such lesser price, if any, as may be provided for by the terms of such Indebtedness), to the date of purchase (subject to the right of holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date), in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Indenture or the agreements governing the Pari Passu Notes, as applicable, in each case in a minimum principal amount of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess of $2,000. If the aggregate principal amount of Notes surrendered by holders thereof and other Pari Passu Notes surrendered by holders or lenders, collectively, exceeds the amount of Excess Proceeds, the Trustee shall select the Notes to be purchased on a pro rata basis on the basis of the aggregate principal amount of tendered Notes and Pari Passu Notes. To the extent that the aggregate amount of Notes and Pari Passu Notes so validly tendered and not properly withdrawn pursuant to an Asset Disposition Offer is less than the Excess Proceeds, the Company may use any remaining Excess Proceeds for general corporate purposes, subject to the other covenants contained in the Indenture. Upon completion of such Asset Disposition Offer, the amount of Excess Proceeds shall be reset at zero.

 

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The Asset Disposition Offer will remain open for a period of 20 Business Days following its commencement, except to the extent that a longer period is required by applicable law (the “Asset Disposition Offer Period”). No later than five Business Days after the termination of the Asset Disposition Offer Period (the “Asset Disposition Purchase Date”), the Company will purchase the principal amount of Notes and Pari Passu Notes required to be purchased pursuant to this covenant (the “Asset Disposition Offer Amount”) or, if less than the Asset Disposition Offer Amount has been so validly tendered, all Notes and Pari Passu Notes validly tendered in response to the Asset Disposition Offer.

If the Asset Disposition Purchase Date is on or after an interest record date and on or before the related interest payment date, any accrued and unpaid interest, if any, will be paid to the Person in whose name a Note is registered at the close of business on such record date, and no further interest will be payable to holders who tender Notes pursuant to the Asset Disposition Offer.

On or before the Asset Disposition Purchase Date, the Company will, to the extent lawful, accept for payment, on a pro rata basis to the extent necessary, the Asset Disposition Offer Amount of Notes and Pari Passu Notes or portions of Notes and Pari Passu Notes so validly tendered and not properly withdrawn pursuant to the Asset Disposition Offer, or if less than the Asset Disposition Offer Amount has been validly tendered and not properly withdrawn, all Notes and Pari Passu Notes so validly tendered and not properly withdrawn, in each case in a minimum principal amount of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess of $2,000. The Company will deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that such Notes or portions thereof were accepted for payment by the Company in accordance with the terms of this covenant and, in addition, the Company will deliver all certificates and notes required, if any, by the agreements governing the Pari Passu Notes. The Company or the paying agent, as the case may be, will promptly (but in any case not later than five Business Days after the termination of the Asset Disposition Offer Period) mail or deliver to each tendering holder of Notes or holder or lender of Pari Passu Notes, as the case may be, an amount equal to the purchase price of the Notes or Pari Passu Notes so validly tendered and not properly withdrawn by such holder or lender, as the case may be, and accepted by the Company for purchase, and the Company will promptly issue a new Note, and the Trustee, upon delivery of an Officers’ Certificate from the Company, will authenticate and mail or deliver such new Note to such holder, in a principal amount equal to any unpurchased portion of the Note surrendered; provided that each such new Note will be in a minimum principal amount of $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess of $2,000. In addition, the Company will take any and all other actions required by the agreements governing the Pari Passu Notes. Any Note not so accepted will be promptly mailed or delivered by the Company to the holder thereof. The Company will publicly announce the results of the Asset Disposition Offer on the Asset Disposition Purchase Date.

The Company will comply, to the extent applicable, with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 of the Exchange Act and any other securities laws or regulations in connection with the repurchase of Notes pursuant to the Indenture. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with provisions of this covenant, the Company will comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached its obligations under the Indenture by virtue of its compliance with such securities laws or regulations.

For the purposes of clause (2) of the first paragraph of this covenant, the following will be deemed to be cash:

 

(1)  

the assumption by the transferee of Indebtedness (other than Subordinated Obligations or Disqualified Stock) of the Company or Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary (other than

 

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Guarantor Subordinated Obligations or Disqualified Stock of any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Subsidiary Guarantor) and the release of the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary from all liability on such Indebtedness in connection with such Asset Disposition (or in lieu of such a release, the agreement of the acquirer or its parent company to indemnify and hold the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary harmless from and against any loss, liability or cost in respect of such assumed Indebtedness, in which case the Company will, without further action, be deemed to have applied such deemed cash to Indebtedness in accordance with clause (3)(a) of the first paragraph of this covenant; and

 

(2)   securities, notes or other obligations received by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary from the transferee that are converted by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary into cash within 180 days after receipt thereof.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the 75% limitation referred to in clause (2) of the first paragraph of this covenant shall be deemed satisfied with respect to any Asset Disposition in which the cash or Cash Equivalents portion of the consideration received therefrom, determined in accordance with the foregoing provision on an after-tax basis, is equal to or greater than what the after-tax proceeds would have been had such Asset Disposition complied with the aforementioned 75% limitation.

The requirement of clause (3)(b) of the first paragraph of this covenant above shall be deemed to be satisfied if an agreement (including a lease, whether a capital lease or an operating lease) committing to make the acquisitions or expenditures referred to therein is entered into by the Company or its Restricted Subsidiary within the specified time period and such Net Available Cash is subsequently applied in accordance with such agreement within six months following such agreement.

Limitation on Affiliate Transactions

The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, enter into, make, amend or conduct any transaction (including making a payment to, the purchase, sale, lease or exchange of any property, or the rendering of any service), contract, agreement or understanding with or for the benefit of any Affiliate of the Company (an “Affiliate Transaction”) unless such Affiliate Transaction complies with the Company’s corporate governance principles and:

 

(1)   the terms of such Affiliate Transaction are no less favorable to the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, than those that could be obtained in a comparable transaction at the time of such transaction in arm’s-length dealings with a Person who is not such an Affiliate;

 

(2)   if such Affiliate Transaction involves an aggregate consideration in excess of $10.0 million, the terms of such transaction have been approved by a majority of the members of the Board of Directors of the Company and by a majority of the members of such Board having no personal stake in such transaction, if any (and such majority or majorities, as the case may be, determines that such Affiliate Transaction satisfies the criteria in clause (1) above); and

 

(3)   if such Affiliate Transaction involves an aggregate consideration in excess of $25.0 million, the Board of Directors of the Company has received a written opinion from an independent investment banking, accounting or appraisal firm of nationally recognized standing that such Affiliate Transaction is fair, from a financial standpoint, to the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary or is not materially less favorable than those that could reasonably be expected to be obtained in a comparable transaction at such time on an arm’s-length basis from a Person that is not an Affiliate.

 

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The preceding paragraph will not apply to:

 

(1)   any Restricted Payment permitted to be made pursuant to the covenant described under “—Limitation on Restricted Payments” or any Permitted Investment;

 

(2)   any issuance of Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock), or other payments, awards or grants in cash, Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) or otherwise pursuant to, or the funding of, employment or severance agreements and other compensation arrangements, options to purchase Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company, restricted stock plans, long-term incentive plans, stock appreciation rights plans, participation plans or similar employee benefits plans and/or indemnity provided on behalf of officers and employees approved by the Board of Directors of the Company;

 

(3)   loans or advances to employees, officers or directors in the ordinary course of business of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

(4)   advances to or reimbursements of employees for moving, entertainment and travel expenses, drawing accounts and similar expenditures in the ordinary course of business of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

(5)   any transaction between the Company and a Restricted Subsidiary or between Restricted Subsidiaries and Guarantees issued by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary for the benefit of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, in accordance with “—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock”;

 

(6)   any transaction with a joint venture or similar entity which would constitute an Affiliate Transaction solely because the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary owns, directly or indirectly, an Equity Interest in or otherwise controls such joint venture or similar entity;

 

(7)   the issuance or sale of any Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company or the receipt by the Company of any capital contribution from its shareholders;

 

(8)   indemnities of officers, directors and employees of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries permitted by bylaw or statutory provisions and any employment agreement or other employee compensation plan or arrangement entered into in the ordinary course of business by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

(9)   the payment of reasonable compensation and fees paid to, and indemnity provided on behalf of, officers or directors of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(10)   the performance of obligations of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries under the terms of any agreement to which the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries is a party as of or on the Issue Date, as these agreements may be amended, modified, supplemented, extended or renewed from time to time; provided, however, that any future amendment, modification, supplement, extension or renewal entered into after the Issue Date will be permitted to the extent that its terms are not materially more disadvantageous, taken as a whole, to the holders of the Notes than the terms of the agreements in effect on the Issue Date;

 

(11)   transactions with customers, clients, suppliers, or purchasers or sellers of goods or services, in each case in the ordinary course of business and otherwise in compliance with the terms of the Indenture which are fair to the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, in the reasonable determination of the board of directors of the Company or the senior management thereof, or are on terms at least as favorable as might reasonably have been obtained at such time from an unaffiliated party;

 

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(12)   transactions with a Person (other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary) that is an Affiliate of the Company solely because the Company owns, directly or through a Restricted Subsidiary, an Equity Interest in such Person; and

 

(13)   transactions between the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary and any Person, a director of which is also a director of the Company or any direct or indirect parent company of the Company and such director is the sole cause for such Person to be deemed an Affiliate of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary; provided, however, that such director shall abstain from voting as a director of the Company or such direct or indirect parent company, as the case may be, on any matter involving such other Person.

Provision of financial information

The Indenture will provide that, whether or not the Company is subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act, to the extent not prohibited by the Exchange Act, the Company will file with the SEC, and make available to the Trustee and the registered holders of the Notes without cost to any holder, the annual reports and the information, documents and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the SEC may by rules and regulations prescribe) that are specified in Sections 13 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act and applicable to a U.S. corporation within the time periods specified therein with respect to an accelerated filer. In the event that the Company is not permitted to file such reports, documents and information with the SEC pursuant to the Exchange Act, the Company will nevertheless make available such Exchange Act information to the Trustee and the holders of the Notes without cost to any holder as if the Company were subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act within the time periods specified therein with respect to a non-accelerated filer.

So long as the Company continues to have designated certain of its Subsidiaries as Unrestricted Subsidiaries, then the financial information required will include a reasonably detailed presentation, either on the face of the financial statements or in the footnotes thereto, and in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, of the financial condition and results of operations of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries separate from the financial condition and results of operations of the Unrestricted Subsidiaries of the Company.

The availability of the foregoing materials on the SEC’s website or on the Company’s website shall be deemed to satisfy the foregoing delivery obligations.

Delivery of such reports, information and documents to the Trustee is for informational purposes only, and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of their covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusive on Officers’ Certificates).

Merger and consolidation

The Company will not consolidate with or merge with or into or wind up into (whether or not the Company is the surviving corporation), or convey, transfer or lease all or substantially all its assets in one or more related transactions to, any Person, unless:

 

(1)  

the resulting, surviving or transferee Person (the “Successor Company”) will be a corporation, partnership, trust or limited liability company organized and existing under the laws of the

 

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United States of America, any State of the United States or the District of Columbia and the Successor Company (if not the Company) will expressly assume, by supplemental indenture, executed and delivered to the Trustee, in form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, all the obligations of the Company under the Notes and the Indenture;

 

(2)   immediately after giving effect to such transaction (and treating any Indebtedness that becomes an obligation of the Successor Company or any Subsidiary of the Successor Company as a result of such transaction as having been Incurred by the Successor Company or such Subsidiary at the time of such transaction), no Default shall have occurred and be continuing;

 

(3)   either (A) immediately after giving effect to such transaction, the Successor Company would be able to Incur at least an additional $1.00 of Indebtedness pursuant to the first paragraph of the covenant described under “—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock” or (B) immediately after giving effect to such transaction on a pro forma basis and any related financing transactions as if the same had occurred at the beginning of the applicable four quarter period, the Consolidated Coverage Ratio of the Company is equal to or greater than the Consolidated Coverage Ratio of the Company immediately before such transaction;

 

(4)   each Subsidiary Guarantor (unless it is the other party to the transactions above, in which case clause (1) shall apply) shall have by supplemental indenture confirmed that its Subsidiary Guarantee shall apply to such Person’s obligations in respect of the Indenture and the Notes shall continue to be in effect; and

 

(5)   the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger or transfer and such supplemental indenture (if any) comply with the Indenture.

For purposes of this covenant, the sale, lease, conveyance, assignment, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of the properties and assets of one or more Subsidiaries of the Company, which properties and assets, if held by the Company instead of such Subsidiaries, would constitute all or substantially all of the properties and assets of the Company on a consolidated basis, shall be deemed to be the transfer of all or substantially all of the properties and assets of the Company.

The Successor Company will succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under the Indenture; and its predecessor Company, except in the case of a lease of all or substantially all of its assets, will be released from the obligation to pay the principal of and interest on the Notes.

Although there is a limited body of case law interpreting the phrase “substantially all,” there is no precise established definition of the phrase under applicable law. Accordingly, in certain circumstances there may be a degree of uncertainty as to whether a particular transaction would involve “all or substantially all” of the property or assets of a Person.

Notwithstanding the preceding clause (3), (x) any Restricted Subsidiary may consolidate with, merge into or transfer all or part of its properties and assets to the Company and the Company may consolidate with, merge into or transfer all or part of its properties and assets to a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary and (y) the Company may merge with an Affiliate incorporated solely for the purpose of reincorporating the Company in another jurisdiction; provided that, in the case of a Restricted Subsidiary that consolidates with, merges into or transfers all or part of its properties and assets to the Company, the Company will not be required to comply with the preceding clause (5).

 

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In addition, the Company will not permit any Subsidiary Guarantor to consolidate with or merge with or into, and will not permit the conveyance, transfer or lease of substantially all of the assets of any Subsidiary Guarantor to, any Person (other than the Company or another Subsidiary Guarantor) unless:

 

(1)   (a) the resulting, surviving or transferee Person will be a corporation, partnership, trust or limited liability company organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any State of the United States or the District of Columbia and such Person (if not such Subsidiary Guarantor) will expressly assume, by supplemental indenture, executed and delivered to the Trustee, all the obligations of such Subsidiary Guarantor under its Subsidiary Guarantee and (b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction (and treating any Indebtedness that becomes an obligation of the resulting, surviving or transferee Person or any Restricted Subsidiary as a result of such transaction as having been Incurred by such Person or such Restricted Subsidiary at the time of such transaction), no Default shall have occurred and be continuing; or

 

(2)   the transaction is made in compliance with the covenants described under “Subsidiary guarantees” and “Certain Covenants—Limitation on sales of assets and Subsidiary stock.”

Future subsidiary guarantors

The Indenture will provide that the Company will cause each Restricted Subsidiary that Guarantees any Indebtedness under a Credit Facility or other capital markets Indebtedness, other than a Foreign Subsidiary created or acquired by the Company or one or more of its Restricted Subsidiaries, to execute and deliver to the Trustee a Subsidiary Guarantee pursuant to which such Subsidiary Guarantor will unconditionally Guarantee, on a joint and several basis, the full and prompt payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the Notes on a senior basis; provided that any Restricted Subsidiary that constitutes an Immaterial Subsidiary need not become a Subsidiary Guarantor until such time as it ceases to be an Immaterial Subsidiary.

Payments for consent

Neither the Company nor any of its Restricted Subsidiaries will, directly or indirectly, pay or cause to be paid any consideration, whether by way of interest, fees or otherwise, to any holder of any Notes for or as an inducement to any consent, waiver or amendment of any of the terms or provisions of the Indenture or the Notes unless such consideration is offered to be paid or is paid to all holders of the Notes that consent, waive or agree to amend in the time frame set forth in the solicitation documents relating to such consent, waiver or amendment.

Covenant termination

From and after the occurrence of an Investment Grade Rating Event, the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries will no longer be subject to the provisions of the Indenture described above under the following headings:

 

 

“—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock,”

 

“—Limitation on Restricted Payments,”

 

“—Limitation on restrictions on distributions from Restricted Subsidiaries,”

 

“—Limitation on sales of assets and Subsidiary stock,”

 

“—Limitation on Affiliate Transactions,” and

 

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Clause (3) of “—Merger and consolidation”

(collectively, the “Eliminated Covenants”). As a result, after the date on which the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries are no longer subject to the Eliminated Covenants, the Notes will be entitled to substantially reduced covenant protection.

After the foregoing covenants have been terminated, the Company may not designate any of its Subsidiaries as Unrestricted Subsidiaries pursuant to the second sentence of the definition of “Unrestricted Subsidiary.”

Events of default

Each of the following is an Event of Default:

 

(1)   default in any payment of interest on any Note when due, continued for 30 days;

 

(2)   default in the payment of principal of or premium, if any, on any Note when due at its Stated Maturity, upon optional redemption, upon required repurchase, upon declaration of acceleration or otherwise;

 

(3)   failure by the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor to comply with its obligations under “Certain covenants—Merger and consolidation”;

 

(4)   failure by the Company to comply for 30 days after notice as provided below with any of its obligations under the covenant described under “Change of Control” above or under the covenants described under “Certain covenants” above (in each case, other than a failure to purchase Notes which will constitute an Event of Default under clause (2) above and other than a failure to comply with “Certain covenants—Merger and consolidation” which is covered by clause (3));

 

(5)   failure by the Company to comply for 60 days (or 180 days in the case of a Reporting Failure) after notice as provided below with its other agreements contained in the Indenture;

 

(6)   default under any mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there may be issued or by which there may be secured or evidenced any Indebtedness for money borrowed by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (or the payment of which is guaranteed by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries), other than Indebtedness owed to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, whether such Indebtedness or guarantee now exists, or is created after the date of the Indenture, which default:

 

  (a)   is caused by a failure to pay principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on such Indebtedness prior to the expiration of the grace period provided in such Indebtedness (and any extensions of any grace period) (“payment default”); or

 

  (b)   results in the acceleration of such Indebtedness prior to its maturity (the “cross acceleration provision”);

and, in each case, the principal amount of any such Indebtedness, together with the principal amount of any other such Indebtedness under which there has been a payment default or the maturity of which has been so accelerated, aggregates $20.0 million or more;

 

(7)   certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization of the Company or a Significant Subsidiary or group of Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken together (as of the latest audited consolidated financial statements for the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries), would constitute a Significant Subsidiary (the “bankruptcy provisions”);

 

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(8)   failure by the Company or any Significant Subsidiary or group of Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken together (as of the latest audited consolidated financial statements for the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries), would constitute a Significant Subsidiary to pay final judgments aggregating in excess of $20.0 million (to the extent not covered by insurance by a reputable and creditworthy insurer as to which the insurer has not disclaimed coverage), which judgments are not paid or discharged, and there shall be any period of 60 consecutive days following entry of such final judgment or decree during which a stay of enforcement of such final judgment or decree, by reason of pending appeal or otherwise, shall not be in effect (the “judgment default provision”); or

 

(9)   any Subsidiary Guarantee of a Significant Subsidiary or group of Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken together (as of the latest audited consolidated financial statements for the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries) would constitute a Significant Subsidiary ceases to be in full force and effect (except as contemplated by the terms of the Indenture) or is declared null and void in a judicial proceeding or any Subsidiary Guarantor that is a Significant Subsidiary or group of Subsidiary Guarantors that, taken together (as of the latest audited consolidated financial statements of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries) would constitute a Significant Subsidiary denies or disaffirms its obligations under the Indenture or its Subsidiary Guarantee.

However, a default under clauses (4) and (5) of this paragraph will not constitute an Event of Default until the Trustee or the holders of 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes notify the Company in writing and, in the case of a notice given by the holders, the Trustee of the default and the Company does not cure such default within the time specified in clauses (4) and (5) of this paragraph after receipt of such notice.

If an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default described in clause (7) above) occurs and is continuing, the Trustee by notice to the Company, or the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes by notice to the Company and the Trustee, may, and the Trustee at the request of such holders shall, declare the principal of, premium, if any, accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all the Notes to be due and payable. If an Event of Default described in clause (7) above occurs and is continuing, the principal of, premium, if any, accrued and unpaid interest, if any, 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. The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes may waive all past defaults (except with respect to nonpayment of principal, premium or interest, if any) and rescind any such acceleration with respect to the Notes and its consequences if (1) rescission would not conflict with any judgment or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction and (2) all existing Events of Default, other than the nonpayment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes that have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, have been cured or waived.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if an Event of Default specified in clause (6) above shall have occurred and be continuing, such Event of Default and any consequential acceleration (to the extent not in violation of any applicable law) shall be automatically rescinded if (i) the Indebtedness that is the subject of such Event of Default has been repaid or (ii) if the default relating to such Indebtedness is waived or cured and if such Indebtedness has been accelerated, then the holders thereof have rescinded their declaration of acceleration in respect of such Indebtedness.

Subject to the provisions of the Indenture relating to the duties of the Trustee, if an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers under the Indenture at the request or direction of any of the holders unless such

 

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holders have offered to the Trustee reasonable indemnity or security against any loss, liability or expense. Except to enforce the right to receive payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest when due, no holder may pursue any remedy with respect to the Indenture or the Notes unless:

 

(1)   such holder has previously given the Trustee notice that an Event of Default is continuing;

 

(2)   holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes have requested the Trustee to pursue the remedy;

 

(3)   such holders have offered the Trustee reasonable security or indemnity against any loss, liability or expense;

 

(4)   the Trustee has not complied with such request within 60 days after the receipt of the request and the offer of security or indemnity; and

 

(5)   the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes have not waived such Event of Default or otherwise given the Trustee a direction that, in the opinion of the Trustee, is inconsistent with such request within such 60-day period.

Subject to certain restrictions, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes are given the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or of exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee. The Indenture provides that in the event an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee will be required in the exercise of its powers to use the degree of care that a prudent person would use in the conduct of its own affairs. The Trustee, however, may refuse to follow any direction that conflicts with law or the Indenture or that the Trustee determines is unduly prejudicial to the rights of any other holder or that would involve the Trustee in personal liability. Prior to taking any action under the Indenture, the Trustee will be entitled to indemnification satisfactory to it in its sole discretion against all losses and expenses caused by taking or not taking such action.

The Trustee may withhold notice if and so long as a committee of trust officers of the Trustee in good faith determines that withholding notice is in the interests of the holders. In addition, the Company is required to deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year, a certificate indicating whether the signers thereof know of any Default that occurred during the previous year. The Company also is required to deliver to the Trustee, within 30 days after the occurrence thereof, written notice of any events which would constitute certain Defaults, their status and what action the Company is taking or proposing to take in respect thereof.

Amendments and waivers

Subject to certain exceptions, the Indenture and the Notes may be amended or supplemented with the consent of the holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding (including without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, Notes) and, subject to certain exceptions, any past default or compliance with any provisions may be waived with the consent of the holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding (including, without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, Notes). However, without the consent of each holder of an outstanding Note affected, no amendment may, among other things:

 

(1)   reduce the principal amount of Notes whose holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver;

 

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(2)   reduce the stated rate of or extend the stated time for payment of interest on any Note;

 

(3)   reduce the principal of or extend the Stated Maturity of any Note;

 

(4)   reduce the premium payable upon the redemption of any Note as described above under “Optional redemption,” or change the time at which any Note may be redeemed as described above under “Optional redemption,” (other than the provisions described above under “Change of Control” and “—Certain covenants—Limitation on sales of assets or Subsidiary stock”);

 

(5)   make any Note payable in money other than that stated in the Note;

 

(6)   impair the right of any holder to receive payment of, premium, if any, principal of and interest on such holder’s Notes on or after the due dates therefor or to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or with respect to such holder’s Notes;

 

(7)   make any change in the amendment provisions which require each holder’s consent or in the waiver provisions;

 

(8)   modify the Subsidiary Guarantees in any manner adverse to the holders of the Notes; or

 

(9)   make any change to or modify the ranking of the Notes that would adversely affect the holders.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, without the consent of any holder, the Company, the Guarantors and the Trustee may amend the Indenture and the Notes to:

 

(1)   cure any ambiguity, omission, defect, mistake or inconsistency;

 

(2)   provide for the assumption by a successor corporation of the obligations of the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor under the Indenture;

 

(3)   provide for uncertificated Notes in addition to or in place of certificated Notes (provided that the uncertificated Notes are issued in registered form for purposes of Section 163(f) of the Code, or in a manner such that the uncertificated Notes are described in Section 163(f)(2)(B) of the Code);

 

(4)   add Guarantees with respect to the Notes, including Subsidiary Guarantees, or release a Subsidiary Guarantor from its Subsidiary Guarantee and terminate such Subsidiary Guarantee; provided that the release and termination is in accord with the applicable provisions of the Indenture;

 

(5)   secure the Notes or Subsidiary Guarantees;

 

(6)   add to the covenants of the Company or a Subsidiary Guarantor for the benefit of the holders or surrender any right or power conferred upon the Company or a Subsidiary Guarantor;

 

(7)   make any change that does not adversely affect the rights of any holder;

 

(8)   comply with any requirement of the SEC in connection with the qualification of the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act; or

 

(9)   provide for the succession of a successor Trustee.

 

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The consent of the holders is not necessary under the Indenture to approve the particular form of any proposed amendment. It is sufficient if such consent approves the substance of the proposed amendment. A consent to any amendment or waiver under the Indenture by any holder of Notes given in connection with a tender of such holder’s Notes will not be rendered invalid by such tender. After an amendment under the Indenture becomes effective, the Company is required to mail to the holders a notice briefly describing such amendment. However, the failure to give such notice to all the holders, or any defect in the notice, will not impair or affect the validity of the amendment.

Defeasance

The Company at any time may terminate all its obligations under the Notes and the Indenture (“legal defeasance”), except for certain obligations, including those respecting the defeasance trust and obligations to register the transfer or exchange of the Notes, to replace mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Notes and to maintain a registrar and paying agent in respect of the Notes. If the Company exercises its legal defeasance option, the Subsidiary Guarantees in effect at such time will terminate.

The Company at any time may terminate its obligations described under “Change of Control” and under covenants described under “Certain covenants” (other than clauses (1), (2), (4) and (5) of “Merger and consolidation”), the operation of the cross-default upon a payment default, cross-acceleration provisions, the bankruptcy provisions with respect to Significant Subsidiaries, the judgment default provision, the Subsidiary Guarantee provision described under “Events of default” above and the limitations contained in clause (3) under “Certain covenants—Merger and consolidation” above, and the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors may terminate the obligations of the Subsidiary Guarantors to provide the Subsidiary Guarantees, which thereupon shall be automatically released (“covenant defeasance”).

The Company may exercise its legal defeasance option notwithstanding its prior exercise of its covenant defeasance option. If the Company exercises its legal defeasance option, payment of the Notes may not be accelerated because of an Event of Default with respect to the Notes. If the Company exercises its covenant defeasance option, payment of the Notes may not be accelerated because of an Event of Default specified in clause (4), (5), (6), (7) (with respect only to Significant Subsidiaries), (8) or (9) under “Events of default” above or because of the failure of the Company to comply with clause (3) under “Certain covenants—Merger and consolidation” above.

In order to exercise either defeasance option, the Company must, among other things, irrevocably deposit in trust (the “defeasance trust”) with the Trustee money or U.S. Government Obligations for the payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes to redemption or maturity, as the case may be, and must comply with certain other conditions, including delivery to the Trustee of an Opinion of Counsel (subject to customary exceptions and exclusions) to the effect that holders of the Notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit and defeasance and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit and defeasance had not occurred. In the case of legal defeasance only, such Opinion of Counsel must be based on a ruling of the Internal Revenue Service or other change in applicable federal income tax law.

 

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Satisfaction and discharge

The Indenture will be discharged and will cease to be of further effect as to all Notes issued thereunder, when either:

 

(1)   all Notes that have been authenticated (except lost, stolen or destroyed Notes that have been replaced or paid and Notes for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, or

 

(2)   all Notes that have not been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation have become due and payable or will become due and payable within one year by reason of the giving of a notice of redemption or otherwise and the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor has irrevocably deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust solely for such purpose, cash in U.S. dollars, U.S. Government Obligations, or a combination thereof, in such amounts as will be sufficient without consideration of any reinvestment of interest, to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on the Notes not delivered to the Trustee for cancellation for principal and accrued interest to the date of maturity or redemption, and in each case certain other requirements set forth in the Indenture are satisfied.

No personal liability of directors, officers, employees and stockholders

No director, officer, employee, incorporator, stockholder, member, partner or trustee of the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor, as such, shall have any liability for any obligations of the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor under the Notes, the Indenture or the Subsidiary Guarantees or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each holder by accepting a Note waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the Notes.

Concerning the trustee

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association will be the Trustee under the Indenture and has been appointed by the Company as registrar and paying agent with regard to the Notes.

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.

Certain definitions

“Acquired Indebtedness” means Indebtedness (i) of a Person or any of its Subsidiaries existing at the time such Person becomes or is merged with and into a Restricted Subsidiary or (ii) assumed in connection with the acquisition of assets from such Person, in each case whether or not Incurred by such Person in connection with, or in anticipation or contemplation of, such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary or such acquisition. Acquired Indebtedness shall be deemed to have been Incurred, with respect to clause (i) of the preceding sentence, on the date such Person becomes or is merged with and into a Restricted Subsidiary and, with respect to clause (ii) of the preceding sentence, on the date of consummation of such acquisition of assets.

 

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“Additional Assets” means:

 

(1)   any properties or assets to be used by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary in the Oil and Gas Business;

 

(2)   capital expenditures by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary in the Oil and Gas Business;

 

(3)   the Capital Stock of a Person that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary as a result of the acquisition of such Capital Stock by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary; or

 

(4)   Capital Stock constituting a minority interest in any Person that at such time is a Restricted Subsidiary;

provided, however, that, in the case of clauses (3) and (4), such Restricted Subsidiary is primarily engaged in the Oil and Gas Business.

“Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets” of a Person means (without duplication), as of the date of determination, the remainder of:

 

(a)   the sum of:

 

  (i)   discounted future net revenues from proved oil and gas reserves of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries calculated in accordance with SEC guidelines before any state or federal income taxes, as estimated by the Company in a reserve report prepared as of the end of the Company’s most recently completed fiscal year for which audited financial statements are available, as increased by, as of the date of determination, the estimated discounted future net revenues from

 

  (A)   estimated proved oil and gas reserves acquired since such year end, which reserves were not reflected in such year end reserve report, and

 

  (B)   estimated oil and gas reserves attributable to extensions, discoveries and other additions and upward revisions of estimates of proved oil and gas reserves since such year end due to exploration, development or exploitation, production or other activities, which would, in accordance with standard industry practice, cause such revisions, in the case of clauses (A) and (B) calculated in accordance with SEC guidelines (utilizing the prices for the fiscal quarter ending prior to the date of determination), and decreased by, as of the date of determination, the estimated discounted future net revenues from

 

  (C)   estimated proved oil and gas reserves produced or disposed of since such year end, and

 

  (D)   estimated oil and gas reserves attributable to downward revisions of estimates of proved oil and gas reserves since such year end due to changes in geological conditions or other factors which would, in accordance with standard industry practice, cause such revisions, in each case calculated on a pre-tax basis and substantially in accordance with SEC guidelines

in the case of clauses (C) and (D) utilizing the prices for the fiscal quarter ending prior to the date of determination; provided, however, 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 petroleum engineers;

 

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  (ii)   the capitalized costs that are attributable to Oil and Gas Properties of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries to which no proved oil and gas reserves are attributable, based on such Person’s books and records as of a date no earlier than the date of such Person’s latest available annual or quarterly financial statements;

 

  (iii)   the Net Working Capital of such Person on a date no earlier than the date of such Person’s latest annual or quarterly financial statements; and

 

  (iv)   the greater of

 

  (A)   the net book value of other tangible assets of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries, as of a date no earlier than the date of such Person’s latest annual or quarterly financial statement, and

 

  (B)   the appraised value, as estimated by independent appraisers, of other tangible assets of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries, as of a date no earlier than the date of such Person’s latest audited financial statements; provided, that, if no such appraisal has been performed the Company shall not be required to obtain such an appraisal and only clause (iv)(A) of this definition shall apply;

minus

 

(b)   the sum of:

 

  (i)   Minority Interests;

 

  (ii)   any net gas balancing liabilities of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries reflected in such Person’s latest annual or quarterly balance sheet (to the extent not deducted in calculating Net Working Capital of such Person in accordance with clause (a)(iii) above of this definition);

 

  (iii)   to the extent included in (a)(i) above, the discounted future net revenues, calculated in accordance with SEC guidelines (utilizing the prices utilized in such Person’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 Restricted Subsidiaries with respect to Volumetric Production Payments (determined, if applicable, using the schedules specified with respect thereto); and

 

  (iv)   the discounted future net revenues, calculated in accordance with SEC guidelines, attributable to reserves subject to Dollar-Denominated Production Payments which, based on the estimates of production and price assumptions included in determining the discounted future net revenues specified in (a)(i) above, would be necessary to fully satisfy the payment obligations of such Person and its Subsidiaries with respect to Dollar-Denominated Production Payments (determined, if applicable, using the schedules specified with respect thereto).

If the Company changes its method of accounting from the successful efforts method of accounting to the full cost or a similar method, “Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets” will continue to be calculated as if the Company were still using the successful efforts 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 Person means the power to

 

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direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

“Asset Disposition” means any direct or indirect sale, lease (other than an operating lease entered into in the ordinary course of the Oil and Gas Business), transfer, issuance or other disposition, or a series of related sales, leases, transfers, issuances or dispositions that are part of a common plan, of (A) shares of Capital Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary (other than Preferred Stock of Restricted Subsidiaries issued in compliance with the covenant described under the heading “Certain covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock,” and directors’ qualifying shares or shares required by applicable law to be held by a Person other than the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary), (B) all or substantially all the assets of any division or line of business of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (excluding any division or line of business the assets of which are owned by an Unrestricted Subsidiary) or (C) any other assets of the Company (excluding shares of Capital Stock of an Unrestricted Subsidiary) or any Restricted Subsidiary outside of the ordinary course of business of the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary (each referred to for the purposes of this definition as a “disposition”), in each case by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, including any disposition by means of a merger, consolidation or similar transaction.

Notwithstanding the preceding, the following items shall not be deemed to be Asset Dispositions:

 

(1)   a disposition by a Restricted Subsidiary to the Company or by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary to a Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(2)   the sale of cash and Cash Equivalents in the ordinary course of business;

 

(3)   a disposition of Hydrocarbons or mineral products inventory in the ordinary course of business;

 

(4)   a disposition of damaged, unserviceable, obsolete or worn out equipment or equipment that is no longer necessary for the proper conduct of the business of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries and that is disposed of in each case in the ordinary course of business;

 

(5)   transactions in accordance with the covenant described under “Certain covenants—Merger and consolidation”;

 

(6)   an issuance of Capital Stock by a Restricted Subsidiary to the Company or to a Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(7)   the making of a Permitted Investment or a Restricted Payment (or a disposition that would constitute a Restricted Payment but for the exclusions from the definition thereof) permitted by the covenant described under “Certain covenants—Limitation on Restricted Payments”;

 

(8)   an Asset Swap;

 

(9)   dispositions of assets with a fair market value of less than $5.0 million;

 

(10)   Permitted Liens;

 

(11)   dispositions of receivables in connection with the compromise, settlement or collection thereof in the ordinary course of business or in bankruptcy or similar proceedings and exclusive of factoring or similar arrangements;

 

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(12)   the licensing or sublicensing of intellectual property (including, without limitation, the licensing of seismic data) or other general intangibles and licenses, leases or subleases of other property in the ordinary course of business which do not materially interfere with the business of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

(13)   foreclosure on assets;

 

(14)   any Production Payments and Reserve Sales; provided that any such Production Payments and Reserve Sales, other than incentive compensation programs on terms that are reasonably customary in the Oil and Gas Business for geologists, geophysicists and other providers of technical services to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, shall have been created, Incurred, issued, assumed or Guaranteed in connection with the financing of, and within 60 days after the acquisition of, the property that is subject thereto;

 

(15)   a disposition of oil and natural gas properties in connection with tax credit transactions complying with Section 29 or any successor or analogous provisions of the Code;

 

(16)   surrender or waiver of contract rights, oil and gas leases, or the settlement, release or surrender of contract, tort or other claims of any kind;

 

(17)   the abandonment, farm-out, lease or sublease of developed or undeveloped Oil and Gas Properties in the ordinary course of business; and

 

(18)   the sale or transfer (whether or not in the ordinary course of business) of any Oil and Gas Property or interest therein to which no proved reserves are attributable at the time of such sale or transfer.

“Asset Swap” means any substantially contemporaneous (and in any event occurring within 180 days of each other) purchase and sale or exchange of any oil or natural gas properties or assets or interest therein between the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries and another Person; provided, that any cash received must be applied in accordance with “Certain covenants—Limitation on sales of assets and Subsidiary stock” as if the Asset Swap were an Asset Disposition.

“Average Life” means, as of the date of determination, with respect to any Indebtedness or Preferred Stock, the quotient obtained by dividing (1) the sum of the products of the numbers of years from the date of determination to the dates of each successive scheduled principal payment of such Indebtedness or redemption or similar payment with respect to such Preferred Stock multiplied by the amount of such payment by (2) the sum of all such payments.

“Beneficial Owner” has the meaning assigned to such term in Rule 13d-3 and Rule 13d-5 under the Exchange Act, except that in calculating the beneficial ownership of any particular “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), such “person” will be deemed to have beneficial ownership of all securities that such “person” has the right to acquire by conversion or exercise of other securities, whether such right is currently exercisable or is exercisable only after the passage of time. The terms “Beneficially Owns” and “Beneficially Owned” have a corresponding meaning.

“Board of Directors” means, as to any Person that is a corporation, the board of directors of such Person or any duly authorized committee thereof or as to any Person that is not a corporation, the board of managers or such other individual or group serving a similar function.

“Business Day” means each day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banking institutions in New York, New York are authorized or required by law to close.

 

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“Capital Stock” of any Person means any and all shares, units, interests, rights to purchase, warrants, options, participation or other equivalents of or interests in (however designated) equity of such Person, including any Preferred Stock, but excluding any debt securities convertible into such equity.

“Capitalized Lease Obligations” means an obligation that is required to be classified and accounted for as a capitalized lease for financial reporting purposes in accordance with GAAP, and the amount of Indebtedness represented by such obligation will be the capitalized amount of such obligation at the time any determination thereof is to be made as determined in accordance with GAAP, and the Stated Maturity thereof will be the date of the last payment of rent or any other amount due under such lease prior to the first date such lease may be terminated without penalty.

“Cash Equivalents” means:

 

(1)   securities issued or directly and fully guaranteed or insured by the United States Government or any agency or instrumentality of the United States (provided that the full faith and credit of the United States is pledged in support thereof), having maturities of not more than one year from the date of acquisition;

 

(2)   marketable general obligations issued by any state of the United States of America or any political subdivision of any such state or any public instrumentality thereof maturing within one year from the date of acquisition (provided that the full faith and credit of the United States is pledged in support thereof) and, at the time of acquisition, having a credit rating of “A” (or the equivalent thereof) or better from either S&P or Moody’s;

 

(3)   certificates of deposit, time deposits, eurodollar time deposits, overnight bank deposits or bankers’ acceptances having maturities of not more than one year from the date of acquisition thereof issued by any commercial bank the short-term deposit of which is rated at the time of acquisition thereof at least “A-2” or the equivalent thereof by S&P, or “P-2” or the equivalent thereof by Moody’s, and having combined capital and surplus in excess of $100.0 million;

 

(4)   repurchase obligations with a term of not more than seven days for underlying securities of the types described in clauses (1), (2) and (3) entered into with any bank meeting the qualifications specified in clause (3) above;

 

(5)   commercial paper rated at the time of acquisition thereof at least “A-2” or the equivalent thereof by S&P or “P-2” or the equivalent thereof by Moody’s, or carrying an equivalent rating by a nationally recognized rating agency, if both of the two named rating agencies cease publishing ratings of investments, and in any case maturing within one year after the date of acquisition thereof; and

 

(6)   interests in any investment company or money market fund which invests 95% or more of its assets in instruments of the type specified in clauses (1) through (5) above.

“Change of Control” means:

 

(1)  

any “person” or “group” of related persons (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act), is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the total voting power of the Voting Stock of the Company (or its successor by merger, consolidation or purchase of all or substantially all of its assets) (for the purposes of this clause (1), such person or group shall be deemed to Beneficially Own any Voting Stock of

 

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the Company held by a parent entity, if such person or group Beneficially Owns, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the total voting power of the Voting Stock of such parent entity);

 

(2)   the first day on which a majority of the members of the Board of Directors of the Company are not Continuing Directors;

 

(3)   the sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other than by way of merger or consolidation), in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole to any “person” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act); or

 

(4)   the adoption by the shareholders of the Company of a plan or proposal for the liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

“Commodity Agreements” means, in respect of any Person, any forward contract, commodity swap agreement, commodity option agreement or other similar agreement or arrangement in respect of Hydrocarbons used, produced, processed or sold by such Person that are customary in the Oil and Gas Business and designed to protect such Person against fluctuation in Hydrocarbon prices.

“Common Stock” means, with respect to any Person, any and all shares, interests or other participations in, and other equivalents (however designated and whether voting or non-voting) of such Person’s common stock whether or not outstanding on the Issue Date, and includes, without limitation, all series and classes of such common stock.

“Consolidated Coverage Ratio” means as of any date of determination, the ratio of (x) the aggregate amount of Consolidated EBITDAX of such Person for the period of the most recent four consecutive fiscal quarters ending prior to the date of such determination for which financial statements are in existence to (y) Consolidated Interest Expense for such four fiscal quarters, provided, however, that:

 

(1)   if the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary:

 

  (a)   has Incurred any Indebtedness since the beginning of such period that remains outstanding on such date of determination or if the transaction giving rise to the need to calculate the Consolidated Coverage Ratio is an Incurrence of Indebtedness, Consolidated EBITDAX and Consolidated Interest Expense for such period will be calculated after giving effect on a pro forma basis to such Indebtedness and the use of proceeds thereof as if such Indebtedness had been Incurred on the first day of such period and such proceeds had been applied as of such date (except that in making such computation, the amount of Indebtedness under any revolving Credit Facility outstanding on the date of such calculation will be deemed to be (i) the average daily balance of such Indebtedness during such four fiscal quarters or such shorter period for which such facility was outstanding or (ii) if such revolving Credit Facility was created after the end of such four fiscal quarters, the average daily balance of such Indebtedness during the period from the date of creation of such revolving Credit Facility to the date of such calculation, in each case, provided that such average daily balance shall take into account any repayment of Indebtedness under such revolving Credit Facility as provided in clause (b)); or

 

  (b)  

has repaid, repurchased, defeased or otherwise discharged any Indebtedness since the beginning of the period, including with the proceeds of such new Indebtedness, that is

 

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no longer outstanding on such date of determination or if the transaction giving rise to the need to calculate the Consolidated Coverage Ratio involves a discharge of Indebtedness (in each case other than Indebtedness Incurred under any revolving Credit Facility unless such Indebtedness has been permanently repaid and the related commitment terminated), Consolidated EBITDAX and Consolidated Interest Expense for such period will be calculated after giving effect on a pro forma basis to such discharge of such Indebtedness as if such discharge had occurred on the first day of such period;

 

(2)   if, since the beginning of such period, the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary has made any Asset Disposition or if the transaction giving rise to the need to calculate the Consolidated Coverage Ratio is such an Asset Disposition, the Consolidated EBITDAX for such period will be reduced by an amount equal to the Consolidated EBITDAX (if positive) directly attributable to the assets which are the subject of such Asset Disposition for such period or increased by an amount equal to the Consolidated EBITDAX (if negative) directly attributable thereto for such period and Consolidated Interest Expense for such period shall be reduced by an amount equal to the Consolidated Interest Expense directly attributable to any Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary repaid, repurchased, defeased or otherwise discharged with respect to the Company and its continuing Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with or with the proceeds from such Asset Disposition for such period (or, if the Capital Stock of any Restricted Subsidiary is sold, the Consolidated Interest Expense for such period directly attributable to the Indebtedness of such Restricted Subsidiary to the extent the Company and its continuing Restricted Subsidiaries are no longer liable for such Indebtedness after such sale);

 

(3)   if, since the beginning of such period, the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (by merger or otherwise) has made an Investment in any Restricted Subsidiary (or any Person which becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or is merged with or into the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary) or an acquisition (or will have received a contribution) of assets, including any acquisition or contribution of assets occurring in connection with a transaction causing a calculation to be made hereunder, which constitutes all or substantially all of a company, division, operating unit, segment, business, group of related assets or line of business, Consolidated EBITDAX and Consolidated Interest Expense for such period will be calculated after giving pro forma effect thereto (including the Incurrence of any Indebtedness) as if such Investment or acquisition or contribution had occurred on the first day of such period; and

 

(4)   if, since the beginning of such period, any Person (that subsequently became a Restricted Subsidiary or was merged with or into the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary since the beginning of such period) made any Asset Disposition or any Investment or acquisition of assets that would have required an adjustment pursuant to clause (2) or (3) above if made by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary during such period, Consolidated EBITDAX and Consolidated Interest Expense for such period will be calculated after giving pro forma effect thereto as if such Asset Disposition or Investment or acquisition of assets had occurred on the first day of such period.

For purposes of this definition, whenever pro forma effect is to be given to any calculation under this definition, the pro forma calculations will be determined in good faith by a responsible financial or accounting officer of the Company; provided that such officer may in his or her discretion include any reasonably identifiable and factually supportable pro forma changes to Consolidated EBITDAX, including any pro forma expenses and cost reductions, that have occurred or in the judgment of such officer are reasonably expected to occur within 12 months of the date of the applicable transaction (regardless of whether such expense or cost reduction or any other

 

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operating improvements could then be reflected properly in pro forma financial statements prepared in accordance with Regulation S-X under the Securities Act or any other regulation or policy of the SEC). If any Indebtedness bears a floating rate of interest and is being given pro forma effect, the interest expense on such Indebtedness will be calculated as if the average rate in effect from the beginning of such period to the date of determination had been the applicable rate for the entire period (taking into account any Interest Rate Agreement applicable to such Indebtedness, but if the remaining term of such Interest Rate Agreement is less than 12 months, then such Interest Rate Agreement shall only be taken into account for that portion of the period equal to the remaining term thereof). If any Indebtedness that is being given pro forma effect bears an interest rate at the option of the Company, the interest rate shall be calculated by applying such optional rate chosen by the Company. Interest on Indebtedness that may optionally be determined at an interest rate based upon a factor of a prime or similar rate, a eurocurrency interbank offered rate, or other rate, shall be deemed to have been based upon the rate actually chosen, or, if none, then based upon such optional rate chosen as the Company may designate.

“Consolidated EBITDAX” for any period means, without duplication, the Consolidated Net Income for such period, plus the following, without duplication and to the extent deducted (and not added back) in calculating such Consolidated Net Income:

 

(1)   Consolidated Interest Expense;

 

(2)   Consolidated Income Taxes of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

(3)   consolidated depletion and depreciation expense of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

(4)   consolidated amortization expense or impairment charges of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries recorded in connection with the application of ASC 350, “Goodwill and Other Intangibles” and ASC 360-10 and 360-20, “Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long Lived Assets”;

 

(5)   other non-cash charges of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries (excluding any such non-cash charge to the extent it represents an accrual of or reserve for cash charges in any future period or amortization of a prepaid cash expense that was paid in a prior period not included in the calculation); and

 

(6)   consolidated exploration expense of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries,

if applicable for such period; and less, to the extent included in calculating such Consolidated Net Income and in excess of any costs or expenses attributable thereto that were deducted (and not added back) in calculating such Consolidated Net Income, the sum of (x) the amount of deferred revenues that are amortized during such period and are attributable to reserves that are subject to Volumetric Production Payments, (y) amounts recorded in accordance with GAAP as repayments of principal and interest pursuant to Dollar-Denominated Production Payments and (z) other non-cash gains (excluding any non-cash gain to the extent it represents the reversal of an accrual or reserve for a potential cash item that reduced Consolidated EBITDAX in any prior period).

Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, clauses (2) through (6) relating to amounts of a Restricted Subsidiary of a Person will be added to Consolidated Net Income to compute Consolidated EBITDAX of such Person only to the extent (and in the same proportion) that the net income (loss) of such Restricted Subsidiary was included in calculating the Consolidated Net Income of such Person and, to the extent the amounts set forth in clauses (2) through (6) are in excess of those

 

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necessary to offset a net loss of such Restricted Subsidiary or if such Restricted Subsidiary has net income for such period included in Consolidated Net Income, only if a corresponding amount would be permitted at the date of determination to be dividended to the Company by such Restricted Subsidiary without prior approval (that has not been obtained), pursuant to the terms of its charter and all agreements, instruments, judgments, decrees, orders, statutes, rules and governmental regulations applicable to that Restricted Subsidiary or its stockholders.

“Consolidated Income Taxes” means, with respect to any Person for any period, taxes imposed upon such Person or other payments required to be made by such Person by any governmental authority which taxes or other payments are calculated by reference to the income, profits or capital of such Person or such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries (to the extent such income or profits were included in computing Consolidated Net Income for such period), regardless of whether such taxes or payments are required to be remitted to any governmental authority.

“Consolidated Interest Expense” means, for any period, the total consolidated interest expense of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, whether paid or accrued, plus, to the extent not included in such interest expense and without duplication:

 

(1)   interest expense attributable to Capitalized Lease Obligations and the interest component of any deferred payment obligations;

 

(2)   amortization of debt discount and debt issuance cost (provided that any amortization of bond premium will be credited to reduce Consolidated Interest Expense unless, pursuant to GAAP, such amortization of bond premium has otherwise reduced Consolidated Interest Expense);

 

(3)   non-cash interest expense;

 

(4)   commissions, discounts and other fees and charges owed with respect to letters of credit and bankers’ acceptance financing;

 

(5)   the interest expense on Indebtedness of another Person that is Guaranteed by the Company or one of its Restricted Subsidiaries or secured by a Lien on assets of the Company or one of its Restricted Subsidiaries, to the extent such Guarantee becomes payable or such Lien becomes subject to foreclosure;

 

(6)   costs associated with Interest Rate Agreements (including amortization of fees); provided, however, that if Interest Rate Agreements result in net benefits rather than costs, such benefits shall be credited to reduce Consolidated Interest Expense unless, pursuant to GAAP, such net benefits are otherwise reflected in Consolidated Net Income;

 

(7)   the consolidated interest expense of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries that was capitalized during such period; and

 

(8)   all dividends paid or payable in cash, Cash Equivalents or Indebtedness or accrued during such period on any series of Disqualified Stock of the Company or on Preferred Stock of its Restricted Subsidiaries payable to a party other than the Company or a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary.

minus, to the extent included above, write-off of deferred financing costs (and interest) attributable to Dollar-Denominated Production Payments.

For the purpose of calculating the Consolidated Coverage Ratio in connection with the Incurrence of any Indebtedness described in the final paragraph of the definition of

 

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“Indebtedness,” the calculation of Consolidated Interest Expense shall include all interest expense (including any amounts described in clauses (1) through (8) above) relating to any Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary described in the final paragraph of the definition of “Indebtedness.”

“Consolidated Net Income” means, for any period, the aggregate net income (loss) attributable to the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries determined in accordance with GAAP and before any reduction in respect of Preferred Stock dividends of such Person; provided, however, that there will not be included (to the extent otherwise included therein) in such Consolidated Net Income:

 

(1)   any net income (loss) of any Person (other than the Company) if such Person is not a Restricted Subsidiary, except that:

 

  (a)   subject to the limitations contained in clauses (3) and (4) below, the Company’s equity in the net income of any such Person for such period will be included in such Consolidated Net Income up to the aggregate amount of cash actually distributed by such Person during such period to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary as a dividend or other distribution (subject, in the case of a dividend or other distribution to a Restricted Subsidiary, to the limitations contained in clause (2) below); and

 

  (b)   the Company’s equity in a net loss of any such Person for such period will be included in determining such Consolidated Net Income to the extent such loss has been funded with cash from the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary during such period;

 

(2)   any net income (but not loss) of any Restricted Subsidiary if such Subsidiary is subject to restrictions, directly or indirectly, on the payment of dividends or the making of distributions by such Restricted Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, to the Company, except that:

 

  (a)   subject to the limitations contained in clauses (3), (4) and (5) below, the Company’s equity in the net income of any such Restricted Subsidiary for such period will be included in such Consolidated Net Income up to the aggregate amount of cash that could have been distributed by such Restricted Subsidiary during such period to the Company or another Restricted Subsidiary as a dividend or other distribution (subject, in the case of a dividend or other distribution paid to another Restricted Subsidiary, to the limitation contained in this clause); and

 

  (b)   the Company’s equity in a net loss of any such Restricted Subsidiary for such period will be included in determining such Consolidated Net Income;

 

(3)   any gain (loss) realized upon the sale or other disposition of any property, plant or equipment of the Company or its consolidated Subsidiaries (including pursuant to any Sale/Leaseback Transaction) which is not sold or otherwise disposed of in the ordinary course of business and any gain (loss) realized upon the sale or other disposition of any Capital Stock of any Person;

 

(4)   any extraordinary or nonrecurring gains or losses, together with any related provision for taxes on such gains or losses and all related fees and expenses;

 

(5)   the cumulative effect of a change in accounting principles;

 

(6)   any asset impairment writedowns on Oil and Gas Properties under GAAP or SEC guidelines;

 

(7)   any unrealized non-cash gains or losses or charges in respect of Hedging Obligations (including those resulting from the application of ASC 815);

 

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(8)   income or loss attributable to discontinued operations (including, without limitation, operations disposed of during such period whether or not such operations were classified as discontinued); and

 

(9)   any non-cash compensation charge arising from any grant of stock, stock options or other equity based awards; provided that the proceeds resulting from any such grant will be excluded from clause (c)(ii) of the first paragraph of the covenant described under “—Limitations on Restricted Payments.”

“Continuing Directors” means, as of any date of determination, any member of the Board of Directors of the Company who: (1) was a member of such Board of Directors on the date of the Indenture; or (2) was nominated for election or elected to such Board of Directors with the approval of a majority of the Continuing Directors who were members of such Board of Directors at the time of such nomination or election.

“Convertible Notes” means the Company’s existing $230,000,000 (in original principal amount) 4.50% convertible senior subordinated notes due 2012.

“Credit Facility” means, with respect to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, one or more debt facilities (including, without limitation, the Senior Secured Credit Agreement), indentures or commercial paper facilities 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 such lenders against such receivables) or letters of credit, in each case, as amended, restated, modified, renewed, refunded, replaced or refinanced in whole or in part from time to time (and whether or not with the original administrative agent and lenders or another administrative agent or agents or other lenders and whether provided under the original Senior Secured Credit Agreement or any other credit or other agreement or indenture).

“Currency Agreement” means, in respect of a Person, any foreign exchange contract, currency swap agreement, futures contract, option contract or other similar agreement as to which such Person is a party or a beneficiary.

“Default” means any event which is, or after notice or passage of time or both would be, an Event of Default.

“Disqualified Stock” means, with respect to any Person, any Capital Stock of such Person which by its terms (or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable) at the option of the holder of the Capital Stock) or upon the happening of any event:

 

(1)   matures or is mandatorily redeemable (other than redeemable only for Capital Stock of such Person which is not itself Disqualified Stock) pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise;

 

(2)   is convertible or exchangeable for Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock (excluding Capital Stock which is convertible or exchangeable solely at the option of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary); or

 

(3)  

is redeemable at the option of the holder of the Capital Stock in whole or in part, in each case on or prior to the date that is 91 days after the earlier of the date (a) of the Stated Maturity of the Notes or (b) on which there are no Notes outstanding; provided that only the portion of Capital Stock which so matures or is mandatorily redeemable, is so convertible or exchangeable or is so redeemable at the option of the holder thereof prior to such date will

 

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be deemed to be Disqualified Stock; provided further, that any Capital Stock that would constitute Disqualified Stock solely because the holders thereof have the right to require the Company to repurchase such Capital Stock upon the occurrence of a change of control or asset sale (each defined in a substantially identical manner to the corresponding definitions in the Indenture) shall not constitute Disqualified Stock if the terms of such Capital Stock (and all such securities into which it is convertible or for which it is ratable or exchangeable) provide that (i) the Company may not repurchase or redeem any such Capital Stock (and all such securities into which it is convertible or for which it is ratable or exchangeable) pursuant to such provision prior to compliance by the Company with the provisions of the Indenture described under the captions “Change of control” and “Certain covenants—Limitation on sales of assets and Subsidiary stock” and (ii) such repurchase or redemption will be permitted solely to the extent also permitted in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture described under the caption “Certain covenants—Limitation on Restricted Payments.”

The amount of any Disqualified Stock that does not have a fixed redemption, repayment or repurchase price will be calculated in accordance with the terms of such Disqualified Stock as if such Disqualified Stock were redeemed, repaid or repurchased on any date on which the amount of such Disqualified Stock is to be determined pursuant to the Indenture; provided, however, that if such Disqualified Stock could not be required to be redeemed, repaid or repurchased at the time of such determination, the redemption, repayment or repurchase price will be the book value of such Disqualified Stock as reflected in the most recent financial statements of such Person.

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

“Equity Interests” means Capital Stock and all warrants, options or other rights to acquire Capital Stock (but excluding any debt security that is convertible into, or exchangeable for, Capital Stock).

“Equity Offering” means a public or private offering for cash by the Company of Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock), other than public offerings registered on Form S-8.

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

“Existing Senior Notes” means the Company’s existing $300.0 million 10.375% senior notes due 2016.

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

“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America as in effect from time to time. All ratios and computations based on GAAP contained in the Indenture will be computed in conformity with GAAP.

“Guarantee” means any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of any Person directly or indirectly guaranteeing any Indebtedness of any other Person and any obligation, direct or indirect, contingent or otherwise, of such Person:

 

(1)   to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness of such other Person (whether arising by virtue of partnership arrangements, or by agreement to keep-well, to purchase assets, goods, securities or services, to take-or-pay, or to maintain financial statement conditions or otherwise); or

 

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(2)   entered into for purposes of assuring in any other manner the obligee of such Indebtedness of the payment thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part);

provided, however, that the term “Guarantee” will not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business or any obligation to the extent it is payable only in Capital Stock of the Guarantor that is not Disqualified Stock. The term “Guarantee” used as a verb has a corresponding meaning.

“Guarantor Subordinated Obligation” means, with respect to a Subsidiary Guarantor, any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary Guarantor (whether outstanding on the Issue Date or thereafter Incurred) which is expressly subordinate in right of payment to the obligations of such Subsidiary Guarantor under its Subsidiary Guarantee pursuant to a written agreement.

“Hedging Obligations” of any Person means the obligations of such Person pursuant to any Interest Rate Agreement, Currency Agreement or Commodity Agreement.

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

“Hydrocarbons” means oil, natural gas, casing head gas, drip gasoline, natural gasoline, condensate, distillate, liquid hydrocarbons, gaseous hydrocarbons and all constituents, elements or compounds thereof and products refined or processed therefrom.

“Immaterial Subsidiary” means, as of any date, any Restricted Subsidiary whose total assets, as of that date, are less than $1,000,000 and whose total revenues for the most recent 12-month period do not exceed $1,000,000; provided that a Restricted Subsidiary will not be considered to be an Immaterial Subsidiary if it, directly or indirectly, Guarantees or otherwise provides direct credit support for any Indebtedness of the Company.

“Incur” means issue, create, assume, Guarantee, incur or otherwise become directly or indirectly liable for, contingently or otherwise; provided, however, that any Indebtedness or Capital Stock of a Person existing at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary (whether by merger, consolidation, acquisition or otherwise) will be deemed to be Incurred by such Restricted Subsidiary at the time it becomes a Restricted Subsidiary; and the terms “Incurred” and “Incurrence” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

“Indebtedness” means, with respect to any Person on any date of determination (without duplication, whether or not contingent):

 

(1)   the principal of and premium (if any) in respect of indebtedness of such Person for borrowed money;

 

(2)   the principal of and premium (if any) in respect of obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or other similar instruments;

 

(3)   the principal component of all obligations of such Person in respect of letters of credit, bankers’ acceptances or other similar instruments (including reimbursement obligations with respect thereto except to the extent such reimbursement obligation relates to a trade payable, to the extent such letters of credit are not drawn upon or, if and to the extent drawn upon, such obligation is satisfied within 30 days of payment on the letter of credit);

 

(4)  

the principal component of all obligations of such Person (other than obligations payable solely in Capital Stock that is not Disqualified Stock) to pay the deferred and unpaid purchase price of property (except as described in clause (8) of the penultimate paragraph of this

 

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definition of Indebtedness), which purchase price is due more than six months after the date of placing such property in service or taking delivery and title thereto to the extent such obligations would appear as liabilities upon the consolidated balance sheet of such Person in accordance with GAAP;

 

(5)   Capitalized Lease Obligations of such Person to the extent such Capitalized Lease Obligations would appear as liabilities on the consolidated balance sheet of such Person in accordance with GAAP;

 

(6)   the principal component or liquidation preference of all obligations of such Person with respect to the redemption, repayment or other repurchase of any Disqualified Stock or, with respect to any Subsidiary that is not a Subsidiary Guarantor, any Preferred Stock (but excluding, in each case, any accrued dividends);

 

(7)   the principal component of all Indebtedness of other Persons secured by a Lien on any asset of such Person, whether or not such Indebtedness is assumed by such Person; provided, however, that the amount of such Indebtedness will be the lesser of (a) the fair market value of such asset at such date of determination (as determined in the good faith by the Board of Directors) and (b) the amount of such Indebtedness of such other Persons;

 

(8)   the principal component of Indebtedness of other Persons to the extent Guaranteed by such Person; and

 

(9)   to the extent not otherwise included in this definition, net obligations of such Person under Commodity Agreements, Currency Agreements and Interest Rate Agreements (the amount of any such obligations to be equal at any time to the termination value of such agreement or arrangement giving rise to such obligation that would be payable by such Person at such time);

provided, however, that any indebtedness which has been defeased in accordance with GAAP or defeased pursuant to the deposit of cash or Cash Equivalents (in an amount sufficient to satisfy all such indebtedness obligations at maturity or redemption, as applicable, and all payments of interest and premium, if any) in a trust or account created or pledged for the sole benefit of the holders of such indebtedness, and subject to no other Liens, shall not constitute “Indebtedness.”

The amount of Indebtedness of any Person at any date will be the outstanding balance at such date of all unconditional obligations as described above and the maximum liability, upon the occurrence of the contingency giving rise to the obligation, of any contingent obligations at such date.

Notwithstanding the preceding, “Indebtedness” shall not include:

 

(1)   Production Payments and Reserve Sales;

 

(2)   any obligation of a Person in respect of a farm-in agreement or similar arrangement whereby such Person agrees to pay all or a share of the drilling, completion or other expenses of an exploratory or development well (which agreement may be subject to a maximum payment obligation, after which expenses are shared in accordance with the working or participation interest therein or in accordance with the agreement of the parties) or perform the drilling, completion or other operation on such well in exchange for an ownership interest in an oil or gas property;

 

(3)  

any obligations under Currency Agreements, Commodity Agreements and Interest Rate Agreements; provided that such Agreements are entered into for bona fide hedging

 

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purposes of the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors or senior management of the Company, whether or not accounted for as a hedge in accordance with GAAP) and, in the case of Currency Agreements or Commodity Agreements, such Currency Agreements or Commodity Agreements are related to business transactions of the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries entered into in the ordinary course of business and, in the case of Interest Rate Agreements, such Interest Rate Agreements substantially correspond in terms of notional amount, duration and interest rates, as applicable, to Indebtedness of the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries Incurred without violation of the Indenture;

 

(4)   any obligation arising from agreements of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary providing for indemnification, Guarantees, adjustment of purchase price, holdbacks, contingency payment obligations or similar obligations (other than Guarantees of Indebtedness), in each case, Incurred or assumed in connection with the acquisition or disposition of any business, assets or Capital Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary, provided that such Indebtedness is not reflected on the face of the balance sheet of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(5)   any obligation arising from the honoring by a bank or other financial institution of a check, draft or similar instrument (except in the case of daylight overdrafts) drawn against insufficient funds in the ordinary course of business, provided that such Indebtedness is extinguished within five business days of Incurrence;

 

(6)   in-kind obligations relating to net oil or natural gas balancing positions arising in the ordinary course of business;

 

(7)   all contracts and other obligations, agreements, instruments or arrangements described in clauses (20), (21), (22), (29)(a) or (30) of the definition of “Permitted Liens;”

 

(8)   accrued expenses and trade payables and other accrued liabilities arising in the ordinary course of business that are not overdue by 90 days past the invoice or billing date or more or are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings promptly instituted and diligently conducted; and

 

(9)   payables (except as described in the immediately preceding clause (8) of this paragraph) and Indebtedness of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary owing to and held by any wholly-owned (other than directors’ qualifying shares or other de minimis shareholders) Unrestricted Subsidiary of the Company (a “Close Unrestricted Subsidiary”); provided, however, that (i) any subsequent issuance or transfer of Capital Stock or any other event which results in any such payables and Indebtedness being held by a Person other than a Close Unrestricted Subsidiary and (ii) any sale or other transfer of any such payables or Indebtedness to a Person other than the Company, a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company or a Close Unrestricted Subsidiary shall be deemed, in each case, to constitute an Incurrence of Indebtedness by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be.

In addition, “Indebtedness” of any Person shall include Indebtedness described in the first paragraph of this definition of “Indebtedness” that would not appear as a liability on the balance sheet of such Person if:

 

(1)   such Indebtedness is the obligation of a partnership or joint venture that is not a Restricted Subsidiary (a “Joint Venture”);

 

(2)   such Person or a Restricted Subsidiary of such Person is a general partner of the Joint Venture or otherwise liable for all or a portion of the Joint Venture’s liabilities (a “General Partner”); and

 

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(3)   there is recourse, by contract or operation of law, with respect to the payment of such Indebtedness to property or assets of such Person or a Restricted Subsidiary of such Person; and then such Indebtedness shall be included in an amount not to exceed:

 

  (a)   the lesser of (i) the net assets of the General Partner and (ii) the amount of such obligations to the extent that there is recourse, by contract or operation of law, to the property or assets of such Person or a Restricted Subsidiary of such Person; or

 

  (b)   if less than the amount determined pursuant to clause (a) immediately above, the actual amount of such Indebtedness that is recourse to such Person or a Restricted Subsidiary of such Person, if the Indebtedness is evidenced by a writing and is for a determinable amount.

“Interest Rate Agreement” means with respect to any Person any interest rate protection agreement, interest rate future agreement, interest rate option agreement, interest rate swap agreement, interest rate cap agreement, interest rate collar agreement, interest rate hedge agreement or other similar agreement or arrangement as to which such Person is party or a beneficiary.

“Investment” means, with respect to any Person, all investments by such Person in other Persons (including Affiliates) in the form of any direct or indirect advance, loan or other extensions of credit (including by way of Guarantee or similar arrangement, but excluding any debt or extension of credit represented by a bank deposit other than a time deposit and advances or extensions of credit to customers in the ordinary course of business) or capital contribution to (by means of any transfer of cash or other property to others or any payment for property or services for the account or use of others), or any purchase or acquisition of Capital Stock, Indebtedness or other similar instruments (excluding any interest in a crude oil or natural gas leasehold to the extent constituting a security under applicable law) issued by, such other Person and all other items that are or would be classified as investments on a balance sheet prepared in accordance with GAAP; provided that none of the following will be deemed to be an Investment:

 

(1)   Hedging Obligations entered into in the ordinary course of business and in compliance with the Indenture;

 

(2)   endorsements of negotiable instruments and documents in the ordinary course of business; and

 

(3)   an acquisition of assets, Capital Stock or other securities by the Company or a Subsidiary for consideration to the extent such consideration consists of Common Stock of the Company.

The amount of any Investment shall not be adjusted for increases or decreases in value, write-ups, write-downs or write-offs with respect to such Investment.

For purposes of the definition of “Unrestricted Subsidiary” and the covenant described under “Certain covenants—Limitation on Restricted Payments,”

 

(1)  

“Investment” will include the portion (proportionate to the Company’s equity interest in a Restricted Subsidiary to be designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary) of the fair market value of the net assets of such Restricted Subsidiary at the time that such Restricted Subsidiary is designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary; provided, however, that upon a redesignation of such Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary, the Company will be deemed to continue to have a permanent “Investment” in an Unrestricted Subsidiary in an amount (if positive) equal to (a) the Company’s “Investment” in such Subsidiary at the time of such redesignation less (b) the portion (proportionate to the Company’s equity interest in such Subsidiary) of the fair

 

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market value of the net assets of such Subsidiary (as conclusively determined by the Board of Directors of the Company in good faith) at the time that such Subsidiary is so re-designated a Restricted Subsidiary; and

 

(2)   any property transferred to or from an Unrestricted Subsidiary will be valued at its fair market value at the time of such transfer, in each case as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company.

“Investment Grade Rating” means a rating equal to or higher than:

 

(1)   Baa3 (or the equivalent) with a stable or better outlook by Moody’s; and

 

(2)   BBB- (or the equivalent) with a stable or better outlook by S&P, or, if either such entity ceases to rate the Notes for reasons outside of the Company’s control, the equivalent investment grade credit rating from any other Rating Agency.

“Investment Grade Rating Event” means the first day on which the Notes have an Investment Grade Rating from each Rating Agency and no Default has occurred and is then continuing under the Indenture.

“Issue Date” means the first date on which the Notes are issued under the Indenture.

“Lien” means, with respect to any asset, any mortgage, lien (statutory or otherwise), pledge, hypothecation, charge, security interest, preference, priority or encumbrance of any kind in respect of such asset, whether or not filed, recorded or otherwise perfected under applicable law, including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any lease in the nature thereof, any option or other agreement to sell or give a security interest in and any filing of or agreement to give any financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code (or equivalent statutes) of any jurisdiction; provided that in no event shall an operating lease be deemed to constitute a Lien.

“Minority Interest” means the percentage interest represented by any shares of any class of Capital Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary that are not owned by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary.

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

“Net Available Cash” from an Asset Disposition means cash payments received (including any cash payments received by way of deferred payment of principal pursuant to a note or installment receivable or otherwise and net proceeds from the sale or other disposition of any securities received as consideration, but only as and when received, but excluding any other consideration received in the form of assumption by the acquiring Person of Indebtedness or other obligations relating to the properties or assets that are the subject of such Asset Disposition or received in any other non-cash form) therefrom, in each case net of:

 

(1)   all legal, accounting, investment banking, title and recording tax expenses, commissions and other fees and expenses Incurred, and all federal, state, provincial, foreign and local taxes required to be paid or accrued as a liability under GAAP (after taking into account any available tax credits or deductions and any tax sharing agreements), as a consequence of such Asset Disposition;

 

(2)   all payments made on any Indebtedness which is secured by any assets subject to such Asset Disposition, in accordance with the terms of any Lien upon such assets, or which must by its terms, or in order to obtain a necessary consent to such Asset Disposition, or by applicable law be repaid out of the proceeds from such Asset Disposition;

 

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(3)   all distributions and other payments required to be made to minority interest holders in Subsidiaries or joint ventures or to holders of royalty or similar interests as a result of such Asset Disposition; and

 

(4)   the deduction of appropriate amounts to be provided by the seller as a reserve, in accordance with GAAP, against any liabilities associated with the assets disposed of in such Asset Disposition and retained by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary after such Asset Disposition.

“Net Cash Proceeds,” with respect to any issuance or sale of Capital Stock or any contribution to equity capital, means the cash proceeds of such issuance, sale or contribution net of attorneys’ fees, accountants’ fees, underwriters’ or placement agents’ fees, listing fees, discounts or commissions and brokerage, consultant and other fees and charges actually Incurred in connection with such issuance, sale or contribution and net of taxes paid or payable as a result of such issuance or sale (after taking into account any available tax credit or deductions and any tax sharing arrangements).

“Net Working Capital” means (a) all current assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, except current assets from commodity price risk management activities arising in the ordinary course of the Oil and Gas Business, less (b) all current liabilities of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, except current liabilities included in Indebtedness and any current liabilities from commodity price risk management activities arising in the ordinary course of the Oil and Gas Business, in each case as set forth in the consolidated financial statements of the Company prepared in accordance with GAAP.

“Non-Recourse Debt” means Indebtedness of a Person:

 

(1)   as to which neither the Company nor any Restricted Subsidiary (a) provides any Guarantee or credit support of any kind (including any undertaking, guarantee, indemnity, agreement or instrument that would constitute Indebtedness) or (b) is directly or indirectly liable (as a guarantor or otherwise);

 

(2)   no default with respect to which (including any rights that the holders thereof may have to take enforcement action against an Unrestricted Subsidiary) would permit (upon notice, lapse of time or both) any holder of any other Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary to declare a default under such other Indebtedness or cause the payment thereof to be accelerated or payable prior to its stated maturity; and

 

(3)   the explicit terms of which provide there is no recourse against any of the assets of the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries.

“Officer” means the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer, any Vice President, the Treasurer or the Secretary of the Company. Officer of any Subsidiary Guarantor has a correlative meaning.

“Officers’ Certificate” means a certificate signed by an Officer of the Company.

“Oil and Gas Business” means:

 

(1)   the business of acquiring, exploring, exploiting, developing, producing, operating and disposing of interests in oil, natural gas, liquid natural gas and other Hydrocarbon and mineral properties or products produced in association with any of the foregoing;

 

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(2)   the business of gathering, marketing, distributing, treating, processing, storing, refining, selling and transporting of any production from such interests or properties and products produced in association therewith and the marketing of oil, natural gas, other Hydrocarbons and minerals obtained from unrelated Persons;

 

(3)   any other related energy business, including power generation and electrical transmission business, directly or indirectly, from oil, natural gas and other Hydrocarbons and minerals produced substantially from properties in which the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries, directly or indirectly, participates;

 

(4)   any business relating to oil field sales and service; and

 

(5)   any business or activity relating to, arising from, or necessary, appropriate or incidental to the activities described in the foregoing clauses (1) through (4) of this definition.

“Oil and Gas Properties” means all properties, including equity or other ownership interests therein, owned by a Person which contain or are believed to contain oil and gas reserves.

“Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion from legal counsel who is acceptable to the Trustee. The counsel may be an employee of or counsel to the Company or the Trustee.

“Pari Passu Indebtedness” means Indebtedness that ranks equally in right of payment to the Notes, including the Existing Senior Notes.

“Permitted Acquisition Indebtedness” means Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock of the Company or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries to the extent such Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock was Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock:

 

(1)   of an acquired Person prior to the date on which such Person became a Restricted Subsidiary as a result of having been acquired and not incurred in contemplation of such acquisition; or

 

(2)   of a Person that was merged, consolidated or amalgamated into the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary that was not incurred in contemplation of such merger, consolidation or amalgamation, provided that on the date such Subsidiary became a Restricted Subsidiary or the date such Person was merged, consolidated and amalgamated into the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, as applicable, after giving pro forma effect thereto,

 

  (a)   the Restricted Subsidiary or the Company, as applicable, would be permitted to incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Consolidated Coverage Ratio test described under “—Certain covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock,” or

 

  (b)   the Consolidated Coverage Ratio for the Restricted Subsidiary or the Company, as applicable, would be greater than the Consolidated Coverage Ratio for such Restricted Subsidiary or the Company immediately prior to such transaction.

 

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“Permitted Business Investment” means any Investment made in the ordinary course of, and of a nature that is or shall have become customary in, the Oil and Gas Business including investments or expenditures for actively exploiting, exploring for, acquiring, developing, producing, processing, gathering, marketing or transporting oil, natural gas or other hydrocarbons and minerals through agreements, transactions, interests or arrangements which permit one to share risks or costs, comply with regulatory requirements regarding local ownership or satisfy other objectives customarily achieved through the conduct of the Oil and Gas Business jointly with third parties including:

 

(1)   ownership interests in oil, natural gas, other hydrocarbons and minerals properties, liquid natural gas facilities, processing facilities, gathering systems, pipelines, storage facilities or related systems or ancillary real property interests;

 

(2)   Investments in the form of or pursuant to operating agreements, working interests, royalty interests, mineral leases, processing agreements, farm-in agreements, farm-out agreements, contracts for the sale, transportation or exchange of oil, natural gas, other hydrocarbons and minerals, production sharing agreements, participation agreements, development agreements, area of mutual interest agreements, unitization agreements, pooling agreements, joint bidding agreements, service contracts, joint venture agreements, partnership agreements (whether general or limited), subscription agreements, stock purchase agreements, stockholder agreements and other similar agreements (including for limited liability companies) with third parties (including Unrestricted Subsidiaries); and

 

(3)   direct or indirect ownership interests in drilling rigs and related equipment, including, without limitation, transportation equipment.

“Permitted Investment” means an Investment by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in:

 

(1)   the Company, a Restricted Subsidiary or a Person which will, upon the making of such Investment, become a Restricted Subsidiary; provided, however, that the primary business of such Restricted Subsidiary is the Oil and Gas Business;

 

(2)   another Person whose primary business is the Oil and Gas Business if as a result of such Investment such other Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or is merged or consolidated with or into, or transfers or conveys all or substantially all its assets to, the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary and, in each case, any Investment held by such Person; provided that such Investment was not acquired by such Person in contemplation of such acquisition, merger, consolidation or transfer;

 

(3)   cash and Cash Equivalents;

 

(4)   receivables owing to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary created or acquired in the ordinary course of business and payable or dischargeable in accordance with customary trade terms; provided, however, that such trade terms may include such concessionary trade terms as the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary deems reasonable under the circumstances;

 

(5)   payroll, commission, travel, relocation and similar advances to cover matters that are expected at the time of such advances ultimately to be treated as expenses for accounting purposes and that are made in the ordinary course of business;

 

(6)   loans or advances to employees made in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices of the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary;

 

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(7)   Capital Stock, obligations or securities received in settlement of debts (x) created in the ordinary course of business and owing to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary or in satisfaction of judgments or (y) pursuant to any plan of reorganization or similar arrangement in a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding;

 

(8)   Investments made as a result of the receipt of non-cash consideration from an Asset Disposition that was made pursuant to and in compliance with the covenant described under “Certain covenants—Limitation on sales of assets and Subsidiary stock”;

 

(9)   Investments in existence on the Issue Date;

 

(10)   Commodity Agreements, Currency Agreements, Interest Rate Agreements and related Hedging Obligations, which transactions or obligations are Incurred in compliance with “Certain covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock”;

 

(11)   Guarantees issued in accordance with the covenant described under “Certain covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock”;

 

(12)   any Asset Swap made in accordance with the covenant described under “Certain covenants—Limitation on sales of assets and Subsidiary stock”;

 

(13)   Investments in Unrestricted Subsidiaries having an aggregate fair market value, taken together with all other Investments made pursuant to this clause (13) that are at the time outstanding, not to exceed the greater of $50.0 million and 5.0% of the Company’s Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets (with the fair market value of such Investment being measured at the time such Investment is made and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value);

 

(14)   Permitted Business Investments;

 

(15)   any Person where such Investment was acquired by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (a) in exchange for any other Investment or accounts receivable held by the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary in connection with or as a result of a bankruptcy, workout, reorganization or recapitalization of the issuer of such other Investment or accounts receivable or (b) as a result of a foreclosure by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries with respect to any secured Investment or other transfer of title with respect to any secured Investment in default;

 

(16)   any Person to the extent such Investments consist of prepaid expenses, negotiable instruments held for collection and lease, utility and workers’ compensation, performance and other similar deposits made in the ordinary course of business by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(17)   Guarantees of performance or other obligations (other than Indebtedness) arising in the ordinary course in the Oil and Gas Business, including obligations under oil and natural gas exploration, development, joint operating, and related agreements and licenses, concessions or operating leases related to the Oil and Gas Business;

 

(18)   acquisitions of assets, Equity Interests or other securities by the Company for consideration consisting of Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company;

 

(19)   Investments in the Notes; and

 

(20)  

Investments by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, together with all other Investments pursuant to this clause (20), in an aggregate amount outstanding at the time of

 

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such Investment not to exceed the greater of $20.0 million and 2.0% of the Company’s Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets (with the fair market value of such Investment being measured at the time such Investment is made and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value).

“Permitted Liens” means, with respect to any Person:

 

(1)   Liens securing Indebtedness and other obligations under, and related Hedging Obligations and Liens on assets of Restricted Subsidiaries securing Guarantees of Indebtedness and other obligations of the Company under, any Credit Facility permitted to be Incurred under the Indenture under the provisions described in clause (1) of the second paragraph under “Certain covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock”;

 

(2)   pledges or deposits by such Person under workmen’s compensation laws, unemployment insurance laws, social security or old age pension laws or similar legislation, or good faith deposits in connection with bids, tenders, contracts (other than for the payment of Indebtedness) or leases to which such Person is a party, or deposits (which may be secured by a Lien) to secure public or statutory obligations of such Person including letters of credit and bank guarantees required or requested by the United States, any State thereof or any foreign government or any subdivision, department, agency, organization or instrumentality of any of the foregoing in connection with any contract or statute (including lessee or operator obligations under statutes, governmental regulations, contracts or instruments related to the ownership, exploration and production of oil, natural gas, other hydrocarbons and minerals on State, Federal or foreign lands or waters), or deposits of cash or United States government bonds to secure indemnity performance, surety or appeal bonds or other similar bonds to which such Person is a party, or deposits as security for contested taxes or import or customs duties or for the payment of rent, in each case Incurred in the ordinary course of business;

 

(3)   statutory and contractual Liens of landlords and Liens imposed by law, including carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’ materialmen’s and repairmen’s Liens, in each case for sums not yet due or being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings if a reserve or other appropriate provisions, if any, as shall be required by GAAP shall have been made in respect thereof;

 

(4)   Liens for taxes, assessments or other governmental charges or claims not yet subject to penalties for non-payment or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings; provided that appropriate reserves, if any, required pursuant to GAAP have been made in respect thereof;

 

(5)   Liens in favor of issuers of surety or performance bonds or letters of credit or bankers’ acceptances issued pursuant to the request of and for the account of such Person in the ordinary course of its business; provided, however, that such letters of credit do not constitute Indebtedness;

 

(6)   survey exceptions, encumbrances, ground leases, easements or reservations of, or rights of others for, licenses, rights of way, sewers, electric lines, telegraph and telephone lines and other similar purposes, or zoning, building codes or other restrictions (including, without limitation, minor defects or irregularities in title and similar encumbrances) as to the use of real properties or Liens incidental to the conduct of the business of such Person or to the ownership of its properties which do not in the aggregate materially adversely affect the value of the assets of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or materially impair their use in the operation of the business of such Person;

 

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(7)   Liens securing Hedging Obligations so long as the related Indebtedness is, and is permitted to be under the Indenture, secured by a Lien on the same property securing such Hedging Obligation;

 

(8)   leases, licenses, subleases and sublicenses of assets (including, without limitation, real property and intellectual property rights) which do not materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

(9)   prejudgment Liens and judgment Liens not giving rise to an Event of Default so long as such Lien is adequately bonded and any appropriate legal proceedings which may have been duly initiated for the review of such judgment have not been finally terminated or the period within which such proceedings may be initiated has not expired;

 

(10)   Liens for the purpose of securing the payment of all or a part of the purchase price of, or Capitalized Lease Obligations, purchase money obligations or other payments Incurred to finance the acquisition, lease, improvement or construction of or repairs or additions to, assets or property acquired or constructed in the ordinary course of business; provided that:

 

  (a)   the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness secured by such Liens is otherwise permitted to be Incurred under the Indenture and does not exceed the cost of the assets or property so acquired or constructed; and

 

  (b)   such Liens are created within 180 days of the later of the acquisition, lease, completion of improvements, construction, repairs or additions or commencement of full operation of the assets or property subject to such Lien and do not encumber any other assets or property of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary other than such assets or property and assets affixed or appurtenant thereto;

 

(11)   Liens arising solely by virtue of any statutory or common law provisions relating to banker’s Liens, rights of set-off or similar rights and remedies as to deposit accounts or other funds maintained with a depositary institution; provided that:

 

  (a)   such deposit account is not a dedicated cash collateral account and is not subject to restrictions against access by the Company in excess of those set forth by regulations promulgated by the Federal Reserve Board; and

 

  (b)   such deposit account is not intended by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary to provide collateral to the depository institution;

 

(12)   Liens arising from Uniform Commercial Code financing statement filings regarding operating leases entered into by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;

 

(13)   Liens existing on the Issue Date;

 

(14)   Liens on property or shares of Capital Stock of a Person at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary; provided, however, that such Liens are not created or Incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such other Person becoming a Subsidiary; provided further, however, that any such Lien may not extend to any other property owned by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (other than assets or property affixed or appurtenant thereto);

 

(15)  

Liens on property at the time the Company or any of its Subsidiaries acquired the property, including any acquisition by means of a merger or consolidation with or into the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; provided, however, that such Liens are not created or Incurred in

 

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connection with, or in contemplation of, such acquisition; provided further, however, that such Liens may not extend to any other property owned by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (other than assets or property affixed or appurtenant thereto);

 

(16)   Liens securing Indebtedness or other obligations of a Subsidiary owing to the Company or a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary;

 

(17)   Liens securing the Notes, Subsidiary Guarantees and other obligations under the Indenture;

 

(18)   Liens securing Refinancing Indebtedness Incurred to refinance Indebtedness that was previously so secured, provided that any such Lien is limited to all or part of the same property or assets (plus improvements, accessions, proceeds or dividends or distributions in respect thereof) that secured (or, under the written arrangements under which the original Lien arose, could secure) the Indebtedness being refinanced or is in respect of property or assets that is the security for a Permitted Lien hereunder;

 

(19)   any interest or title of a lessor under any Capitalized Lease Obligation or operating lease;

 

(20)   Liens in respect of Production Payments and Reserve Sales, which Liens shall be limited to the property that is the subject of such Production Payments and Reserve Sales;

 

(21)   Liens arising under farm-out agreements, farm-in agreements, division orders, contracts for the sale, purchase, exchange, transportation, gathering or processing of Hydrocarbons, unitizations and pooling designations, declarations, orders and agreements, development agreements, joint venture agreements, partnership agreements, operating agreements, royalties, working interests, net profits interests, joint interest billing arrangements, participation agreements, production sales contracts, area of mutual interest agreements, gas balancing or deferred production agreements, injection, repressuring and recycling agreements, salt water or other disposal agreements, seismic or geophysical permits or agreements, and other agreements which are customary in the Oil and Gas Business; provided, however, in all instances that such Liens are limited to the assets that are the subject of the relevant agreement, program, order or contract;

 

(22)   Liens on pipelines or pipeline facilities that arise by operation of law;

 

(23)   Liens securing Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount outstanding at any one time, added together with all other Indebtedness secured by Liens Incurred pursuant to this clause (23), not to exceed the greater of $10.0 million and 1.0% of the Company’s Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets, as determined on the date of Incurrence of such Indebtedness after giving pro forma effect to such Incurrence and the application of the proceeds therefrom;

 

(24)   Liens in favor of the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor;

 

(25)   deposits made in the ordinary course of business to secure liability to insurance carriers;

 

(26)   Liens in favor of customs and revenue authorities arising as a matter of law to secure payment of customs duties in connection with the importation of goods in the ordinary course of business;

 

(27)   Liens deemed to exist in connection with Investments in repurchase agreements permitted under “Certain covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock”; provided that such Liens do not extend to any assets other than those that are the subject of such repurchase agreement;

 

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(28)   Liens encumbering reasonable customary initial deposits and margin deposits and similar Liens attaching to commodity trading accounts or other brokerage accounts incurred in the ordinary course of business and not for speculative purposes;

 

(29)   any (a) interest or title of a lessor or sublessor under any lease, liens reserved in oil, gas or other Hydrocarbons, minerals, leases for bonus, royalty or rental payments and for compliance with the terms of such leases; (b) restriction or encumbrance that the interest or title of such lessor or sublessor may be subject to (including, without limitation, ground leases or other prior leases of the demised premises, mortgages, mechanics’ liens, tax liens, and easements); or (c) subordination of the interest of the lessee or sublessee under such lease to any restrictions or encumbrance referred to in the preceding clause (b);

 

(30)   Liens (other than Liens securing Indebtedness) on, or related to, assets to secure all or part of the costs incurred in the ordinary course of the Oil and Gas Business for the exploration, drilling, development, production, processing, transportation, marketing, storage or operation thereof;

 

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

 

(32)   Liens arising under the Indenture in favor of the Trustee for its own benefit and similar Liens in favor of other trustees, agents and representatives arising under instruments governing Indebtedness permitted to be incurred under the Indenture, provided, however, that such Liens are solely for the benefit of the trustees, agents or representatives in their capacities as such and not for the benefit of the holders of such Indebtedness;

 

(33)   Liens arising from the deposit of funds or securities in trust for the purpose of decreasing or defeasing Indebtedness so long as such deposit of funds or securities and such decreasing or defeasing of Indebtedness are permitted under the covenant described under “—Certain covenants—Limitation on Restricted Payments”; and

 

(34)   Liens in favor of collecting or payer banks having a right of setoff, revocation, or charge back with respect to money or instruments of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company on deposit with or in possession of such bank.

In each case set forth above, notwithstanding any stated limitation on the assets that may be subject to such Lien, a Permitted Lien on a specified asset or group or type of assets may include Liens on all improvements, additions and accessions thereto and all products and proceeds thereof (including dividends, distributions and increases in respect thereof).

“Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, limited liability company, government or any agency or political subdivision hereof or any other entity.

“Preferred Stock,” as applied to the Capital Stock of any corporation, means Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) which is preferred as to the payment of dividends, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such corporation, over shares of Capital Stock of any other class of such corporation.

“Production Payments and Reserve Sales” means the grant or transfer by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary to any Person of a royalty, overriding royalty, net profits interest, production payment (whether volumetric or dollar denominated), partnership or other interest in

 

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Oil and Gas Properties, reserves or the right to receive all or a portion of the production or the proceeds from the sale of production attributable to such properties where the holder of such interest has recourse solely to such production or proceeds of production, subject to the obligation of the grantor or transferor to operate and maintain, or cause the subject interests to be operated and maintained, in a reasonably prudent manner or other customary standard or subject to the obligation of the grantor or transferor to indemnify for environmental, title or other matters customary in the Oil and Gas Business, including any such grants or transfers pursuant to incentive compensation programs on terms that are reasonably customary in the Oil and Gas Business for geologists, geophysicists or other providers of technical services to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary.

“Rating Agency” means each of S&P and Moody’s, or if S&P or Moody’s or both shall not make a rating on the Notes publicly available, a nationally recognized statistical rating agency or agencies, as the case may be, selected by the Company (as certified by a resolution of the Board of Directors) which shall be substituted for S&P or Moody’s, or both, as the case may be.

“Refinancing Indebtedness” means Indebtedness that is Incurred to refund, refinance, replace, exchange, renew, repay, extend, prepay, redeem or retire (including pursuant to any defeasance or discharge mechanism) (collectively, “refinance,” “refinances” and “refinanced” shall have correlative meanings) any Indebtedness (including Indebtedness of the Company that refinances Indebtedness of any Restricted Subsidiary and Indebtedness of any Restricted Subsidiary that refinances Indebtedness of another Restricted Subsidiary, but excluding Indebtedness of a Subsidiary that is not a Restricted Subsidiary that refinances Indebtedness of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary), including Indebtedness that refinances Refinancing Indebtedness, provided, however, that:

 

(1)   (a) if the Stated Maturity of the Indebtedness being Refinanced is earlier than the Stated Maturity of the Notes, the Refinancing Indebtedness has a Stated Maturity no earlier than the Stated Maturity of the Indebtedness being refinanced or (b) if the Stated Maturity of the Indebtedness being refinanced is later than the Stated Maturity of the Notes, the Refinancing Indebtedness has a Stated Maturity at least 91 days later than the Stated Maturity of the Notes;

 

(2)   the Refinancing Indebtedness has an Average Life at the time such Refinancing Indebtedness is Incurred that is equal to or greater than the Average Life of the Indebtedness being refinanced;

 

(3)   such Refinancing Indebtedness is Incurred in an aggregate principal amount (or if issued with original issue discount, an aggregate issue price) that is equal to or less than the sum of the aggregate principal amount (or if issued with original issue discount, the aggregate accreted value) then outstanding of the Indebtedness being refinanced (plus, without duplication, any additional Indebtedness Incurred to pay interest, premiums or defeasance costs required by the instruments governing such existing Indebtedness and fees and expenses Incurred in connection therewith); and

 

(4)   if the Indebtedness being Refinanced is subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or the Subsidiary Guarantee, such Refinancing Indebtedness is subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or the Subsidiary Guarantee on terms at least as favorable to the holders as those contained in the documentation governing the Indebtedness being Refinanced.

“Reporting Failure” means the failure of the Company to file with the SEC and make available or otherwise deliver to the Trustee and each holder of Notes, within the time periods specified in “Certain covenants—Provision of financial information” (after giving effect to any grace period

 

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specified under Rule 12b-25 under the Exchange Act), the periodic reports, information, documents or other reports which the Company may be required to file with the SEC pursuant to such provision.

“Restricted Investment” means any Investment other than a Permitted Investment.

“Restricted Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Company other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

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

“Sale/Leaseback Transaction” means an arrangement relating to property now owned or hereafter acquired whereby the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary transfers such property to a Person and the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary leases it from such Person.

“SEC” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

“Senior Secured Credit Agreement” means the Credit Agreement dated as of November 18, 2009 among Penn Virginia Holding Corp., as Borrower, the Company, as Parent, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, and the lenders parties thereto from time to time, including any guarantees, collateral documents, instruments and agreements executed in connection therewith, and any amendments, supplements, modifications, extensions, renewals, restatements, refundings or refinancings thereof and any indentures or credit facilities or commercial paper facilities with banks or other institutional lenders or investors that replace, refund or refinance any part of the loans, notes, other credit facilities or commitments thereunder, including any such replacement, refunding or refinancing facility or indenture that increases the amount borrowable thereunder or alters the maturity thereof (provided that such increase in borrowings is permitted under “Certain covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock” above).

“Significant Subsidiary” means any Restricted Subsidiary that would be a “Significant Subsidiary” of the Company within the meaning of Rule 1-02 under Regulation S-X promulgated by the SEC, as in effect on the Issue Date.

“Stated Maturity” means, with respect to any security, the date specified in such security as the fixed date on which the payment of principal of such security is due and payable, including pursuant to any mandatory redemption provision, but shall not include any contingent obligations to repay, redeem or repurchase any such principal prior to the date originally scheduled for the payment thereof.

“Subordinated Obligation” means any Indebtedness of the Company (whether outstanding on the Issue Date or thereafter Incurred) which is expressly subordinate in right of payment to the Notes pursuant to a written agreement.

“Subsidiary” of any Person means (a) any corporation, association or other business entity (other than a partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or similar entity) of which more than 50% of the total ordinary voting power of shares of Capital Stock entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof (or Persons performing similar functions) or (b) any partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or similar entity of which more than 50% of the capital accounts, distribution rights, total equity and voting interests or general or limited partnership interests, as applicable, is, in the case of clauses (a) and (b), at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by (1) such

 

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Person, (2) such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person or (3) one or more Subsidiaries of such Person. Unless otherwise specified herein, each reference to a Subsidiary (other than in this definition) will refer to a Subsidiary of the Company.

“Subsidiary Guarantee” means, individually, any Guarantee of payment of the Notes by a Subsidiary Guarantor pursuant to the terms of the Indenture and any supplemental indenture thereto, and, collectively, all such Guarantees. Each such Subsidiary Guarantee will be in the form prescribed by the Indenture.

“Subsidiary Guarantors” means each of Penn Virginia Holding Corp., Penn Virginia Oil & Gas Corporation, Penn Virginia Oil & Gas GP LLC, Penn Virginia Oil & Gas LP LLC, Penn Virginia Oil & Gas, L.P., Penn Virginia MC Corporation, Penn Virginia MC Energy L.L.C. and Penn Virginia MC Operating Company L.L.C. and any Restricted Subsidiary created or acquired by the Company after the Issue Date other than a Foreign Subsidiary.

“Transactions” means the offering of Notes and the use of proceeds therefrom to repurchase tendered Convertible Notes as described in this prospectus supplement under “—Use of proceeds.”

“Unrestricted Subsidiary” means:

 

(1)   any Subsidiary of the Company that at the time of determination shall be designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary by the Board of Directors of the Company in the manner provided below; and

 

(2)   any Subsidiary of an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

The Board of Directors of the Company may designate any Subsidiary of the Company (including any newly acquired or newly formed Subsidiary or a Person becoming a Subsidiary through merger or consolidation or Investment therein) to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary only if:

 

(1)   such Subsidiary or any of its Subsidiaries does not own any Capital Stock or Indebtedness of or have any Investment in, or own or hold any Lien on any property of, any other Subsidiary of the Company which is not a Subsidiary of the Subsidiary to be so designated or otherwise an Unrestricted Subsidiary;

 

(2)   all the Indebtedness of such Subsidiary and its Subsidiaries shall, at the date of designation, and will at all times thereafter, consist of Non-Recourse Debt;

 

(3)   on the date of such designation, such designation and the Investment of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary in such Subsidiary complies with “Certain covenants—Limitation on Restricted Payments”;

 

(4)   such Subsidiary is a Person with respect to which neither the Company nor any of its Restricted Subsidiaries has any direct or indirect obligation:

 

  (a)   to subscribe for additional Capital Stock of such Person; or

 

  (b)   to maintain or preserve such Person’s financial condition or to cause such Person to achieve any specified levels of operating results; and

 

(5)   on the date such Subsidiary is designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary, such Subsidiary is not a party to any agreement, contract, arrangement or understanding with the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary with terms substantially less favorable to the Company than those that might have been obtained from Persons who are not Affiliates of the Company.

 

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In addition, without further designation, certain Subsidiaries of the Company (including Penn Virginia Resource Holdings Corp., Penn Virginia Resource GP Corp. and Penn Virginia MC Gathering Company L.L.C.) will be Unrestricted Subsidiaries.

Any such designation by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be evidenced to the Trustee by filing with the Trustee a resolution of the Board of Directors of the Company giving effect to such designation and an Officers’ Certificate certifying that such designation complies with the foregoing conditions. If, at any time, any Unrestricted Subsidiary would fail to meet the foregoing requirements as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, it shall thereafter cease to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary for purposes of the Indenture and any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary shall be deemed to be Incurred as of such date.

The Board of Directors of the Company may designate any Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that immediately after giving effect to such designation, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would occur as a consequence thereof and the Company could Incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness under the first paragraph of the covenant described under “Certain covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness and Preferred Stock” on a pro forma basis taking into account such designation.

“U.S. Government Obligations” means securities that are (a) direct obligations of the United States of America for the timely payment of which its full faith and credit is pledged or (b) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America the timely payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation of the United States of America, which, in either case, are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, and shall also include a depositary receipt issued by a bank (as defined in Section 3(a)(2) of the Securities Act), as custodian with respect to any such U.S. Government Obligations or a specific payment of principal of or interest on any such U.S. Government Obligations held by such custodian for the account of the holder of such depositary receipt; provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depositary receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the U.S. Government Obligations or the specific payment of principal of or interest on the U.S. Government Obligations evidenced by such depositary receipt.

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

“Voting Stock” of an entity means all classes of Capital Stock of such entity then outstanding and normally entitled to vote in the election of members of such entity’s Board of Directors.

“Wholly-Owned Subsidiary” means a Restricted Subsidiary, all of the Capital Stock of which (other than directors’ qualifying shares) is owned by the Company or another Wholly-Owned Subsidiary.

 

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Book-entry, delivery and form

We have obtained the information in this section concerning DTC, Clearstream Banking, S.A., Luxembourg (“Clearstream, Luxembourg”) and Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V., as operator of the Euroclear System (“Euroclear”), and their book-entry systems and procedures from sources that we believe to be reliable. We take no responsibility for an accurate portrayal of this information. In addition, the description of the clearing systems in this section reflects our understanding of the rules and procedures of DTC, Clearstream, Luxembourg and Euroclear as they are currently in effect. Those systems could change their rules and procedures at any time.

The notes will initially be represented by one or more fully registered global notes. Each such global note will be deposited with, or on behalf of, DTC or any successor thereto and registered in the name of Cede & Co. (“DTC’s nominee”). You may hold your interests in the global notes in the United States through DTC, or in Europe through Clearstream, Luxembourg or Euroclear, either as a participant in such systems or indirectly through organizations which are participants in such systems. Clearstream, Luxembourg and Euroclear will hold interests in the global notes on behalf of their respective participating organizations or customers through customers’ securities accounts in Clearstream, Luxembourg’s or Euroclear’s names on the books of their respective depositaries, which in turn will hold those positions in customers’ securities accounts in the depositaries’ names on the books of DTC. Citibank, N.A. will act as depositary for Clearstream, Luxembourg and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. will act as depositary for Euroclear.

So long as DTC or its nominee is the registered owner of the global securities representing the notes, DTC or such nominee will be considered the sole owner and holder of the notes for all purposes of the notes and the indenture. Except as provided below, owners of beneficial interests in the notes will not be entitled to have the notes registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of the notes in definitive form and will not be considered the owners or holders of the notes under the indenture, including for purposes of receiving any reports delivered by us or the trustee pursuant to the indenture. Accordingly, each person owning a beneficial interest in a note must rely on the procedures of DTC or its nominee and, if such person is not a participant, on the procedures of the participant through which such person owns its interest, in order to exercise any rights of a holder of notes.

Unless and until we issue the notes in fully certificated, registered form under the limited circumstances described below under the heading “—Certificated notes:”

 

 

you will not be entitled to receive a certificate representing your interest in the notes;

 

 

all references in this prospectus supplement to actions by holders will refer to actions taken by DTC upon instructions from its direct participants; and

 

 

all references in this prospectus supplement to payments and notices to holders will refer to payments and notices to DTC or Cede & Co., as the registered holder of the notes, for distribution to you in accordance with DTC procedures.

The Depository Trust Company

DTC will act as securities depositary for the notes. The notes will be issued as fully registered notes registered in the name of Cede & Co. DTC is:

 

 

a limited-purpose trust company organized under the New York Banking Law;

 

 

a “banking organization” under the New York Banking Law;

 

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a member of the Federal Reserve System;

 

 

a “clearing corporation” under the New York Uniform Commercial Code; and

 

 

a “clearing agency” registered under the provisions of Section 17A of the Exchange Act.

DTC holds securities that its direct participants deposit with DTC. DTC facilitates the settlement among direct participants of securities transactions, such as transfers and pledges, in deposited securities through electronic computerized book-entry changes in direct participants’ accounts, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of securities certificates.

Direct participants of DTC include securities brokers and dealers (including the underwriters), banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations. DTC is owned by a number of its direct participants. Indirect participants of DTC, such as securities brokers and dealers, banks and trust companies, can also access the DTC system if they maintain a custodial relationship with a direct participant.

Purchases of notes under DTC’s system must be made by or through direct participants, which will receive a credit for the notes on DTC’s records. The ownership interest of each beneficial owner is in turn to be recorded on the records of direct participants and indirect participants. Beneficial owners will not receive written confirmation from DTC of their purchase, but beneficial owners are expected to receive written confirmations providing details of the transaction, as well as periodic statements of their holdings, from the direct participants or indirect participants through which such beneficial owners entered into the transaction. Transfers of ownership interests in the notes are to be accomplished by entries made on the books of participants acting on behalf of beneficial owners. Beneficial owners will not receive certificates representing their ownership interests in notes, except as provided below in “—Certificated notes.”

To facilitate subsequent transfers, all notes deposited with DTC are registered in the name of DTC’s nominee, Cede & Co. The deposit of notes with DTC and their registration in the name of Cede & Co. effect no change in beneficial ownership. DTC has no knowledge of the actual beneficial owners of the notes. DTC’s records reflect only the identity of the direct participants to whose accounts such notes are credited, which may or may not be the beneficial owners. The participants will remain responsible for keeping account of their holdings on behalf of their customers.

Conveyance of notices and other communications by DTC to direct participants, by direct participants to indirect participants and by direct participants and indirect participants to beneficial owners will be governed by arrangements among them, subject to any statutory or regulatory requirements as may be in effect from time to time.

Book-entry format

Under the book-entry format, the paying agent will pay interest or principal payments to Cede & Co., as nominee of DTC. DTC will forward the payment to the direct participants, who will then forward the payment to the indirect participants (including Clearstream, Luxembourg or Euroclear) or to you as the beneficial owner. You may experience some delay in receiving your payments under this system. Neither we, the trustee under the indenture nor any paying agent has any direct responsibility or liability for the payment of principal or interest on the notes to owners of beneficial interests in the notes.

DTC is required to make book-entry transfers on behalf of its direct participants and is required to receive and transmit payments of principal, premium, if any, and interest on the notes. Any direct

 

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participant or indirect participant with which you have an account is similarly required to make book-entry transfers and to receive and transmit payments with respect to the notes on your behalf. We and the trustee under the indenture have no responsibility for any aspect of the actions of DTC, Clearstream, Luxembourg or Euroclear or any of their direct or indirect participants. In addition, we and the trustee under the indenture have no responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records kept by DTC, Clearstream, Luxembourg, Euroclear or any of their direct or indirect participants relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in the notes or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests. We also do not supervise these systems in any way.

The trustee will not recognize you as a holder under the indenture, and you can only exercise the rights of a holder indirectly through DTC and its direct participants. DTC has advised us that it will only take action regarding a note if one or more of the direct participants to whom the note is credited directs DTC to take such action and only in respect of the portion of the aggregate principal amount of the notes as to which that participant or participants has or have given that direction. DTC can only act on behalf of its direct participants. Your ability to pledge notes to non-direct participants, and to take other actions, may be limited because you will not possess a physical certificate that represents your notes.

Neither DTC nor Cede & Co. (nor any other DTC nominee) will consent or vote with respect to the notes unless authorized by a direct participant in accordance with DTC’s procedures. Under its usual procedures, DTC will mail an omnibus proxy to us as soon as possible after the record date. The omnibus proxy assigns Cede & Co.’s consenting or voting rights to those direct participants to whose accounts the notes are credited on the record date (identified in a listing attached to the omnibus proxy).

Clearstream, Luxembourg or Euroclear will credit payments to the cash accounts of Clearstream, Luxembourg customers or Euroclear participants in accordance with the relevant system’s rules and procedures, to the extent received by its depositary. These payments will be subject to tax reporting in accordance with relevant United States tax laws and regulations. Clearstream, Luxembourg or the Euroclear operator, as the case may be, will take any other action permitted to be taken by a holder under the indenture on behalf of a Clearstream, Luxembourg customer or Euroclear participant only in accordance with its relevant rules and procedures and subject to its depositary’s ability to effect those actions on its behalf through DTC.

DTC, Clearstream, Luxembourg and Euroclear have agreed to the foregoing procedures in order to facilitate transfers of the notes among participants of DTC, Clearstream, Luxembourg and Euroclear. However, they are under no obligation to perform or continue to perform those procedures, and they may discontinue those procedures at any time.

Transfers within and among book-entry systems

Transfers between DTC’s direct participants will occur in accordance with DTC rules. Transfers between Clearstream, Luxembourg customers and Euroclear participants will occur in accordance with its applicable rules and operating procedures.

DTC will effect cross-market transfers between persons holding directly or indirectly through DTC, on the one hand, and directly or indirectly through Clearstream, Luxembourg customers or Euroclear participants, on the other hand, in accordance with DTC rules on behalf of the relevant European international clearing system by its depositary. However, cross-market transactions will require delivery of instructions to the relevant European international clearing system by the

 

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counterparty in that system in accordance with its rules and procedures and within its established deadlines (European time). The relevant European international clearing system will, if the transaction meets its settlement requirements, instruct its depositary to effect final settlement on its behalf by delivering or receiving securities in DTC and making or receiving payment in accordance with normal procedures for same-day funds settlement applicable to DTC. Clearstream, Luxembourg customers and Euroclear participants may not deliver instructions directly to the depositaries.

Because of time-zone differences, credits of securities received in Clearstream, Luxembourg or Euroclear resulting from a transaction with a DTC direct participant will be made during the subsequent securities settlement processing, dated the business day following the DTC settlement date. Those credits or any transactions in those securities settled during that processing will be reported to the relevant Clearstream, Luxembourg customer or Euroclear participant on that business day. Cash received in Clearstream, Luxembourg or Euroclear as a result of sales of securities by or through a Clearstream, Luxembourg customer or a Euroclear participant to a DTC direct participant will be received with value on the DTC settlement date but will be available in the relevant Clearstream, Luxembourg or Euroclear cash amount only as of the business day following settlement in DTC.

Although DTC, Clearstream, Luxembourg and Euroclear has agreed to the foregoing procedures in order to facilitate transfers of debt securities among their respective participants, they are under no obligation to perform or continue to perform such procedures and such procedures may be discontinued at any time.

Certificated notes

Unless and until they are exchanged, in whole or in part, for notes in definitive form in accordance with the terms of the notes, the notes may not be transferred except (1) as a whole by DTC to a nominee of DTC or (2) by a nominee of DTC to DTC or another nominee of DTC or (3) by DTC or any such nominee to a successor of DTC or a nominee of such successor.

We will issue notes to you or your nominees, in fully certificated registered form, rather than to DTC or its nominees, only if:

 

 

we advise the trustee in writing that DTC is no longer willing or able to discharge its responsibilities properly or that DTC is no longer a registered clearing agency under the Exchange Act, and the trustee or we are unable to locate a qualified successor within 90 days;

 

 

an event of default has occurred and is continuing under the indenture; or

 

 

we, at our option, elect to terminate the book-entry system through DTC.

If any of the three above events occurs, DTC is required to notify all direct participants that notes in fully certificated registered form are available through DTC. DTC will then surrender the global note representing the notes along with instructions for re-registration. The trustee will re-issue the notes in fully certificated registered form and will recognize the registered holders of the certificated notes as holders under the indenture.

Unless and until we issue the notes in fully certificated, registered form, (1) you will not be entitled to receive a certificate representing your interest in the notes; (2) all references in this prospectus supplement to actions by holders will refer to actions taken by the depositary upon instructions from their direct participants; and (3) all references in this prospectus supplement to

 

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payments and notices to holders will refer to payments and notices to the depositary, as the registered holder of the notes, for distribution to you in accordance with its policies and procedures.

Same day settlement and payment

We will make payments in respect of the notes represented by the global notes (including principal, premium, if any, and interest) by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by DTC or its nominee. We will make all payments of principal, interest and premium, if any, with respect to certificated notes by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the holders of the certificated notes or, if no such account is specified, by mailing a check to each such holder’s registered address. The Notes represented by the global notes are expected to be eligible to trade in DTC’s Same-Day Funds Settlement System, and any permitted secondary market trading activity in such notes will, therefore, be required by DTC to be settled in immediately available funds. We expect that secondary trading in any certificated notes will also be settled in immediately available funds.

Because of time zone differences, the securities account of a Clearstream, Luxembourg customer or Euroclear participant purchasing an interest in a global note from another customer or participant will be credited, and any such crediting will be reported to the relevant Clearstream, Luxembourg customer or Euroclear participant, during the securities settlement processing day (which must be a business day for Euroclear and Clearstream) immediately following the settlement date of DTC. DTC has advised us that cash received in Clearstream, Luxembourg or Euroclear as a result of sales of interests in a global note by or through a Clearstream, Luxembourg customer or Euroclear participant to another customer or participant will be received with value on the settlement date of DTC but will be available in the relevant Clearstream, Luxembourg or Euroclear cash account only as of the business day for Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg following DTC’s settlement date.

 

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Certain U.S. federal income tax consequences

The following discussion summarizes certain U.S. federal income tax considerations that may be relevant to the acquisition, ownership and disposition of the notes. This discussion is based upon the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), applicable U.S. Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder, judicial authority and administrative interpretations, as of the date of this document, all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect, or are subject to different interpretations. We cannot assure you that the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) will not challenge one or more of the tax consequences described in this discussion, and we have not obtained, nor do we intend to obtain, a ruling from the IRS or an opinion of counsel with respect to the U.S. federal tax consequences of acquiring, holding or disposing of the notes.

This discussion is limited to holders who purchase the notes in this offering for a price equal to the “issue price” of the notes (i.e., the first price at which a substantial amount of the notes is sold other than to bond houses, brokers or similar persons or organizations acting in the capacity of underwriters, placement agents or wholesalers) and who hold the notes as capital assets (generally, property held for investment). This discussion does not address the tax considerations arising under the laws of any foreign, state, local or other jurisdiction. In addition, this discussion does not address all tax considerations that may be important to a particular holder in light of the holder’s circumstances, or to certain categories of investors that may be subject to special rules, such as:

 

 

dealers in securities or currencies;

 

 

traders in securities that have elected the mark-to-market method of accounting for their securities;

 

 

U.S. holders (as defined below) whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar;

 

 

persons holding notes as part of a hedge, straddle, conversion or other “synthetic security” or integrated transaction;

 

 

certain U.S. expatriates;

 

 

financial institutions;

 

 

insurance companies;

 

 

regulated investment companies;

 

 

real estate investment trusts;

 

 

persons subject to the alternative minimum tax;

 

 

entities that are tax-exempt for U.S. federal income tax purposes; and

 

 

partnerships and other pass-through entities and investors therein.

If an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds notes, the tax treatment of a partner generally will depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. If you are a partner of a partnership acquiring the notes, you are urged to consult your own tax advisor about the U.S. federal income tax consequences of acquiring, holding and disposing of the notes.

 

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INVESTORS CONSIDERING THE PURCHASE OF NOTES ARE URGED TO CONSULT THEIR OWN TAX ADVISORS REGARDING THE APPLICATION OF THE U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX LAWS TO THEIR PARTICULAR SITUATIONS AS WELL AS ANY TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE PURCHASE, OWNERSHIP OR DISPOSITION OF THE NOTES UNDER U.S. FEDERAL ESTATE OR GIFT TAX LAWS OR UNDER THE LAWS OF ANY STATE, LOCAL OR FOREIGN JURISDICTION OR UNDER ANY APPLICABLE TAX TREATY.

Effect of certain additional payments

In certain circumstances described under “Description of notes—Optional redemption” and “Description of notes—Change of control,” we may be obligated to pay amounts on the notes that are in excess of stated interest or principal on the notes. Those potential payments may implicate the provisions of the U.S. Treasury Regulations relating to “contingent payment debt instruments.” For purposes of determining whether a debt instrument is a contingent payment debt instrument, contingencies are ignored if, as of the issue date, (i) the likelihood that any such contingency will occur is remote, (ii) the contingencies, in the aggregate, are considered incidental or (iii) in certain circumstances, it is significantly more likely than not that no such contingency will occur. We intend to take the position that the possibility that we would be required to make such excess payments will not cause the notes to be treated as contingent payment debt instruments. If any such additional payments are made to a holder, however, the holder would recognize additional income.

Our position that the notes are not contingent payment debt instruments is binding on a holder, unless the holder disclosures in the manner required by the applicable U.S. Treasury Regulations that it is taking a different position. Our position, however, is not binding on the IRS and it is possible that the IRS may take a different position. In that case, a holder might be required to accrue interest income at a higher rate than the stated interest rate on the notes and to treat as ordinary interest income any gain realized on the taxable disposition of a note.

The remainder of this discussion assumes that the notes will not be treated as contingent payment debt instruments. Investors should consult their own tax advisors regarding the possible application of the contingent payment debt instrument rules to the notes.

Tax consequences to U.S. holders

You are a “U.S. holder” for purposes of this discussion if you are a beneficial owner of a note and you are for U.S. federal income tax purposes:

 

 

an individual who is a U.S. citizen or U.S. resident alien;

 

 

a corporation, or other entity taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, that was created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia;

 

 

an estate whose income is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or

 

 

a trust (i) if a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of the trust and one or more United States persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (ii) that has a valid election in effect under applicable U.S. Treasury Regulations to be treated as a United States person.

 

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Interest on the notes

Interest on the notes generally will be taxable to you as ordinary income at the time it is received or accrued in accordance with your regular method of accounting for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

Disposition of notes

You will generally recognize capital gain or loss on the sale, redemption, exchange, retirement or other taxable disposition of a note. This gain or loss will be equal to the difference between your adjusted tax basis in the note and the proceeds you receive (excluding any proceeds attributable to accrued but unpaid stated interest which will be recognized as ordinary interest income to the extent you have not previously included the accrued interest in income). The proceeds you receive will include the amount of any cash and the fair market value of any other property received for the note. Your adjusted tax basis in the note will generally be equal to the amount you paid for the note. The gain or loss will be long-term capital gain or loss if you held the note for more than one year at the time of the sale, redemption, exchange, retirement or other disposition. Long-term capital gains of individuals, estates and trusts generally are subject to a reduced rate of U.S. federal income tax. The deductibility of capital losses may be subject to limitation.

Information reporting and backup withholding

Information reporting will apply to payments of interest on, and the proceeds of the sale or other disposition (including a retirement or redemption) of, notes held by you, and backup withholding may apply to such payments unless you provide the appropriate intermediary with a taxpayer identification number, certified under penalties of perjury, as well as certain other information. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amount withheld under the backup withholding rules is allowable as a credit against your U.S. federal income tax liability, if any, and a refund may be obtained if the amounts withheld exceed your actual U.S. federal income tax liability and you timely provide the required information or appropriate claim form to the IRS.

New legislation relating to net investment income

For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2012, newly-enacted legislation is scheduled to impose a 3.8% tax on the “net investment income” of certain U.S. citizens and resident aliens and on the undistributed “net investment income” of certain estates and trusts. “Net investment income” generally includes, among other items, interest and certain net gain from the disposition of property, such as the notes, less certain deductions.

Prospective holders should consult their tax advisors with respect to the tax consequences of the new legislation described above.

Tax consequences to non-U.S. holders

You are a “non-U.S. holder” for purposes of this discussion if you are a beneficial owner of notes who is an individual, corporation, estate or trust that is not a U.S. holder.

 

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Interest on the notes

Payments to you of interest on the notes generally will be exempt from withholding of U.S. federal income tax under the “portfolio interest” exemption if you properly certify as to your foreign status as described below, and:

 

 

you do not own, actually or constructively, 10% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of our stock entitled to vote;

 

 

you are not a “controlled foreign corporation” that is related to us (actually or constructively) through sufficient stock ownership;

 

 

you are not a bank whose receipt of interest on the notes is in connection with an extension of credit made pursuant to a loan agreement entered into in the ordinary course of your trade or business; and

 

 

interest on the notes is not effectively connected with your conduct of a U.S. trade or business.

The portfolio interest exemption and several of the special rules for non-U.S. holders described below generally apply only if you appropriately certify as to your foreign status. You can generally meet this certification requirement by providing a properly executed IRS Form W-8BEN or appropriate substitute form to us or our paying agent. If you hold the notes through a financial institution or other agent acting on your behalf, you may be required to provide appropriate certifications to the agent. Your agent will then generally be required to provide appropriate certifications to us or our paying agent, either directly or through other intermediaries. Special rules apply to foreign partnerships, estates and trusts, and in certain circumstances certifications as to foreign status of partners, trust owners or beneficiaries may have to be provided to us or our paying agent. In addition, special rules apply to qualified intermediaries that enter into withholding agreements with the IRS.

If you cannot satisfy the requirements described above, payments of interest made to you will be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at a 30% rate, unless you provide us or our paying agent with a properly executed IRS Form W-8BEN (or successor form) claiming an exemption from (or a reduction of) withholding under the benefit of a tax treaty, or the payments of interest are effectively connected with your conduct of a trade or business in the United States and you meet the certification requirements described below. (See “—Tax consequences to non-U.S. holders—Income or gain effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business.”)

Disposition of notes

You generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on any gain realized on the sale, redemption, exchange, retirement or other taxable disposition of a note unless:

 

 

the gain is effectively connected with the conduct by you of a U.S. trade or business; or

 

 

you are an individual who has been present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of disposition and certain other requirements are met.

If you are a non-U.S. holder described in the first bullet point above, you generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax in the same manner as a U.S. holder (See “—Tax consequences to non-U.S. holders—Income or gain effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business”). If you are a non-U.S. holder described in the second bullet point above, you will be subject to a flat 30% U.S. federal income tax on the gain derived from the sale or other disposition, which may be offset by U.S. source capital losses.

 

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Income or gain effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business

If any interest on the notes or gain from the sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of the notes is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business conducted by you, then the interest income or gain will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at regular graduated income tax rates unless an applicable income tax treaty provides otherwise. Effectively connected income will not be subject to U.S. withholding tax if you satisfy certain certification requirements by providing to us or our paying agent a properly executed IRS Form W-8ECI (or successor form) or W-8BEN (or successor form) claiming an exemption under an applicable income tax treaty. If you are a corporation, that portion of your earnings and profits that is effectively connected with your U.S. trade or business may also be subject to a “branch profits tax” at a 30% rate, although an applicable income tax treaty may provide for a lower rate.

Information reporting and backup withholding

Payments to you of interest on a note, and amounts withheld from such payments, if any, generally will be required to be reported to the IRS and to you. Copies of the information returns reporting such interest may also be made available to the tax authorities in the country in which you reside under the provisions of a treaty or agreement.

United States backup withholding generally will not apply to payments of interest on a note if the certification requirements described in “Tax consequences to non-U.S. holders—Interest on the notes” are met or you otherwise establish an exemption, provided that we do not have actual knowledge or reason to know that you are a United States person.

Payment of the proceeds of a disposition of a note (including a retirement or redemption) effected by the U.S. office of a U.S. or foreign broker will be subject to information reporting requirements and backup withholding unless you properly certify under penalties of perjury as to your foreign status and certain other conditions are met or you otherwise establish an exemption. Information reporting requirements and backup withholding generally will not apply to any payment of the proceeds of the disposition of a note effected outside the United States by a foreign office of a broker. However, unless such a broker has documentary evidence in its records that you are a non-U.S. holder and certain other conditions are met, or you otherwise establish an exemption, information reporting will apply to a payment of the proceeds of the disposition of a note effected outside the United States by such a broker if it has certain relationships with the United States.

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amount withheld under the backup withholding rules is allowable as a credit against your U.S. federal income tax liability, if any, and a refund may be obtained if the amounts withheld exceed your actual U.S. federal income tax liability and you timely provide the required information or appropriate claim form to the IRS.

THE PRECEDING DISCUSSION OF CERTAIN U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY AND IS NOT TAX ADVICE. WE URGE EACH PROSPECTIVE INVESTOR TO CONSULT ITS OWN TAX ADVISOR REGARDING THE PARTICULAR FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND FOREIGN TAX CONSEQUENCES OF PURCHASING, HOLDING AND DISPOSING OF THE NOTES, INCLUDING THE CONSEQUENCES OF ANY PROPOSED CHANGE IN APPLICABLE LAWS.

 

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Underwriting

Subject to the terms and conditions in the underwriting agreement between us and the underwriters, for whom J.P. Morgan Securities LLC is acting as representative, we have agreed to sell to each underwriter, and each underwriter has severally agreed to purchase from us, the principal amount of notes that appears opposite its name in the table below:

 

Underwriter    Principal amount  
   

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC . .

   $ 120,000,000   

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated

     30,000,000   

RBC Capital Markets, LLC

     30,000,000   

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

     30,000,000   

Barclays Capital Inc. .

     24,000,000   

BNP Paribas Securities Corp.

     18,000,000   

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

     12,000,000   

Capital One Southcoast, Inc.

     9,000,000   

Scotia Capital (USA) Inc.

     9,000,000   

BMO Capital Markets Corp.

     6,000,000   

Comerica Securities, Inc.

     6,000,000   

PNC Capital Markets LLC.

     6,000,000   
        

Total

   $ 300,000,000   
   

The underwriters have agreed to purchase all of the notes if any of them are purchased. The underwriting agreement provides that the obligations of the underwriters to purchase the notes included in this offering are subject to, among other customary conditions, the delivery of certain legal opinions by their counsel. The underwriting agreement also provides that if an underwriter defaults, the purchase commitments of non-defaulting underwriters may also be increased or the offering may be terminated.

The underwriters initially propose to offer the notes to the public at the public offering price that appears on the cover page of this prospectus supplement. The underwriters may offer the notes to selected dealers at the public offering price minus a concession of up to 0.375% of the principal amount. In addition, the underwriters may allow, and those selected dealers may reallow, a concession of up to 0.250% of the principal amount to certain other dealers. After the initial offering, the underwriters may change the public offering price and any other selling terms. The underwriters may offer and sell notes through certain of their affiliates.

In the underwriting agreement, we have agreed that:

 

 

We will not offer or sell any of our debt securities (other than the notes) for a period of 45 days after the date of this prospectus supplement without the prior consent of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC.

 

 

We will pay our expenses related to the offering.

 

 

We will indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or contribute to payments that the underwriters may be required to make in respect of those liabilities.

The notes are a new issue of securities with no established trading market. We do not intend to apply for the notes to be listed on any securities exchange or to arrange for the notes to be quoted on any quotation system. The underwriters have advised us that they intend to make a market in the notes. However, they are not obligated to do so and they may discontinue any

 

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market making at any time in their sole discretion. Therefore, we cannot assure you that a liquid trading market will develop for the notes, that you will be able to sell your notes at a particular time or that the prices that you receive when you sell will be favorable.

In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area which has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a “Relevant Member State”), with effect from and including the date on which the Prospectus Directive is implemented in that Relevant Member State (the “Relevant Implementation Date”), each underwriter has not made and will not make an offer of notes to the public in that Relevant Member State other than:

 

 

to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined in the Prospectus Directive;

 

 

to fewer than 100 or, if the Relevant Member State has implemented the relevant provision of the 2010 PD Amending Directive, 150, natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined in the Prospectus Directive), as permitted under the Prospectus Directive, subject to obtaining the prior consent of the relevant dealer or dealers nominated by the Company for any such offer; or

 

 

in any other circumstances falling within Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive,

provided that no such offer of notes shall require the Company or any underwriter to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive.

For the purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer of notes to the public” in relation to any notes in any Relevant Member State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the notes to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe the notes, as the same may be varied in that Member State by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in that Member State, the expression “Prospectus Directive” means Directive 2003/71/EC (and amendments thereto, including the 2010 PD Amending Directive, to the extent implemented in the Relevant Member State), and includes any relevant implementing measure in the Relevant Member State and the expression “2010 PD Amending Directive” means Directive 2010/73/EU.

Each underwriter has only communicated or caused to be communicated and will only communicate or cause to be communicated an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of the United Kingdom Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (the “FSMA”)) received by it in connection with the issue or sale of the notes in circumstances in which Section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply to the Company or the Guarantors; and each underwriter has complied and will comply with all applicable provisions of the FSMA with respect to anything done by it in relation to the notes in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom.

In connection with the offering of the notes, the underwriters may engage in overallotments, stabilizing transactions and syndicate covering transactions in accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act. Overallotment involves sales in excess of the offering size, which creates a short position for the underwriter. Stabilizing transactions involve bids to purchase the notes in the open market for the purpose of pegging, fixing or maintaining the price of the notes, as applicable. Syndicate covering transactions involve purchases of the notes in the open market after the distribution has been completed in order to cover short positions. Stabilizing transactions and syndicate covering transactions may have the effect of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the notes or cause the price of the notes to be higher than it would otherwise be in the absence of those transactions. If any of the underwriters engages in stabilizing or syndicate covering transactions, it may discontinue them at any time.

 

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Certain of the underwriters and their affiliates have in the past and may in the future provide investment banking, commercial banking, derivative transactions and financial advisory services to us and our affiliates in the ordinary course of business. In particular, affiliates of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, BNP Paribas Securities Corp., RBC Capital Markets, LLC, BMO Capital Markets Corp., Capital One Southcoast, Inc., Comerica Securities, Inc., PNC Capital Markets LLC and Scotia Capital (USA) Inc. are lenders to us under our Revolver. In addition, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, an affiliate of Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, is the trustee under the indenture governing the notes offered hereby and the trustee under the indentures governing our 2012 Convertible Notes and our 2016 Senior Notes. Certain of the underwriters or their affiliates are holders of our 2012 Convertible Notes and, accordingly, they will receive a portion of the net proceeds of this offering in connection with the Tender Offer. Furthermore, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC is the dealer manager for the Tender Offer and the solicitation agent for the Consent Solicitation.

We expect that the delivery of the notes will be made against payment therefor on or about April 13, 2011, which is the sixth business day following the date of pricing of the notes (such settlement cycle being herein referred to as “T+6”). Under Rule 15c6-1 under the Exchange Act, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in three business days, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, purchasers who wish to trade the notes on the date of pricing of the notes or during the next succeeding two business days will be required, by virtue of the fact that the notes initially will settle in T+6, to specify an alternate settlement cycle at the time of any such trade in order to prevent a failed settlement and should consult their own advisors.

Legal matters

Certain legal matters related to the notes being offered hereby are being passed upon for us by Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., New York, New York. The underwriters will be represented by Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP, New York, New York. Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. will rely, as to matters of Virginia law, on the opinion of Hunton & Williams LLP, Virginia counsel for the Company.

Engineers

The estimated reserve evaluations and related calculations of Wright & Company, Inc., independent petroleum engineering consultants, included in this prospectus supplement have been include in reliance on the authority of that firm as experts in petroleum engineering.

Exp erts

The consolidated financial statements of Penn Virginia Corporation as of December 31, 2010 and 2009, and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2010, and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2010 have been incorporated by reference herein and in the registration statement in reliance upon the reports of KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm incorporated by reference herein and in the registration statement and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

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Available information

We are subject to the informational requirements of the Exchange Act and file reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You may read, free of charge, and copy, at the prescribed rates, any reports, proxy statements and other information at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. You may obtain information on the operation of the public reference room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. Copies of such material also can be obtained by mail from the Public Reference Section of the SEC, at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549, at the prescribed rates. The SEC also maintains a website that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information. The website address is: http://www.sec.gov.

Our internet address is http://www.pennvirginia.com. We make available free of charge on or through our website our Corporate Governance Principles, Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, Executive and Financial Officer Code of Ethics, Audit Committee Charter, Nominating and Governance Committee Charter and Compensation and Benefits Committee Charter, and we will provide copies of such documents to any shareholder who so requests. We also make available free of charge on or through our website our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC.

Our common stock is listed on the NYSE under the symbol “PVA,” and reports, proxy statements and other information also can be inspected at the offices of the NYSE located at 20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005.

 

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Incorporation of certain documents by reference

We have filed a registration statement with the SEC to register the securities offered by this prospectus supplement. As permitted by SEC rules, this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus do not contain all of the information we have included in the registration statement and the accompanying exhibits and schedules we file with the SEC. You may refer to the registration statement, exhibits and schedules for more information about us and the securities. The registration statement, exhibits and schedules are available at the SEC’s public reference room or through its Internet website.

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” the information we have filed with it, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information we incorporate by reference is an important part of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus, and later information that we file with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings we make with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (excluding any information furnished pursuant to Item 2.02 and Item 7.01 on any Current Report on Form 8-K) after the date of this prospectus supplement and prior to the termination of this offering. Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus supplement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which also is incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus supplement. The documents we incorporate by reference are:

 

 

our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010 (including information specifically incorporated by reference into the Annual Report on Form 10-K from Penn Virginia Corporation’s definitive proxy statement filed on April 4, 2011); and

 

 

our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed on February 18, 2011, March 1, 2011, March 9, 2011, April 5, 2011 and April 5, 2011, and our Current Report on Form 8-K/A filed on February 18, 2011 (excluding any information furnished pursuant to Items 2.02 and 7.01).

We will provide without charge to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom a copy of this prospectus supplement is delivered, upon the written or oral request of such person, a copy of any or all of the information incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, other than exhibits to such information (unless such exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference into the information that this prospectus supplement incorporates). Requests for such copies should be directed to Nancy M. Snyder, Corporate Secretary, Penn Virginia Corporation, Four Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 200, 100 Matsonford Road, Radnor, Pennsylvania, 19087 (telephone: (610) 687-8900).

 

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PROSPECTUS

LOGO

 

 

Debt Securities

Guarantees of Debt Securities

Common Stock

Preferred Stock

Depositary Shares

Warrants

From time to time we may offer and sell the following securities:

 

 

 

Unsecured debt securities, which may be senior or subordinated, and which may be guaranteed by one or more of our subsidiaries;

 

 

 

Shares of common stock;

 

 

 

Shares of preferred stock;

 

 

 

Depositary shares; and

 

 

 

Warrants.

We may offer and sell these securities from time to time in amounts, at prices and on terms to be determined by market conditions and other factors at the time of our offerings. This prospectus provides you with a general description of these securities and the general manner in which we will offer the securities. Each time we sell securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and any supplement carefully before you invest.

Our common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “PVA.”

 

 

See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 5 of this prospectus for information on certain risks related to the purchase of our securities.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

The date of this prospectus is March 8, 2011.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

     1   

ABOUT PENN VIRGINIA CORPORATION

     1   

THE SUBSIDIARY GUARANTORS

     1   

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

     1   

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

     3   

RISK FACTORS

     5   

USE OF PROCEEDS

     5   

RATIOS OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

     5   

DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

     6   

DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

     16   

DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSITARY SHARES

     19   

DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

     20   

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

     21   

LEGAL MATTERS

     22   

EXPERTS

     22   

You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the documents we have incorporated by reference. We have not authorized anyone else to give you different information. We are not offering these securities in any state where the offer is not permitted. We will disclose any material changes in our affairs in an amendment to this prospectus, a prospectus supplement or a future filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) incorporated by reference in this prospectus.

 

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we have filed with the SEC using a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may, from time to time, offer and sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings. This prospectus generally describes Penn Virginia Corporation and the debt securities, guarantees of debt securities, common stock, preferred stock, depositary shares and warrants included in the registration statement. Each time we sell securities with this prospectus, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. Any such prospectus supplement may also add to, update or change information in this prospectus. The information in this prospectus is accurate as of March 8, 2011. You should carefully read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement and the additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”

ABOUT PENN VIRGINIA CORPORATION

We are an independent oil and gas company engaged primarily in the exploration, development and production of natural gas and oil in various domestic onshore regions. We have a geographically diverse asset base with core areas of operations in Texas, Appalachia, the Mid-Continent and Mississippi regions of the United States. As of December 31, 2010, we had proved natural gas and oil reserves of approximately 942 Bcfe. Our operations include both conventional and unconventional development drilling opportunities, as well as some exploratory prospects.

Our corporate headquarters and principal executive offices are located at Four Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 200, 100 Matsonford Road, Radnor, Pennsylvania 19087, and our telephone number is (610) 687-8900. Our website address is www.pennvirginia.com. The information on our website is not part of this prospectus.

As used in this prospectus, “we,” “us,” “our” and “Penn Virginia” mean Penn Virginia Corporation.

THE SUBSIDIARY GUARANTORS

One or more of Penn Virginia Holding Corp., a Delaware corporation, Penn Virginia Oil & Gas Corporation, a Virginia corporation, Penn Virginia Oil & Gas GP LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, Penn Virginia Oil & Gas LP LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, Penn Virginia Oil & Gas, L.P., a Texas limited partnership, Penn Virginia MC Corporation, a Delaware corporation, Penn Virginia MC Energy L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company, and Penn Virginia MC Operating Company L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company, may fully, irrevocably and unconditionally guarantee any series of debt securities of Penn Virginia offered by this prospectus, as set forth in a related prospectus supplement. As used in this prospectus, the term “Subsidiary Guarantors” shall mean the subsidiaries of Penn Virginia, if any, that will serve as subsidiary guarantors of the debt of Penn Virginia described in this registration statement.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We are subject to the informational requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and file reports, proxy statements and other information with the Commission. You may read, free of charge, and copy, at the prescribed rates, any reports, proxy statements and other information at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. You may obtain information on the operation of the public reference room by calling the Commission at 1-800-SEC-0330. Copies of such material also can be obtained by mail from the Public Reference Section of the Commission, at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549, at the prescribed rates. The Commission also maintains a website that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information. The website address is: http://www.sec.gov.

 

 

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Our internet address is http://www.pennvirginia.com. We make available free of charge on or through our website our Corporate Governance Principles, Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, Executive and Financial Officer Code of Ethics, Audit Committee Charter, Nominating and Governance Committee Charter and Compensation and Benefits Committee Charter, and we will provide copies of such documents to any shareholder who so requests. We also make available free of charge on or through our website our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. The information on our website is not part of this prospectus.

Our common stock is listed on the NYSE under the symbol “PVA,” and reports, proxy statements and other information also can be inspected at the offices of the NYSE located at 20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005.

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” the information we have filed with the SEC. This means that Penn Virginia can disclose important information to you without actually including the specific information in this prospectus by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is an important part of this prospectus. Information that Penn Virginia files later with the SEC will automatically update and may replace information in this prospectus and information previously filed with the SEC. The documents listed below and any future filings made with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act are incorporated by reference in this prospectus until the termination of each offering under this prospectus.

 

 

 

Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010 filed on February 28, 2011;

 

 

 

Current Reports on Form 8-K filed on February 18, 2011 and March 1, 2011 and Current Report on Form 8-K/A filed on February 18, 2011 (excluding any information furnished pursuant to Items 2.02 and 7.01); and

 

 

 

Form 8-A/A filed on March 28, 2002.

You may request a copy of any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus, at no cost, by writing or calling us at the following address:

Investor Relations Department

Penn Virginia Corporation

Four Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 200

100 Matsonford Road

Radnor, Pennsylvania 19087

(610) 687-8900

 

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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Some of the information included in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the documents we incorporate by reference herein and therein contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. These statements use forward-looking words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “achievable,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “expect,” “estimate,” “project” or other words and phrases of similar meaning. These statements discuss goals, intentions and expectations as to future trends, plans, events, results of operations or financial condition or state other “forward-looking” information. A forward-looking statement may include a statement of the assumptions or bases underlying the forward-looking statements. We believe we have chosen these assumptions or bases in good faith and that they are reasonable. However, we caution you that assumed facts or bases almost always vary from actual results, and the differences between assumed facts or bases and actual results can be material, depending on the circumstances. When considering forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind the cautionary statements in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the documents we have incorporated by reference, including in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010 (our “2010 Annual Report”). These statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are subject to various risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including, but not limited, to:

 

 

 

the volatility of commodity prices for natural gas, natural gas liquids (“NGLs”) and oil;

 

 

 

our ability to develop, explore for, acquire and replace oil and gas reserves and sustain production;

 

 

 

any impairments, write-downs or write-offs of our reserves or assets;

 

 

 

the projected demand for and supply of natural gas, NGLs and oil;

 

 

 

reductions in the borrowing base under our revolving credit facility;

 

 

 

our ability to contract for drilling rigs, supplies and services at reasonable costs;

 

 

 

our ability to obtain adequate pipeline transportation capacity for our oil and gas production at reasonable cost and to sell the production at, or at reasonable discounts to, market prices;

 

 

 

the uncertainties inherent in projecting future rates of production for our wells and the extent to which actual production differs from estimated proved oil and gas reserves;

 

 

 

drilling and operating risks;

 

 

 

our ability to compete effectively against other independent and major oil and natural gas companies;

 

 

 

uncertainties related to expected benefits from acquisitions of oil and natural gas properties;

 

 

 

environmental liabilities that are not covered by an effective indemnity or insurance;

 

 

 

the timing of receipt of necessary regulatory permits;

 

 

 

the effect of commodity and financial derivative arrangements;

 

 

 

our ability to maintain adequate financial liquidity and to access adequate levels of capital on reasonable terms;

 

 

 

the occurrence of unusual weather or operating conditions, including force majeure events;

 

 

 

our ability to retain or attract senior management and key technical employees;

 

 

 

counterparty risk related to their ability to meet their future obligations;

 

 

 

changes in governmental regulation or enforcement practices, especially with respect to environmental, health and safety matters;

 

 

 

uncertainties relating to general domestic and international economic and political conditions; and

 

 

 

other risks set forth in Item 1A of our 2010 Annual Report.

 

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Additional information concerning these and other factors can be found in our press releases and public periodic filings with the SEC. Many of the factors that will determine our future results are beyond the ability of management to control or predict. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which reflect management’s views only as of the date hereof. All forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements in this paragraph and in the documents incorporated herein by reference. We undertake no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements, or to make any other forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

 

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RISK FACTORS

An investment in our securities involves a significant degree of risk. You should carefully consider the risk factors and all of the other information included in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the documents we have incorporated by reference into this prospectus and any prospectus supplement, including those in Item 1A “Risk Factors” in our 2010 Annual Report, as updated by annual, quarterly and other reports and documents we file with the SEC after the date of this prospectus and that are incorporated by reference herein, in evaluating an investment in the securities. If any of these risks were actually to occur, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially adversely affected. When we offer and sell any securities pursuant to a prospectus supplement, we may include additional risk factors relevant to such securities in the prospectus supplement.

USE OF PROCEEDS

Unless we inform you otherwise in a prospectus supplement, we intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of securities we are offering for general corporate purposes. This may include, among other things, additions to working capital, repayment or refinancing of existing indebtedness or other corporate obligations, financing of capital expenditures and acquisitions and investment in existing and future projects.

RATIOS OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

The following table sets forth our ratio of earnings to fixed charges for each year in the five years ended December 31, 2010. The calculations include us and our subsidiaries.

 

     Year Ended December 31,  
     2010      2009      2008      2007      2006  

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges:

     *         *         5.3x         2.9x         8.9x   

 

*

During 2010 and 2009, earnings were deficient by $49,559 and $165,533, respectively, regarding the coverage of fixed charges.

For purposes of calculating the ratio of earnings to fixed charges:

 

 

 

“fixed charges” represent interest expense (including amounts capitalized), amortization of debt issuance costs and the portion of rental expense representing the interest factor; and

 

 

 

“earnings” represent the aggregate of income from continuing operations (before adjustment for income taxes, extraordinary items, income or loss from equity investees and minority interest) plus fixed charges, amortization of capitalized interest and distributed income of equity investees, and less capitalized interest.

No ratio of combined fixed charges and preferred stock dividends is shown because we have no outstanding preferred stock. Therefore, if shown, such ratios would be identical to the ratios of earnings to fixed charges shown above.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

General

The debt securities issued using this prospectus will be:

 

 

 

our general unsecured obligations;

 

 

 

general unsecured obligations of the Subsidiary Guarantors if they are guaranteed by the Subsidiary Guarantors; and

 

 

 

either senior debt securities or subordinated debt securities.

The senior debt securities and the subordinated debt securities will be issued under separate indentures among Penn Virginia, as issuer, the Subsidiary Guarantors (if any), and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association (the “Trustee”). The Trustee for each series of debt securities will be identified in the applicable prospectus supplement. Senior debt securities will be issued under an indenture we call the senior indenture, and subordinated debt securities will be issued under an indenture we call the subordinated indenture. We have not restated these agreements in their entirety. We have filed the forms of the indentures as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. We urge you to read the indentures, because they, and not this description, control your rights as holders of the debt securities.

We will prepare a prospectus supplement and either an indenture supplement or a resolution of our board of directors and accompanying officers’ certificate relating to any series of debt securities that we offer, which will include specific terms relating to some or all of the following:

 

 

 

the form and title of the debt securities;

 

 

 

whether the debt securities are senior debt securities or subordinated debt securities and, if subordinated debt securities, the terms of subordination;

 

 

 

the total principal amount of the debt securities;

 

 

 

the date or dates on which the debt securities of that series may be issued;

 

 

 

the percentage of the principal amount at which the debt securities will be issued and any payments which will be due if the maturity of the debt securities is accelerated;

 

 

 

if convertible into common stock, the terms on which the debt securities are convertible;

 

 

 

any right we may have to defer payments of interest by extending the dates payments are due and whether interest on those deferred amounts will be payable;

 

 

 

the dates on which the principal and premium, if any, of the debt securities will be payable;

 

 

 

the interest rate which the debt securities will bear and the interest payment dates for the debt securities;

 

 

 

any optional redemption provisions;

 

 

 

any sinking fund or other provisions that would obligate us to repurchase or otherwise redeem the debt securities;

 

 

 

whether the debt securities are entitled to the benefits of any guarantees by the Subsidiary Guarantors;

 

 

 

any changes to or additions to the events of default or covenants contained in the applicable indenture;

 

 

 

any affirmative or negative covenants relating to such series; and

 

 

 

any other terms of the debt securities of that series.

 

 

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This description of debt securities will be deemed modified, amended or supplemented by any description of any series of debt securities set forth in a prospectus supplement related to that series.

The prospectus supplement will also describe any material United States federal income tax consequences or other special considerations regarding the applicable series of debt securities, including those relating to:

 

 

 

debt securities with respect to which payments of principal, premium or interest are determined with reference to an index or formula, including changes in prices of particular securities, currencies or commodities;

 

 

 

debt securities with respect to which principal, premium or interest is payable in a foreign or composite currency;

 

 

 

debt securities that are issued at a discount below their stated principal amount, bearing no interest or interest at a rate that at the time of issuance is below market rates; and

 

 

 

variable rate debt securities that are exchangeable for fixed rate debt securities.

At our option, we may make interest payments by check mailed to the registered holders of debt securities or, if so stated in the applicable prospectus supplement, at the option of a holder by wire transfer to an account designated by the holder.

Unless otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus supplement, fully registered securities maybe transferred or exchanged at the office of the Trustee at which its corporate trust business is principally administered in the United States, subject to the limitations provided in the indenture, without the payment of any service charge, other than any applicable tax or governmental charge.

Senior Debt Securities

The senior debt securities will be unsecured senior obligations and will rank equally with all other senior unsecured and unsubordinated debt. However, the senior debt securities will be effectively subordinated in right of payment to all our secured indebtedness to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness.

Except as provided in the senior indenture or specified in any authorizing resolution and/or supplemental indenture relating to a series of senior debt securities to be issued, the senior indenture will not limit:

 

 

 

the amount of additional indebtedness that may rank equally with the senior debt securities; or

 

 

 

the amount of indebtedness, secured or otherwise, that may be incurred or preferred stock that maybe issued by any of our subsidiaries.

Subordinated Debt Securities

Payment of the principal, interest and any premium on the subordinated debt securities will, to the extent set forth in the subordinated indenture with respect to each series of subordinated debt securities, be subordinated in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all of our senior debt, including the senior debt securities. The prospectus supplement relating to any subordinated debt securities will summarize the subordination provisions of the subordinated indenture applicable to that series including:

 

 

 

the applicability and effect of such provisions upon any payment or distribution of our assets to creditors upon any liquidation, dissolution, winding-up, reorganization, assignment for the benefit of creditors or marshaling of assets or any bankruptcy, insolvency or similar proceedings;

 

 

 

the applicability and effect of such provisions in the event of specified defaults with respect to any or certain senior debt, including the circumstances under which and the periods in which we will be prohibited from making payments on the subordinated debt securities; and

 

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the definition of senior debt applicable to the subordinated debt securities of that series.

The prospectus supplement will also describe as of a recent date the approximate amount of senior debt to which the subordinated debt securities of that series will be subordinated.

The failure to make any payment on any of the subordinated debt securities by reason of the subordination provisions of the subordinated indenture will not be construed as preventing the occurrence of an event of default with respect to the subordinated debt securities arising from the failure to make payment.

The subordination provisions described above will not be applicable to payments in respect of the subordinated debt securities from a defeasance trust established in connection with any defeasance or covenant defeasance of the subordinated debt securities as described below under “Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance.”

The Subsidiary Guarantees

The payment obligations of Penn Virginia under any series of debt securities may be jointly and severally, fully and unconditionally guaranteed by any of the Subsidiary Guarantors. If a series of debt securities are so guaranteed, the Subsidiary Guarantors will execute a notation of guarantee as further evidence of their guarantee. The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the terms of any guarantee by the Subsidiary Guarantors.

The obligations of each Subsidiary Guarantor under its guarantee of the debt securities will be limited to the maximum amount that will not result in the obligations of the Subsidiary Guarantor under the guarantee constituting a fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer under Federal or state law, after giving effect to:

 

 

 

all other contingent and fixed liabilities of the Subsidiary Guarantor; and

 

 

 

any collections from or payments made by or on behalf of any Subsidiary Guarantors in respect of the obligations of the Subsidiary Guarantor under its guarantee.

The guarantee of any Subsidiary Guarantor may be released under certain circumstances. If no default has occurred and is continuing under the applicable indenture, and to the extent not otherwise prohibited by the applicable indenture, a Subsidiary Guarantor will be unconditionally released and discharged from the guarantee:

 

 

 

automatically upon any sale, exchange or transfer, to any person that is not an affiliate of Penn Virginia, of all of Penn Virginia’s direct or indirect limited liability company or other equity interests in the Subsidiary Guarantor;

 

 

 

automatically upon the merger of the Subsidiary Guarantor into Penn Virginia or any other Subsidiary Guarantor or the liquidation and dissolution of the Subsidiary Guarantor; or

 

 

 

following delivery of a written notice by us to the Trustee, upon the release of all guarantees by the Subsidiary Guarantor of any debt of Penn Virginia for borrowed money (or a guarantee of such debt), except for any series of debt securities.

Form, Exchange and Transfer

The debt securities of each series will be issuable only in fully registered form, without coupons. Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, the debt securities will be issued in denominations of $2,000 each or multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

At the option of the holder, subject to the terms of the applicable indenture and the limitations applicable to global securities, debt securities of each series will be exchangeable for other debt securities of the same series of any authorized denomination and of a like tenor and aggregate principal amount.

Subject to the terms of the applicable indenture and the limitations applicable to global securities, debt securities may be presented for exchange as provided above or for registration of transfer (duly endorsed or with

 

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the form of transfer endorsed thereon duly executed) at the office of the security registrar or at the office of any transfer agent designated by us for that purpose. No service charge will be made for any registration of transfer or exchange of debt securities, but we may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith. A transfer or an exchange will be effected upon the security registrar or the transfer agent, as the case maybe, being satisfied with the documents of title and identity of the person making the request. The security registrar and any other transfer agent initially designated by us for any debt securities will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement. We may at anytime designate additional transfer agents or rescind the designation of any transfer agent or approve a change in the office through which any transfer agent acts, except that we will be required to maintain a transfer agent in each place of payment for the debt securities of each series.

If the debt securities of any series (or of any series and specified tenor) are to be redeemed in part, we will not be required to:

 

 

 

issue, register the transfer of or exchange any debt security of that series (or of that series and specified tenor, as the case maybe) during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of mailing of a notice of redemption of any such debt security that may be selected for redemption and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing; or

 

 

 

register the transfer of or exchange any debt security so selected for redemption, in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any such debt security being redeemed in part.

Global Securities

Some or all of the debt securities of any series maybe represented, in whole or in part, by one or more global certificates that will have an aggregate principal amount equal to that of the debt securities represented thereby. Each global security will be registered in the name of a depositary or a nominee thereof identified in the applicable prospectus supplement, will be deposited with such depositary or nominee or a custodian therefor and will bear a legend regarding the restrictions on exchanges and registration of transfer thereof referred to below and any such other matters as maybe provided for pursuant to the applicable indenture.

Notwithstanding any provision of the applicable indenture or any debt security described herein, no global security maybe exchanged in whole or in part for debt securities registered, and no transfer of a global security in whole or in part maybe registered, in the name of any person other than the depositary for such global security or any nominee of such depositary unless:

 

 

 

the depositary has notified us that it is unwilling or unable to continue as depositary for such global security or has ceased to be qualified to act as such as required by the applicable indenture;

 

 

 

there shall have occurred and be continuing an event of default with respect to the debt securities represented by such global security; or

 

 

 

there shall exist such circumstances, if any, in addition to or in lieu of those described above as may be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

All debt securities issued in exchange for a global security or any portion thereof will be registered in such names as the depositary may direct.

As long as the depositary, or its nominee, is the registered holder of a global security, the depositary or such nominee, as the case maybe, will be considered the sole owner and holder of the global security and the debt securities represented thereby for all purposes under the debt securities and the applicable indenture. Except in the limited circumstances referred to above, owners of beneficial interests in a global security will not be entitled to have that global security or any debt securities represented thereby registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of certificated debt securities in exchange therefor and will not be considered to be the owners or holders of the global security or any debt securities represented thereby for any

 

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purpose under the debt securities or the applicable indenture. All payments of principal of and any premium and interest on a global security will be made to the depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, as the holder thereof. The laws of some jurisdictions require that certain purchasers of debt securities take physical delivery of such debt securities in definitive form. These laws may impair the ability to transfer beneficial interests in a global security.

Ownership of beneficial interests in a global security will be limited to institutions that have accounts with the depositary or its nominee (“participants”) and to persons that may hold beneficial interests through participants. In connection with the issuance of any global security, the depositary will credit, on its book-entry registration and transfer system, the respective principal amounts of debt securities represented by the global security to the accounts of its participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in a global security will be shown only on, and the transfer of those ownership interests will be effected only through, records maintained by the depositary (with respect to participants’ interests) or any such participant (with respect to interests of persons held by such participants on their behalf). Payments, transfers, exchanges and other matters relating to beneficial interests in a global security maybe subject to various policies and procedures adopted by the depositary from time to time. None of us, the Trustees or our agents will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the depositary’s or any participant’s records relating to, or for payments made on account of, beneficial interests in a global security, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial interests.

Payment and Paying Agents

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, payment of interest on a debt security on any interest payment date will be made to the person in whose name such debt security (or one or more predecessor debt securities) is registered at the close of business on the regular record date for such interest.

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, principal of and any premium and interest on the debt securities of a particular series will be payable at the office of such paying agent or paying agents as we may designate for such purpose from time to time, except that at our option payment of any interest maybe made by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address appears in the security register. Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, the corporate trust office of the trustee under the senior indenture in the City of New York will be designated as sole paying agent for payments with respect to senior debt securities of each series and the corporate trust office of the trustee in the City of New York will be designated as the sole paying agent for payment with respect to subordinated debt securities of each series. Any other paying agents initially designated by us for the debt securities of a particular series will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement. We may at any time designate additional paying agents or rescind the designation of any paying agent or approve a change in the office through which any paying agent acts, except that we will be required to maintain a paying agent in each place of payment for the debt securities of a particular series.

All moneys paid by us to a paying agent for the payment of the principal of or any premium or interest on any debt security that remain unclaimed at the end of two years after such principal, premium or interest has become due and payable will be repaid to us, and the holder of such debt security thereafter may look only to us for payment thereof.

Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets

We may not consolidate with or merge into, or convey, transfer, sell or lease our properties and assets substantially as an entirety to, any person (a “successor Person”), and may not permit any person to merge into, or convey, transfer, sell or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to, us, unless:

 

 

 

the successor person (if any) is a corporation, partnership, trust or other entity organized and validly existing under the laws of any domestic jurisdiction and assumes our obligations on the debt securities and under the indentures;

 

 

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immediately after giving effect to the transaction, no Event of Default, and no event that, after notice or lapse of time or both, would become an Event of Default, shall have occurred and be continuing; and

 

 

 

certain other conditions, including any additional conditions with respect to any particular debt securities specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, are met. Reports

So long as any debt securities are outstanding, we will:

 

 

 

file with the Trustee, within 15 days after we file them with the SEC, copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents and other reports which we are required to file with the SEC pursuant to the Exchange Act; and

 

 

 

if we are not required to file information with the SEC pursuant to the Exchange Act, file with the Trustee, within 15 days after we would have been required to file with the SEC, and provide holders of the debt securities with, annual reports and information, documents and other reports comparable to what we would have been required to file with the SEC had we been subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act.

Events of Default

Unless otherwise specified in the prospectus supplement, each of the following will constitute an “Event of Default” under the applicable indenture with respect to debt securities of any series:

 

 

 

failure to pay principal of or any premium on any debt security of that series when due, whether or not, in the case of subordinated debt securities, such payment is prohibited by the subordination provisions of the subordinated indenture;

 

 

 

failure to pay any interest on any debt securities of that series when due, continued for 30 days, whether or not, in the case of subordinated debt securities, such payment is prohibited by the subordination provisions of the subordinated indenture;

 

 

 

failure to deposit any sinking fund payment when due in respect of any debt security of that series, whether or not, in the case of subordinated debt securities, such deposit is prohibited by the subordination provisions of the subordinated indenture;

 

 

 

failure by the issuer or, if the series of debt securities is guaranteed by a Subsidiary Guarantor, the Subsidiary Guarantor, to perform, or a breach of, any of the other covenants or warranties in such indenture (other than a covenant or warranty included in such indenture solely for the benefit of a series other than that series), continued for 60 days after written notice has been given by the trustee, or the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series, as provided in such indenture;

 

 

 

certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization affecting us or, if the series of debt securities is guaranteed, the Subsidiary Guarantors;

 

 

 

if the series of debt securities is guaranteed by any Subsidiary Guarantors:

 

 

 

any of the guarantees ceases to be in full force and effect, except as otherwise provided in the Indenture;

 

 

 

any of the guarantees is declared null and void in a judicial proceeding; or

 

 

 

any Subsidiary Guarantor denies or disaffirms its obligations under the Indenture or its guarantee; and

 

 

 

any other Event of Default included in the applicable indenture or supplemental indenture.

If an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default described in the fifth bullet above) with respect to the debt securities of any series at the time outstanding shall occur and be continuing, either the applicable Trustee or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series by

 

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notice as provided in the indenture may declare the principal amount of the debt securities of that series (or, in the case of any debt security that is an original issue discount debt security or the principal amount of which is not then determinable, such portion of the principal amount of such debt security, or such other amount in lieu of such principal amount, as maybe specified in the terms of such debt security) to be due and payable immediately. If an Event of Default described in the fifth bullet above with respect to the debt securities of any series at the time outstanding shall occur, the principal amount of all the debt securities of that series (or, in the case of any such original issue discount security or other debt security, such specified amount) will automatically, and without any action by the applicable Trustee or any holder, become immediately due and payable. After any such acceleration, but before a judgment or decree based on acceleration, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series may, under certain circumstances, rescind and annul such acceleration if all Events of Default, other than the non-payment of accelerated principal (or other specified amount), have been cured or waived as provided in the applicable indenture. For information as to waiver of defaults, we refer you to “—Amendments and Waivers.”

Subject to the provisions of the indentures relating to the duties of the Trustees in case an Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, each Trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under the applicable indenture at the request or direction of any of the holders, unless such holders shall have offered to such Trustee reasonable indemnity. Subject to such provisions for the indemnification of the Trustees, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series will have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to the debt securities of that series.

No holder of a debt security of any series will have any right to institute any proceeding with respect to the applicable indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or a trustee, or for any other remedy thereunder, unless:

 

 

 

such holder has previously given to the Trustee under the applicable indenture written notice of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the debt securities of that series;

 

 

 

the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series have made written request, and such holder or holders have offered reasonable indemnity, to the Trustee to institute such proceeding as trustee; and

 

 

 

the Trustee has failed to institute such proceeding, and has not received from the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series a direction inconsistent with such request, within 60 days after such notice, request and offer.

However, such limitations do not apply to a suit instituted by a holder of a debt security for the enforcement of payment of the principal of or any premium or interest on such debt security on or after the applicable due date specified in such debt security.

We will be required to furnish to each Trustee annually a statement by certain of our officers as to whether or not we, to our knowledge, are in default in the performance or observance of any of the terms, provisions and conditions of the applicable indenture and, if so, specifying all such known defaults.

Amendments and Waivers

We may amend the indentures without the consent of any holder of debt securities to:

 

 

 

cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency;

 

 

 

make any change in respect of any other series of debt securities issued under the indenture that is not applicable to such series;

 

 

 

provide for the assumption by a successor of our obligations under the indenture;

 

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add Subsidiary Guarantors with respect to the debt securities;

 

 

 

secure the debt securities;

 

 

 

add covenants for the protection of the holders or surrender any right or power conferred upon us or any Subsidiary Guarantors;

 

 

 

make any change that does not adversely affect the rights of any holder;

 

 

 

add or appoint a successor or separate Trustee;

 

 

 

comply with any requirements of the SEC in connection with the qualification of the indenture under the Trust Indenture Act; or

 

 

 

establish the form or terms of debt securities of any series to be issued under the indenture.

In addition, we may amend the indenture if the holders of a majority in principal amount of all outstanding debt securities of each series that would be affected under the indenture consent to it. We may not, however, without the consent of each holder of any outstanding debt securities that would be affected, amend the indenture to:

 

 

 

change the stated maturity of the principal of, or any installment of principal of or interest on, any debt security;

 

 

 

reduce the principal amount of, or any premium or interest on, any debt security;

 

 

 

reduce the amount of principal of an original issue discount security or any other debt security payable upon acceleration of the maturity thereof;

 

 

 

change the place or currency of payment of principal of, or any premium or interest on, any debt security;

 

 

 

impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or with respect to any debt security;

 

 

 

in the case of subordinated debt securities, modify the subordination provisions in a manner adverse to the holders of the subordinated debt securities;

 

 

 

if applicable, make any change that adversely affects the right to convert any debt security or decrease the conversion rate or increase the conversion price;

 

 

 

reduce the percentage in principal amount of outstanding debt securities of any series, the consent of whose holders is required for modification or amendment of the indenture;

 

 

 

reduce the percentage in principal amount of outstanding debt securities of any series necessary for waiver of compliance with certain provisions of the indenture or for waiver of certain defaults;

 

 

 

modify such provisions with respect to modification and waiver;

 

 

 

release a Subsidiary Guarantor or modify such Subsidiary Guarantor’s guarantee in any manner adverse to the holders; or

 

 

 

following the making of an offer to purchase debt securities pursuant to a covenant in the indenture, modify the provisions of the indenture with respect to such offer to purchase in a manner adverse to the holders.

The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may waive compliance by us or a Subsidiary Guarantor with certain restrictive provisions of the applicable indenture. The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may waive any past default under the applicable indenture, except a default in the payment of principal, premium or interest and certain covenants and provisions of the applicable indenture that cannot be amended without the consent of the holder of each outstanding debt security of such series affected.

 

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Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance

If and to the extent indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we may elect, at our option at any time, to have the provisions of the indenture, relating to defeasance and discharge of indebtedness relating to defeasance of certain restrictive covenants applied to the debt securities of any series, or to any specified part of a series.

Defeasance and Discharge. The indentures provide that, upon our exercise of our option (if any), we will be discharged from all our obligations, and, if such debt securities are subordinated debt securities, the provisions of the subordinated indenture relating to subordination will cease to be effective, with respect to such debt securities (except for certain obligations to exchange or register the transfer of debt securities, to replace stolen, lost or mutilated debt securities, to maintain paying agencies and to hold moneys for payment in trust) upon the deposit in trust for the benefit of the holders of such debt securities of money or U.S. Government obligations, or both, that, through the payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms, will provide money in an amount sufficient to pay the principal of and any premium and interest on such debt securities on the respective stated maturities in accordance with the terms of the applicable indenture and such debt securities. Such defeasance or discharge may occur only if, among other things:

 

 

 

we have delivered to the applicable Trustee an opinion of counsel to the effect that we have received from, or there has been published by, the United States Internal Revenue Service a ruling, or there has been a change in tax law, in either case to the effect that holders of such debt securities will not recognize gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit, defeasance and discharge and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amount, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit, defeasance and discharge were not to occur;

 

 

 

no Event of Default or event that with the passing of time or the giving of notice, or both, shall constitute an Event of Default shall have occurred or be continuing;

 

 

 

such deposit, defeasance and discharge will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any agreement or instrument to which we area party or by which we are bound; and

 

 

 

in the case of subordinated debt securities, at the time of such deposit, no default in the payment of all or a portion of principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on or other obligations in respect of any senior debt of Penn Virginia shall have occurred and be continuing and no other Event of Default with respect to any of our Senior Debt shall have occurred and be continuing permitting, after notice or the lapse of time, or both, the acceleration thereof.

If we exercise this defeasance option, any guarantee will terminate with respect to that series of debt securities.

Defeasance of Certain Covenants. The indentures provide that, upon our exercise of our option (if any), we may omit to comply with certain restrictive covenants, including those that may be described in the applicable prospectus supplement, the occurrence of certain Events of Default, which are described above in the fourth bullet (with respect to such restrictive covenants), in the fifth bullet (with respect only to a Subsidiary Guarantor (if any)) and in the sixth bullet under “—Events of Default” and any that maybe described in the applicable prospectus supplement, will not be deemed to either be or result in an Event of Default and, if such debt securities are subordinated debt securities, the provisions of the subordinated indenture relating to subordination will cease to be effective, in each case with respect to such debt securities. In order to exercise such option, we must deposit, in trust for the benefit of the holders of such debt securities, money or U.S. Government obligations, or both, that, through the payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms, will provide money in an amount sufficient to pay the principal of and any premium and interest on such debt securities on the respective stated maturities in accordance with the terms of the applicable indenture and such debt securities. Such covenant defeasance may occur only if we have delivered to the applicable Trustee an opinion of counsel that in effect says that holders of such debt securities will not recognize gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit and defeasance of certain obligations and will be subject

 

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to federal income tax on the same amount, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit and defeasance were not to occur and the requirements set forth in the second through fourth bullets above are satisfied. If we exercise this option with respect to any debt securities and such debt securities were declared due and payable because of the occurrence of any Event of Default, the amount of money and U.S. Government obligations so deposited in trust would be sufficient to pay amounts due on such debt securities at the time of their respective stated maturities, but may not be sufficient to pay amounts due on such debt securities upon any acceleration resulting from such Event of Default. In such case, we would remain liable for such payments.

Notices

Notices to holders of debt securities will be given by mail to the addresses of such holders as they may appear in the security register.

Title

We, the Trustees and any agent of us or a Trustee may treat the person in whose name a debt security is registered as the absolute owner of the debt security (whether or not such debt security may be overdue) for the purpose of making payment and for all other purposes.

Governing Law

The indentures and the debt securities will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of New York.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

As of March 1, 2011, our authorized capital stock was 128,100,000 shares. Those shares consisted of 100,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $100.00 per share, none of which were outstanding, and 128,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of which 45,642,079 shares were outstanding.

Common Stock

Listing

Our outstanding shares of common stock are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) under the symbol “PVA.” Any additional common stock we issue also will be listed on the NYSE.

Dividends

Subject to the rights of any series of preferred stock that we may issue, the holders of common stock may receive dividends when declared by our board of directors. Dividends may be paid in cash, stock or other form out of legally available funds.

Fully Paid

All outstanding shares of common stock are fully paid and non-assessable. Any additional common stock we issue will also be fully paid and non-assessable.

Voting Rights

Subject to any special voting rights of any series of preferred stock that we may issue in the future, the holders of common stock may vote one vote for each share held in the election of directors and on all other matters voted upon by our shareholders. Directors are elected by a plurality of the votes cast by the shares entitled to vote. Holders of common stock may not cumulate their votes in the elections of directors. All other matters to be voted on by shareholders must be approved by a majority of the votes cast on the matter. Certain significant transactions defined in our articles of incorporation may also require the affirmative vote of 90% of the voting power of all outstanding shares entitled to vote in the election of directors. See “—Anti-Takeover Provisions—Certain Provisions in Our Articles of Incorporation—Fair Price Provisions” below.

Other Rights

We will notify common shareholders of any shareholders’ meetings according to applicable law. If we liquidate, dissolve or wind-up our business, either voluntarily or not, common shareholders will share equally in the assets remaining after we pay our creditors and preferred shareholders. The holders of common stock have no preemptive rights to purchase our shares of stock. Shares of common stock are not subject to any redemption or sinking fund provisions and are not convertible into any of our other securities.

Preferred Stock

The following description of the terms of the preferred stock sets forth certain general terms and provisions of our authorized preferred stock. If we offer preferred stock, a description will be filed with the SEC and the specific designations and rights will be described in the prospectus supplement, including the following terms:

 

 

 

the series, the number of shares offered and the liquidation value of the preferred stock;

 

 

 

the price at which the preferred stock will be issued;

 

 

 

the dividend rate, the dates on which the dividends will be payable and other terms relating to the payment of dividends on the preferred stock;

 

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the liquidation preference of the preferred stock;

 

 

 

the voting rights of the preferred stock;

 

 

 

whether the preferred stock is redeemable or subject to a sinking fund, and the terms of any such redemption or sinking fund;

 

 

 

whether the preferred stock is convertible or exchangeable for any other securities, and the terms of any such conversion; and

 

 

 

any additional rights, preferences, qualifications, limitations and restrictions of the preferred stock.

The description of the terms of the preferred stock to be set forth in an applicable prospectus supplement will not be complete and will be subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to the articles of amendment relating to the applicable series of preferred stock. The registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part will include the articles of amendment as an exhibit or incorporate it by reference.

Our board of directors can, without approval of shareholders, issue one or more series of preferred stock. Subject to the provisions of our articles of incorporation and limitations prescribed by law, our board of directors may adopt an amendment to our articles of incorporation describing the number of shares of each series and the rights, preferences and limitations of each series, including the dividend rights, voting rights, conversion rights, redemption rights and any liquidation preferences of any wholly unissued series of preferred stock, the number of shares constituting each series and the terms and conditions of issue.

Undesignated preferred stock may enable our board of directors to render more difficult or to discourage an attempt to obtain control of us by means of a tender offer, proxy contest, merger or otherwise, and to thereby protect the continuity of our management. The issuance of shares of preferred stock may adversely affect the rights of the holders of our common stock. For example, any preferred stock issued may rank prior to our common stock as to dividend rights, liquidation preference or both, may have full or limited voting rights and may be convertible into shares of common stock. As a result, the issuance of shares of preferred stock may discourage bids for our common stock or may otherwise adversely affect the market price of our common stock or any existing preferred stock.

The preferred stock will, when issued, be fully paid and non-assessable.

Anti-Takeover Provisions

Certain provisions in our articles of incorporation and by-laws, as well as certain provisions of Virginia law, may make more difficult or discourage a takeover of our business.

Certain Provisions of Our Articles of Incorporation

Shareholder Action by Unanimous Consent. Under Virginia law, any action that could be taken by shareholders at a meeting may be taken, instead, without a meeting and without notice if a consent in writing is signed by all the shareholders entitled to vote on the action.

Blank Check Preferred Stock. Our articles of incorporation authorize the issuance of blank check preferred stock. As described above under “Preferred Stock,” the board of directors can set the voting rights, redemption rights, conversion rights and other rights relating to such preferred stock and could issue such stock in either private or public transactions. In some circumstances, the blank check preferred stock could be issued and have the effect of preventing a merger, tender offer or other takeover attempt that the board of directors opposes.

Fair Price Provisions. Our articles of incorporation contain certain “fair price” provisions. These provisions state that any person who acquires 10% or more of our voting stock cannot engage in a significant transaction

 

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with us that is not approved by our continuing directors or the holders of 90% of our stock unless our shareholders receive a price at least equal to that determined by a formula set forth in our articles of incorporation. In addition, if the acquiror paid cash to acquire his original interests, he must pay cash in the subsequent significant transaction. Under these provisions, continuing directors are directors who were on the board prior to the acquiror’s 10% or more acquisition or were subsequently recommended by such original directors.

Election and Removal of Directors

Our directors are elected for one-year terms and can be removed, with or without cause, if the number of votes cast for removal at a shareholder meeting called for that purpose constitutes a majority of the votes entitled to be cast at an election of directors. Our by-laws currently provide that the total number of directors is nine, but will automatically reduce to eight members effective on the date of our 2011 annual meeting of shareholders. The number of directors may be increased or decreased by amendment of the by-laws. Vacancies in the board maybe filled by shareholders or by the board. Special meetings of shareholders may be called only by a majority of our board of directors or by our chief executive officer. Our by-laws require that advance notice of nominees for election as directors be made by a shareholder, and that shareholder proposals be given to our corporate secretary, together with certain specified information, not less than 90 days nor more than 180 days before the anniversary of the immediately preceding annual meeting of shareholders.

Virginia Anti-Takeover Statutes and Other Virginia Laws

Control Share Acquisitions Statute. Under the Virginia control share acquisitions statute, shares acquired in an acquisition that would cause an acquiror’s voting strength to meet or exceed any of three thresholds (20%, 33 1/3% or 50%) have no voting rights unless (1) those rights are granted by a majority vote of all outstanding shares other than those held by the acquiror or any officer or employee director of the corporation or (2) the articles of incorporation or bylaws of the corporation provide that the provisions of the control share acquisitions statute do not apply to acquisitions of its shares. An acquiring person that owns five percent or more of the corporation’s voting stock may require that a special meeting of the shareholders be held, to consider the grant of voting rights to the shares acquired in the control share acquisition. This regulation was designed to deter certain takeovers of Virginia public corporations. As permitted by Virginia law, we have opted out of the Virginia anti-takeover law regulating “control share acquisitions.”

Affiliated Transactions. Under the Virginia anti-takeover law regulating affiliated transactions, material acquisition transactions between a Virginia corporation and any holder of more than 10% of any class of its outstanding voting shares are required to be approved by the holders of at least two-thirds of the remaining voting shares. Affiliated transactions subject to this approval requirement include mergers, share exchanges, material dispositions of corporate assets not in the ordinary course of business, any dissolution of the corporation proposed by or on behalf of a 10% holder or any reclassification, including reverse stock splits, recapitalization or merger of the corporation with its subsidiaries, that increases the percentage of voting shares owned beneficially by a 10% holder by more than five percent. For three years following the time that a shareholder becomes an interested shareholder, a Virginia corporation cannot engage in an affiliated transaction with the interested shareholder without approval of two-thirds of the disinterested voting shares and a majority of the disinterested directors. A disinterested director is a director who was a director on the date on which an interested shareholder became an interested shareholder or was recommended for election or elected by a majority of the disinterested directors then on the board. After three years, the approval of the disinterested directors is no longer required. The provisions of this statute do not apply if a majority of disinterested directors approve the acquisition of shares making a person an interested shareholder. Virginia law permits corporations to opt out of the affiliated transactions provisions. We have not opted out.

Director Standards of Conduct. Under Virginia law, directors must discharge their duties in accordance with their good faith business judgment of the best interests of the corporation. Directors may rely on the advice or

 

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acts of others, including officers, employees, attorneys, accountants and board committees if they have a good faith belief in their competence. Virginia law provides that, in determining the best interests of the corporation, a director may consider the possibility that those interests may best be served by the continued independence of the corporation.

Indemnification of Officers and Directors

Virginia law permits, and our by-laws provide for, the indemnification of our directors and officers with respect to certain liabilities and expenses imposed upon them in connection with any civil, criminal or other proceeding by reason of having been a director or officer of Penn Virginia. This indemnification does not apply to willful misconduct or a knowing violation of the criminal law. We have been informed that in the opinion of the SEC indemnification for liability under the Securities Act is against public policy and is unenforceable.

Transfer Agent and Registrar

Our transfer agent and registrar of the common stock is American Stock Transfer & Trust Company.

DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSITARY SHARES

We may offer depositary shares (either separately or together with other securities) representing fractional interests in our preferred stock of any series. In connection with the issuance of any depositary shares, we will enter into a deposit agreement with a bank or trust company, as depositary, which will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement. Depositary shares will be evidenced by depositary receipts issued pursuant to the related deposit agreement. Immediately following our issuance of the preferred stock related to the depositary shares, we will deposit the preferred stock with the relevant preferred stock depositary and will cause the preferred stock depositary to issue, on our behalf, the related depositary receipts. Subject to the terms of the deposit agreement, each owner of a depositary receipt will be entitled, in proportion to the fraction of a share of preferred stock represented by the related depositary share, to all the rights, preferences and privileges of, and will be subject to all of the limitations and restrictions on, the preferred stock represented by the depositary receipt (including, if applicable, dividend, voting, conversion, exchange redemption and liquidation rights).

 

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DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

We may issue warrants for the purchase of debt securities, preferred stock or common stock. Warrants maybe issued independently or together with, or as a unit including, debt securities, preferred stock or common stock offered by any prospectus supplement and maybe attached to or separate from any of the other offered securities. Each warrant will entitle the holder to purchase the principal amount of debt securities or number of shares of preferred stock or common stock, as the case may be, at the exercise price and in the manner specified in the prospectus supplement relating to those warrants. Warrants will be issued under one or more warrant agreements to be entered into between us and a bank or trust company, as warrant agent. The warrant agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the warrants and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders or beneficial owners of warrants. We will file the warrant agreement, and any unit agreement, with the SEC in connection with any offering of warrants.

The prospectus supplement relating to a particular issuance of warrants will describe the terms of the warrants, including the following:

 

 

 

the title of the warrants;

 

 

 

the offering price for the warrants, if any;

 

 

 

the aggregate number of the warrants;

 

 

 

the designation and terms of the securities purchasable upon exercise of the warrants;

 

 

 

if applicable, the designation and terms of the securities with which the warrants are issued and the number of such warrants issued with each security;

 

 

 

if applicable, the date from and after which the warrants and any securities issued with the warrants will be separately transferable;

 

 

 

the principal amount of debt securities purchasable upon exercise of a warrant, if a debt warrant, and the price at which the principal amount of securities maybe purchased upon exercise, which price maybe payable in cash, securities, or other property;

 

 

 

the date on which the right to exercise the warrants commences and the date on which the right expires;

 

 

 

if applicable, the number of shares of common stock or preferred stock purchasable upon exercise of a warrant and the price at which the shares may be purchased upon exercise;

 

 

 

if applicable, the minimum or maximum amount of the warrants that may be exercised at any one time;

 

 

 

if applicable, a discussion of material United States federal income tax considerations;

 

 

 

whether the debt warrants represented by the warrant certificates or debt securities that maybe issued upon exercise of the warrants will be issued in registered or bearer form;

 

 

 

information with respect to book-entry procedures, if any;

 

 

 

the currency or currency units in which the offering price, if any, and the exercise price are payable;

 

 

 

the antidilution provisions of the warrants, if any;

 

 

 

the redemption or call provisions, if any, applicable to the warrants; and

 

 

 

any additional terms of the warrants, including terms, procedures, and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of the warrants.

 

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We may sell the securities pursuant to this prospectus:

 

 

 

through agents;

 

 

 

through underwriters or dealers; or

 

 

 

directly to one or more purchasers, including existing shareholders in a rights offering.

By Agents

Securities offered by us pursuant to this prospectus may be sold through agents designated by us. Unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement, any such agent is acting on a best efforts basis for the period of its appointment.

By Underwriters

If underwriters are used in the sale, the offered securities will be acquired by the underwriters for their own account. The underwriters may resell the securities in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. The obligations of the underwriters to purchase the securities will be subject to certain conditions. Unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement, the underwriters must purchase all the securities of the series offered by a prospectus supplement if any of the securities are purchased. Any initial public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or re-allowed or paid to dealers maybe changed from time to time.

Direct Sales; Rights Offerings

Securities offered by us pursuant to this prospectus may also be sold directly by us. In this case, no underwriters or agents would be involved. We may sell offered securities upon the exercise of rights that may be issued to our securityholders. We may sell the securities directly to institutional investors or others who maybe deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act with respect to any sale of those securities.

Delayed Delivery Arrangements

We may authorize agents, underwriters or dealers to solicit offers by certain institutional investors to purchase offered securities providing for payment and delivery on a future date specified in the prospectus supplement. Institutional investors to which such offers maybe made, when authorized, include commercial and savings banks, insurance companies, pension funds, investment companies, education and charitable institutions and such other institutions as may be approved by us. The obligations of any such purchasers under such delayed delivery and payment arrangements will be subject to the condition that the purchase of the offered securities will not at the time of delivery be prohibited under applicable law. The underwriters and such agents will not have any responsibility with respect to the validity or performance of such contracts.

General Information

Underwriters, dealers and agents that participate in the distribution of the offered securities maybe underwriters as defined in the Securities Act, and any discounts or commissions received by them from us and any profit on the resale of the offered securities by them may be treated as underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act. Any underwriters or agents will be identified and their compensation described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

 

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The securities (other than common stock) offered by this prospectus and any prospectus supplement, when first issued, will have no established trading market. Any underwriters or agents to or through whom such securities are sold by us for public offering and sale may make a market in such securities, but such underwriters or agents will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. We cannot assure you as to the liquidity of the trading market for any such securities.

We may have agreements with the underwriters, dealers and agents to indemnify them against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute with respect to payments that the underwriters, dealers or agents may be required to make.

Underwriters, dealers and agents may engage in transactions with, or perform services for, us or our subsidiaries in the ordinary course of their businesses.

LEGAL MATTERS

Our counsel, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., New York, New York, will pass upon certain legal matters in connection with the offered securities. Certain legal matters relating to Virginia law will be passed upon for us by Hunton & Williams LLP. Any underwriters will be advised about other issues relating to any offering by their own legal counsel.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements of Penn Virginia Corporation as of December 31, 2010 and 2009, and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2010, and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2010 have been incorporated by reference herein in reliance upon the reports of KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated by reference herein and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

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