-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE----- Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov Originator-Key-Asymmetric: MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA, SL2WUz1UGUDoh/ekOK5e7Dq/RNKTJPN9b9CNzpg0r68mDC7ee5rzawTXsDswusBj idBik7XgFM0GDwbXi5FZ9g== 0000950134-02-015461.txt : 20021211 0000950134-02-015461.hdr.sgml : 20021211 20021211173031 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0000950134-02-015461 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: S-4 PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 9 FILED AS OF DATE: 20021211 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: TRANSCONTINENTAL GAS PIPE LINE CORP CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000099250 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: NATURAL GAS TRANSMISSION [4922] IRS NUMBER: 741079400 STATE OF INCORPORATION: DE FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-4 SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-101788 FILM NUMBER: 02855078 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 2800 POST OAK BLVD STREET 2: PO BOX 1396 CITY: HOUSTON STATE: TX ZIP: 77251 BUSINESS PHONE: 7132152000 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 2800 POST OAK BLVD STREET 2: PO BOX 1396 CITY: HOUSTON STATE: TX ZIP: 77251 S-4 1 d99347sv4.txt FORM S-4 AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON DECEMBER 11, 2002 REGISTRATION NO. 333- - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 --------------------- FORM S-4 REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 --------------------- TRANSCONTINENTAL GAS PIPE LINE CORPORATION (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) DELAWARE 4922 74-1079400 (State or other jurisdiction (Primary Standard Industrial (I.R.S. Employer of Incorporation or organization) Classification Code Number) Identification No.)
2800 POST OAK BOULEVARD HOUSTON, TEXAS 77056 (713) 215-2000 (Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant's principal executive offices) --------------------- RICHARD CARSON, ESQ. SENIOR ATTORNEY THE WILLIAMS COMPANIES, INC. ONE WILLIAMS CENTER TULSA, OKLAHOMA 74172 (918) 573-2000 (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code of agent for service) --------------------- COPY TO: WILLIAM MARK YOUNG ANDREWS & KURTH L.L.P. 600 TRAVIS, SUITE 4200 HOUSTON, TEXAS 77002 (713) 220-4200 --------------------- APPROXIMATE DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF PROPOSED SALE TO PUBLIC: As soon as practicable following the effectiveness of this registration statement. --------------------- If the securities being registered on this form are being offered in connection with the formation of a holding company and there is compliance with General Instruction G, check the following box. [ ] If this form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration number of the earlier registration statement for the same offering. [ ] If this form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. [ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PROPOSED MAXIMUM PROPOSED MAXIMUM TITLE OF EACH CLASS OF AMOUNT TO BE OFFERING PRICE AGGREGATE AMOUNT OF SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED REGISTERED PER SHARE OFFERING PRICE REGISTRATION FEE(1) - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8 7/8% Notes Due 2012.................. $325,000,000 100% $325,000,000 $29,900 - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Determined in accordance with Rule 457(f) promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. --------------------- THE REGISTRANT HEREBY AMENDS THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON SUCH DATE OR DATES AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO DELAY ITS EFFECTIVE DATE UNTIL THE REGISTRANT SHALL FILE A FURTHER AMENDMENT WHICH SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT SHALL THEREAFTER BECOME EFFECTIVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 8(a) OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 OR UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE ON SUCH DATE AS THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, ACTING PURSUANT TO SAID SECTION 8(a), MAY DETERMINE. - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE INFORMATION IN THIS PROSPECTUS IS NOT COMPLETE AND MAY BE CHANGED. A REGISTRATION STATEMENT RELATING TO THESE SECURITIES HAS BEEN FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION. THESE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE SOLD NOR MAY OFFERS TO BUY BE ACCEPTED PRIOR TO THE TIME THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT BECOMES EFFECTIVE. THIS PROSPECTUS SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL THESE SECURITIES AND IS NOT A SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY THESE SECURITIES IN ANY STATE WHERE THE OFFER OR SALE IS NOT PERMITTED. THE INFORMATION IN THIS PROSPECTUS WILL BE AMENDED OR COMPLETED; DATED DECEMBER 11, 2002 PROSPECTUS EXCHANGE OFFER FOR: ALL 8 7/8% SERIES A SENIOR NOTES DUE JULY 15, 2012 FOR 8 7/8% SERIES B SENIOR NOTES DUE JULY 15, 2012 OF TRANSCONTINENTAL GAS PIPE LINE CORPORATION THE EXCHANGE OFFER WILL EXPIRE AT 5:00 P.M., NEW YORK CITY TIME, ON , 2003, UNLESS EXTENDED. Terms of the exchange offer: - We are offering a total of $325 million of our 8 7/8% Series B Senior Notes due July 15, 2012 for an equal amount of our outstanding 8 7/8% Series A Senior Notes due July 15, 2012. - We will exchange new notes for all outstanding old notes that are validly tendered and not withdrawn prior to the expiration of the exchange offer. - You may withdraw tenders of old notes at any time prior to the expiration of the exchange offer. - The exchange of old notes for new notes will not be a taxable transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes; but you should see the discussion under the caption "Material United States Federal Income Tax Considerations" on page 29 for more information. - We will not receive any cash proceeds from the exchange offer. - The terms of the new notes are substantially identical to those of the outstanding old notes, except that the transfer restrictions and registration rights relating to the old notes do not apply to the new notes. - The exchange offer is the initial offering of the new notes. - There is no established trading market for the new notes or the old notes. - We do not intend to apply for listing of the new notes on any national securities exchange or for quotation through The Nasdaq National Market. --------------------- SEE "RISK FACTORS" BEGINNING ON PAGE 7 FOR A DISCUSSION OF RISKS YOU SHOULD CONSIDER. --------------------- NEITHER THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION NOR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED OF THESE SECURITIES OR PASSED UPON THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE. --------------------- The date of this prospectus is , 2002 YOU SHOULD RELY ONLY ON THE INFORMATION CONTAINED, OR INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE, IN THIS PROSPECTUS. WE HAVE NOT AUTHORIZED ANYONE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH DIFFERENT INFORMATION. WE ARE NOT MAKING AN OFFER OF THE NEW NOTES IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE THE OFFER IS NOT PERMITTED. YOU SHOULD NOT ASSUME THAT THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS IS ACCURATE AS OF ANY DATE OTHER THAN THE DATE ON THE FRONT COVER OF THIS PROSPECTUS OR THAT ANY INFORMATION WE HAVE INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE IS ACCURATE AS OF ANY DATE OTHER THAN THE DATE OF THE DOCUMENT INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE. --------------------- TABLE OF CONTENTS Where You Can Find Information.............................. i Forward Looking Statements.................................. ii Prospectus Summary.......................................... 1 Risk Factors................................................ 7 Use of Proceeds............................................. 9 Capitalization.............................................. 9 Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges......................... 9 Selected Financial and Operating Data....................... 10 The Exchange Offer.......................................... 11 Description of Notes........................................ 20 Exchange Offer; Registration Rights......................... 27 Material United States Federal Income Tax Considerations.... 29 Certain ERISA Considerations................................ 32 Plan of Distribution........................................ 34 Legal Matters............................................... 34 Experts..................................................... 34
--------------------- WHERE YOU CAN FIND INFORMATION We file annual, quarterly and special reports and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any material on file with the SEC at the SEC's Public Reference Room at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Judiciary Plaza, Washington, D.C. 20549. Our filings are available to the public over the Internet at the SEC's web site at http://www.sec.gov. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the Public Reference Room. We are incorporating by reference information which we file with the SEC, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference or deemed incorporated by reference is an important part of this prospectus, and information that we file later with the SEC will be deemed to automatically update and supersede this incorporated information. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings made with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 prior to the completion of this offering. We also incorporate by reference any future filings made with the SEC under the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of the initial registration statement and prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement. - our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2001, and - our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2002, June 30, 2002, and September 30, 2002, and - our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on December 11, 2002. i You can get a free copy of any of the documents incorporated by reference by making an oral or written request directed to: Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation 2800 Post Oak Boulevard P.O. Box 1396 Houston, Texas 77251 Attention: General Counsel Telephone (713) 215-2000 FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS Matters discussed in this prospectus or incorporated by reference herein, excluding historical information, include forward-looking statements -- statements that discuss our expected future results based on current and pending business operations. We make these forwarding-looking statements in reliance on the safe harbor protections provided under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as "anticipates," "believes," "expects," "planned," "scheduled" or similar expressions. Although we believe these forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, statements made regarding future results are subject to numerous assumptions, uncertainties and risks that may cause future results to be materially different from the results stated or implied in this document. The following are important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from any results projected, forecasted, estimated or budgeted: - changes in general economic conditions in the United States and changes in the industries in which we conduct business; - changes in federal or state laws and regulations to which we are subject, including tax, environmental and employment laws and regulations; - the cost and effects of legal and administrative claims and proceedings against us or our subsidiaries; - conditions of the capital markets we utilize to access capital to finance operations; - the ability to raise capital in a cost-effective way; - the effect of changes in accounting policies; - the ability to manage rapid growth; - the ability to control costs; - the ability to successfully implement key systems, such as service delivery systems; - the impact of future federal and state regulations of business activities, including allowed rates of return, the pace of deregulation in retail natural gas and electricity markets, and the resolution of other regulatory matters discussed herein; - our ability to develop expanded markets and product offerings as well as our ability to maintain existing markets; - our ability and the ability of our subsidiaries to obtain governmental and regulatory approval of various expansion projects; - future utilization of pipeline capacity, which can depend on energy prices, competition from other pipelines and alternative fuels, the general level of natural gas and petroleum product demand, decisions by customers not to renew expiring natural gas transportation contracts, and weather conditions; and - global and domestic economic repercussions from terrorist activities and the government's response thereto. ii PROSPECTUS SUMMARY The following summary highlights selected information from the prospectus and may not contain all of the information that is important to you. This prospectus includes specific terms of the new notes, as well as information regarding our business and detailed financial data. We encourage you to read this entire prospectus carefully, including the discussion of risks and uncertainties affecting our business included under the caption "Risk Factors," and the documents to which we refer you. In this prospectus, references to "we," "us" and "our" refer to Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation, unless the context indicates that "we," "us" and "our" refers to Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation, together with its consolidated subsidiaries. TRANSCONTINENTAL GAS PIPE LINE CORPORATION We are an interstate natural gas transmission company that owns a natural gas pipeline system extending from Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and the Gulf of Mexico through the states of Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey to the New York City metropolitan area. We also hold minority interests in Cardinal Pipeline Company, LLC, which owns an intrastate natural gas pipeline located in North Carolina, and Pine Needle LNG Company, LLC, which owns an interstate LNG storage facility in North Carolina. Our principal business is the transportation of natural gas. We are a wholly-owned subsidiary of Williams Gas Pipeline Company, LLC. Williams Gas Pipeline Company, LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Williams Companies, Inc. We were incorporated in Delaware in 1948 and our principal executive offices are located at the Williams Tower, 2800 Post Oak Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77056 (telephone: (713) 215-2000). RECENT DEVELOPMENTS On November 15, 2002, our parent, Williams Gas Pipeline Company, LLC, repaid an intercompany loan with us in the amount of $200 million. On the same date, we paid a cash dividend in the amount of $200 million to Williams Gas Pipeline Company, LLC. On November 22, 2002, Moody's Investor Service reduced our credit rating on our senior unsecured debt from Ba2 to B3. THE EXCHANGE OFFER Old Notes..................... 8 7/8% Series A Senior Notes due July 15, 2012, which were issued on July 3, 2002. New Notes..................... 8 7/8% Series B Senior Notes due July 15, 2012. The terms of the new notes are substantially identical to those terms of the outstanding old notes, except that the transfer restrictions and registration rights relating to the old notes do not apply to the new notes. Exchange Offer................ We are offering to exchange up to $325 million principal amount of our 8 7/8% Series B Senior Notes due July 15, 2012 which have been registered under the Securities Act for an equal amount of our outstanding 8 7/8% Series A Senior Notes due July 15, 2012, to satisfy our obligations under the registration rights agreement that we entered into when the old notes were sold in transactions exempt from registration under the Securities Act. 1 Expiration Date; Tenders...... The exchange offer will expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on , 2003, unless extended. By tendering your old notes, you represent to us that: - you are not our "affiliate" as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; - any new notes you receive in the exchange offer are being acquired by you in the ordinary course of your business; - at the time of commencement of the exchange offer, neither you nor, to your knowledge, anyone receiving new notes from you, has any arrangement or understanding with any person to participate in the distribution of the new notes, as defined in the Securities Act, in violation of the Securities Act; - if you are not a participating broker-dealer, you are not engaged in, and do not intend to engage in, the distribution of the new notes, as defined in the Securities Act; and - if you are a broker-dealer, you will receive the new notes for your own account in exchange for old notes that were acquired by you as a result of your market-making or other trading activities and that you will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of the new notes you receive. For further information regarding resales of the new notes by participating broker-dealers, see the discussion below under the caption "Plan of Distribution." Withdrawal; Non-Acceptance.... You may withdraw any old notes tendered in the exchange offer at any time prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on , 2003. If we decide for any reason not to accept any old notes tendered for exchange, the old notes will be returned to the registered holder at our expense promptly after the expiration or termination of the exchange offer. In the case of old notes tendered by book-entry transfer into the exchange agent's account at The Depository Trust Company, any withdrawn or unaccepted old notes will be credited to the tendering holder's account at The Depository Trust Company. For further information regarding the withdrawal of tendered old notes, see "The Exchange Offer -- Terms of the Exchange Offer; Period for Tendering Old Notes" and "-- Withdrawal Rights." Conditions to the Exchange Offer......................... The exchange offer is subject to customary conditions, which we may waive. See the discussion below under the caption "The Exchange Offer -- Conditions to the Exchange Offer" for more information regarding the conditions to the exchange offer. Procedures for Tendering Old Notes......................... Unless you comply with the procedures described below under the caption "The Exchange Offer -- Guaranteed Delivery Procedures," you must do one of the following on or prior to the expiration of the exchange offer to participate in the exchange offer: - tender your old notes by sending the certificates for your old notes, in proper form for transfer, a properly completed and duly executed letter of transmittal, with any required signature 2 guarantees, and all other documents required by the letter of transmittal, to Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as exchange agent, at one of the addresses listed below under the caption "The Exchange Offer -- Exchange Agent"; or - tender your old notes by using the book-entry transfer procedures described below and transmitting a properly completed and duly executed letter of transmittal, with any required signature guarantees, or an agent's message instead of the letter of transmittal, to the exchange agent. In order for a book-entry transfer to constitute a valid tender of your old notes in the exchange offer, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as exchange agent, must receive a confirmation of book-entry transfer of your old notes into the exchange agent's account at The Depository Trust Company prior to the expiration of the exchange offer. For more information regarding the use of book-entry transfer procedures, including a description of the required agent's message, see the discussion below under the caption "The Exchange Offer -- Procedures for Tendering Old Notes" and "-- Book Entry Transfer." Guaranteed Delivery Procedures.................... If you are a registered holder of the old notes and wish to tender your old notes in the exchange offer, but - the old notes are not immediately available, - time will not permit your old notes or other required documents to reach the exchange agent before the expiration of the exchange offer, or - the procedure for book-entry transfer cannot be completed prior to the expiration of the exchange offer, then you may tender old notes by following the procedures described below under the caption "The Exchange Offer -- Guaranteed Delivery Procedures." Special Procedures for Beneficial Owners............. If you are a beneficial owner whose old notes are registered in the name of a broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee and you wish to tender your old notes in the exchange offer, you should promptly contact the person in whose name the old notes are registered and instruct that person to tender on your behalf. If you wish to tender in the exchange offer on your own behalf, prior to completing and executing the letter of transmittal and delivering your old notes, you must either make appropriate arrangements to register ownership of the old notes in your name or obtain a properly completed bond power from the person in whose name the old notes are registered. United States Federal Income Tax Considerations............ The exchange of old notes for new notes in the exchange offer will not be a taxable transaction for United States federal income tax purposes. See the discussion below under the caption "Material United States Federal Income Tax Considerations" for 3 more information regarding the tax consequences to you of the exchange offer. Use of Proceeds............... We will not receive any cash proceeds from the exchange offer. Exchange Agent................ Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. is the exchange agent for the exchange offer. You can find the addresses and telephone number of the exchange agent below under the caption "The Exchange Offer -- Exchange Agent." Resales....................... Based on interpretations by the staff of the SEC, as set forth in no-action letters issued to third parties, we believe that the new notes you receive in the exchange offer may be offered for resale, resold or otherwise transferred without compliance with the registration and prospectus delivery provisions of the Securities Act so long as: - you are not our "affiliate," as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; - you are acquiring the new notes in the exchange offer in the ordinary course of your business; and - you do not have an arrangement or understanding with any person to participate in the distribution, as defined in the Securities Act of the new notes, you will receive in the exchange offer. You must represent that you meet the above three requirements if you wish to exchange old notes for new notes in the exchange offer. If you are our "affiliate" or are engaged in or intend to engage in or have any arrangement or understanding with any person to participate in the distribution of the new notes: - you cannot rely on the applicable interpretations of the staff of the SEC; - you will not be permitted or entitled to tender the old notes in the exchange offer; and - you must comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any resale transaction. A broker-dealer that receives new notes for its own account in the exchange offer for old notes that were acquired as a result of market-making or other trading activities must acknowledge that it will comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any offer to resell, resale or other transfer of the new notes issued in the exchange offer, including the delivery of a prospectus that contains information with respect to any selling holder required by the Securities Act in connection with any resale of the new notes. Furthermore, any broker-dealer that acquired any of its old notes directly from us: 4 - cannot rely on the applicable interpretations of the staff of the SEC; and - will not be permitted or entitled to tender the old notes in the exchange offer; - must comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any resale transaction. Please read "The Exchange Offer -- Consequences of Exchanging or Failing to Exchange Old Notes." CONSEQUENCES OF NOT EXCHANGING OLD NOTES If you do not exchange your old notes in the exchange offer, your old notes will continue to be subject to the restrictions on transfer described in the legend on the certificate for your old notes. In general, you may offer or sell your old notes only: - if they are registered under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws; - if they are offered or sold under an exemption from registration under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws; or - if they are offered or sold in a transaction not subject to the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. We do not currently intend to register the old notes under the Securities Act. Under some circumstances, however, holders of the old notes, including holders who are not permitted to participate in the exchange offer or who may not freely resell new notes received in the exchange offer, may require us to file, and cause to become effective, a shelf registration statement covering resales of old notes by these holders. For more information regarding the consequences of not tendering your old notes and our obligation to file a shelf registration statement, see "The Exchange Offer -- Consequences of Exchanging or Failing to Exchange Old Notes" and "Exchange Offer; Registration Rights." SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW NOTES The terms of the new notes and those of the outstanding old notes are substantially identical, except that the transfer restrictions and registration rights relating to the old notes do not apply to the new notes. In addition, if - we do not file a registration statement on or prior to September 16, 2002, - this registration statement is not declared effective on or prior to October 31, 2002 or the exchange offer is not completed within 60 days after the registration statement is declared effective, - the exchange offer is not consummated by December 30, 2002, - we are obligated to file a shelf registration statement and we fail to do so prior to the 75th day after the obligation arises or the shelf registration statement is not declared effective prior to the 60th day after the date of filing, or - if the shelf registration statement ceases to be effective or usable, we agree to pay liquidated damages in an amount equal to 0.25% per annum of the principal amount of old notes for the first 90-day period immediately following a default, increasing to 0.50% per annum thereafter. We did not file this registration statement on or prior to September 16, 2002, nor was it declared effective on or prior to October 31, 2002. Therefore, liquidated damages have been accruing since 5 September 17, 2002. The liquidated damages will cease to accrue as of the date of this prospectus. However, since the exchange offer will not be consummated by December 30, 2002, liquidated damages will begin to accrue from December 31, 2002 until such time as the exchange offer is consummated. Issuer........................ Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation Securities Offered............ $325 million aggregate principal amount of 8 7/8% Series B Senior Notes due 2012. The notes will mature on July 15, 2012. Interest...................... Interest on the new notes will accrue at the rate of 8 7/8% per annum and will be payable semiannually on January 15 and July 15 of each year, commencing on January 15, 2003. Ranking....................... The new notes will be our unsecured and unsubordinated obligations and will rank equally with our other existing and future unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness. Sinking Fund.................. None. Optional Redemption........... We may redeem some or all of the notes at any time at the "make-whole" price, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the redemption date. See the discussion below under the caption "Description of Notes -- Terms and Conditions of the Notes -- Optional Redemption" for more information. Covenants..................... The terms of the new notes will restrict our ability to: - incur liens on our property; - enter into any sale and lease-back transactions; and - consolidate or merge or sell assets. These limitations are subject to a number of important qualifications and exceptions which are described in "Description of Notes -- Terms and Conditions of the Notes -- Covenants." Events of Default............. If there is an event of default on the notes, the principle amount of the notes plus accrued interest, if any, may be declared immediately due and payable in specified circumstances. See "Description of Notes -- Terms and Conditions of the Notes -- Events of Default." RISK FACTORS You should carefully consider all of the information contained in this prospectus before deciding to tender your old notes in the exchange offer. In particular, you should carefully review the specific factors described below under the caption "Risk Factors," which contain important information about us and the risks that may affect our business. 6 RISK FACTORS You should consider carefully the following factors, as well as the other information set forth or incorporated by reference in the prospectus (including the risks and other disclosure that are presented in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2001), before tendering your old notes in the exchange offer. When we use the term "notes" in this prospectus, the term includes the old notes and the new notes. HOLDERS WHO FAIL TO EXCHANGE THEIR OLD NOTES WILL CONTINUE TO BE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER. If you do not exchange your old notes for new notes in the exchange offer, you will continue to be subject to the restrictions on transfer of your old notes described in the legend on the certificates for your old notes. The restrictions on transfer of your old notes arise because we issued the old notes under exemptions from, or in transactions not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. In general, you may only offer or sell the old notes if they are registered under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws, or are offered and sold under an exemption from these requirements. We do not plan to register any sale of the old notes under the Securities Act unless required to do so under the Registration Rights Agreement. For further information regarding the consequences of tendering your old notes in the exchange offer, see the discussions below under the captions "The Exchange Offer -- Consequences of Exchanging or Failing to Exchange Old Notes" and "Material United States Federal Income Tax Considerations." We believe that new notes issued in exchange for old notes pursuant to the exchange offer may be offered for resale, resold or otherwise transferred by you without registering the new notes under the Securities Act or delivering a prospectus so long as you (1) are not one of our "affiliates," which is defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act; (2) acquire the new notes in the ordinary course of your business and, (3) unless you are a broker dealer, you do not have any arrangement or understanding with any person to participate in the distribution of the new notes. Our belief is based on interpretations by the SEC's staff in no-action letters issued to third parties. Please note that the SEC has not considered our exchange offer in the context of a no-action letter, and the SEC's staff may not make a similar determination with respect to our exchange offer. Unless you are a broker-dealer, you must acknowledge that you are not engaged in, and do not intend to engage in, a distribution of the new notes and that you have no arrangement or understanding to participate in a distribution of the new notes. If you are one of our affiliates, or you are engaged in, intend to engage in or have any arrangement or understanding with respect to, the distribution of new notes acquired in the exchange offer, you (1) should not rely on our interpretations of the position of the SEC's staff, (2) will not be permitted or entitled to tender the old notes in the exchange offer and (3) must comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirement of the Securities Act in connection with any resale transaction. If you are a broker-dealer and receive new notes for your own account pursuant to the exchange offer, you must acknowledge that you will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of the new notes. The letter of transmittal states that by so acknowledging and by delivering a prospectus, you will not be deemed to admit that you are an "underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities Act. If you are a broker-dealer, you may use this prospectus, as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, in connection with the resale of new notes received in exchange for old notes acquired by you as a result of market-making or other trading activities. For a period of 180 days after the expiration or termination of the exchange offer, we will make this prospectus available to any broker-dealer for use in connection with any resale. See "Plan of Distribution." In addition, you may offer or sell the new notes in certain jurisdictions only if they have been registered or qualified for sale there, or an exemption from registration or qualification is available and is complied with. Subject to the limitations specified in the registration rights agreements relating to the old notes, we will register or qualify the new notes for offer or sale under the securities laws of any jurisdictions that you reasonably request in writing. Unless you request that the sale of the new notes be 7 registered or qualified in a jurisdiction, we currently do not intend to register or qualify the sale of the new notes in any jurisdiction. YOU MAY FIND IT DIFFICULT TO SELL YOUR NOTES. There is no established trading market for the new notes or the old notes. We do not intend to apply for listing of the new notes on any national securities exchange or for quotation through The Nasdaq National Market. The liquidity of any market for the new notes will depend upon the number of holders of the new notes, our performance, the market for similar securities, the interest of securities dealers in making a market in the new notes and other factors relating to us. A liquid trading market may not develop for the new notes. In addition, to the extent old notes are tendered and accepted in the exchange offer, the trading market, if any, for the old notes would be adversely affected. YOU MUST COMPLY WITH THE EXCHANGE OFFER PROCEDURES IN ORDER TO RECEIVE NEW, FREELY TRADABLE NOTES. Subject to the conditions set forth under "The Exchange Offer -- Conditions to the Exchange Offer," delivery of new notes in exchange for old notes tendered and accepted for exchange pursuant to the exchange offer will be made only after timely receipt by the exchange agent of the following: - certificates for old notes or a book-entry confirmation of a book-entry transfer of old notes into the exchange agent's account at The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York as depository, including an agent's message (as defined) if the tendering holder does not deliver a letter of transmittal; - a completed signed letter of transmittal (or facsimile thereof), with any required signature guarantees, or, in the case of a book-entry transfer, an agent's message in lieu of the letter of transmittal; and - any other documents required by the letter of transmittal. Therefore, holders of old notes who would like to tender old notes in exchange for new notes should be sure to allow enough time for the old notes to be delivered on time. We are not required to notify you of defects or irregularities in tenders of old notes for exchange. Old notes that are not tendered or that are tendered but we do not accept for exchange will, following consummation of the exchange offer, continue to be subject to the existing transfer restrictions under the Securities Act and, upon consummation of the exchange offer, certain registration and other rights under the registration rights agreement will terminate. See "The Exchange Offer -- Procedures for Tendering Old Notes" and "The Exchange Offer -- Consequences of Exchanging or Failing to Exchange Old Notes." SOME HOLDERS WHO EXCHANGE THEIR NOTES MAY BE DEEMED TO BE UNDERWRITERS. If you exchange your old notes in the exchange offer for the purpose of participating in a distribution of the new notes, you may be deemed to have received restricted securities and, if so, will be required to comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any resale transaction. 8 USE OF PROCEEDS We will not receive any proceeds from the exchange offer. In consideration for issuing the new notes as contemplated in this prospectus, we will receive in exchange outstanding old notes in like principal amount. We will cancel all old notes surrendered in exchange for new notes in the exchange offer. CAPITALIZATION The following table sets forth our capitalization as of September 30, 2002.
AS OF SEPTEMBER 30, 2002 -------------- (IN THOUSANDS) Cash........................................................ $ 808 ========== Long-term debt due within one year.......................... $ -- Long-term debt, less amounts due within one year............ 1,122,941 ---------- Total debt........................................ 1,122,941 ---------- Common stockholder's equity: Common stock and paid-in capital.......................... 1,652,430 Retained earnings......................................... 1,001,006 Accumulated other comprehensive loss...................... (1,661) ---------- Total common stockholder's equity................. 2,651,775 ---------- Total capitalization.............................. $3,774,716 ==========
On November 15, 2002, our parent, Williams Gas Pipeline Company, LLC, repaid an intercompany loan to us in the amount of $200 million. On the same date, we paid a cash dividend in the amount of $200 million to Williams Gas Pipeline Company, LLC. RATIOS OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES The following table sets forth our ratios of earnings to fixed charges for the periods shown:
NINE MONTHS YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, ENDED -------------------------------- SEPTEMBER 30, 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ------------- Earnings/Fixed Charges................. 3.34 3.18 4.31 4.62 3.26 3.99
For purposes of computing the ratio of earnings to fixed charges, earnings are divided by fixed charges. "Earnings" represent the aggregate of (a) our pre-tax income, adjusted for distributed income of equity investees, and (b) fixed charges, net of interest capitalized. "Fixed charges" represent interest (whether expensed or capitalized), the amortization of total debt premium, discount and expense and that portion of rentals considered to be representative of the interest factor. 9 SELECTED FINANCIAL AND OPERATING DATA The following table presents selected income data, cash flow data, and balance sheet data for Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line for each of the periods indicated. The selected financial data as of December 31, 2001 and 2000 and for each of the years ended December 31, 2001, 2000 and 1999 has been derived from our audited consolidated financial statements which are incorporated by reference in this prospectus. The selected financial data as of December 31, 1999, 1998 and 1997 and for the years ended December 31, 1998 and 1997 has been derived from our audited consolidated financial statements not included, or incorporated by reference, herein. The selected financial data as of September 30, 2002 and for each of the nine months ended September 30, 2002 and 2001 has been derived from our unaudited consolidated financial statements which are incorporated by reference in this prospectus. The selected financial data as of September 30, 2001 has been derived from our unaudited consolidated financial statements not included, or incorporated by reference, in this prospectus. The selected consolidated financial data should be read in conjunction with such financial statements, the notes thereto and the related management's narrative analysis of the results of operations.
NINE MONTHS ENDED YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, SEPTEMBER 30, --------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------- 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2001 2002 ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------- ---------- ---------- ---------- (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT OPERATING DATA) (UNAUDITED) INCOME DATA: Operating revenues............ $1,443,299 $1,325,136 $1,543,456 $ 2,016,236 $1,481,008 $1,184,437 $ 926,028 Operating expenses: Cost of natural gas sales and transportation........ (705,597) (567,587) (741,284) (1,186,946) (690,110) (587,599) (278,867) Operation and maintenance... (185,175) (172,769) (172,912) (175,479) (184,985) (137,639) (130,176) Administrative and general................... (124,145) (120,632) (130,027) (126,147) (126,144) (92,959) (111,066) Depreciation and amortization.............. (157,883) (151,387) (161,480) (165,877) (174,220) (130,062) (140,221) Taxes other than income taxes..................... (36,745) (34,392) (34,927) (37,904) (39,263) (30,112) (30,533) Other....................... (1,787) (4,632) (5,601) (11,964) (30,709) (10,936) (2,595) ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Operating income.............. 231,967 273,737 297,225 311,919 235,577 195,130 232,570 Other income and deductions: Interest expense............ (71,639) (91,655) (70,558) (76,871) (88,744) (50,375) (69,203) Interest income............. 9,263 27,382 25,775 40,059 17,542 14,768 10,946 AFUDC (equity and borrowed)................. 7,771 9,792 5,542 17,522 28,963 19,990 21,752 Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates................ 504 239 3,214 8,117 8,447 6,369 5,882 Impairment of investment in unconsolidated affiliate................. -- -- -- -- -- -- (12,275) Other....................... (2,744) (4,520) (1,091) 6,861 13,041 9,346 22,055 ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Income before income taxes and extraordinary item.......... 175,122 214,975 260,107 307,607 214,826 195,228 211,727 Provision for income taxes.... (66,594) (79,281) (98,920) (115,806) (82,250) (74,413) (80,803) ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Income before extraordinary item........................ 108,528 135,694 161,187 191,801 132,576 120,815 130,924 Extraordinary item-net gain on reacquired debt............. 2,860 -- -- -- -- -- -- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Net income.................... $ 111,388 $ 135,694 $ 161,187 $ 191,801 $ 132,576 $ 120,815 $ 130,924 ========== ========== ========== =========== ========== ========== ========== CASH FLOW DATA: Net cash provided by operating activities.................. $ 315,794 $ 297,046 $ 303,761 $ 290,552 $ 160,632 $ 102,896 $ 371,191 Capital expenditures.......... 242,800 303,700 185,400 339,100 381,700 319,400 404,100 OPERATING DATA: Transportation volumes (trillion British Thermal Units)...................... 1,621.1 1,593.9 1,664.6 1,759.1 1,613.0 1,200.1 1,311.3 BALANCE SHEET DATA (AT END OF PERIOD): Net property, plant and equipment................... $3,499,953 $3,643,382 $3,661,040 $ 3,809,632 $4,034,566 $4,001,301 $4,295,531 Total assets.................. 4,267,663 4,531,957 4,664,403 4,819,028 4,972,985 4,845,759 5,203,332 Long-term debt, including current maturities.......... 837,832 975,768 975,330 974,850 1,081,050 1,081,172 1,122,941 Common stockholder's equity... 1,926,347 2,062,041 2,223,228 2,393,413 2,521,940 2,513,179 2,651,775
10 THE EXCHANGE OFFER TERMS OF THE EXCHANGE OFFER; PERIOD FOR TENDERING OLD NOTES On July 3, 2002, we issued an aggregate principal amount of $325 million of our 8 7/8% Senior Notes due July 15, 2012 in a private placement to Salomon Smith Barney Inc. and other institutions as initial purchasers. Salomon Smith Barney and the other institutions then resold the notes in an unregistered offering pursuant to Rule 144A and Regulation S under the Securities Act. The old notes were issued and the new notes will be issued, under an indenture relating to the notes, dated July 3, 2002. The trustee under the indenture was originally Citibank, N.A. Citibank, N.A. has been replaced as trustee by Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. We sold the old notes to Salomon Smith Barney Inc. and other institutions, as initial purchasers, under a purchase agreement, dated June 28, 2002, by and between Salomon Smith Barney Inc., the other institutions parties thereto and us. When we sold the old notes to Salomon Smith Barney Inc. and the other institutions we also signed a registration rights agreement in which we agreed to exchange all the issued and outstanding old notes for a like principal amount of our new notes. The terms of the new notes are substantially identical to those of the outstanding old notes, except that the transfer restrictions and registration rights relating to the old notes do not apply to the new notes. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this prospectus and in the letter of transmittal, we are offering to exchange up to $325 million in aggregate principal amount of our 8 7/8% Series B Senior Notes due July 15, 2012 for an equal amount of our outstanding 8 7/8% Series A Senior Notes due July 15, 2012. This prospectus and the enclosed letter of transmittal constitute an offer to exchange new notes for all of the issued and outstanding old notes. This exchange offer is being extended to all holders of the old notes. As of the date of this prospectus, $325 million aggregate principal amount of 8 7/8% Series A Senior Notes due July 15, 2012 are outstanding. This prospectus and the enclosed letter of transmittal are first being sent on or about , 2002, to all holders of old notes known to us. Subject to the conditions listed below, we will accept for exchange all old notes which are properly tendered on or prior to the expiration of the exchange offer and not withdrawn as permitted below. The exchange offer will expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on , 2003. However, if we, in our sole discretion, extend the period of time during which the exchange offer is open, the exchange offer will expire at the latest time and date to which we extend the exchange offer. Our obligation to accept old notes for exchange in the exchange offer is subject to the conditions listed below under the caption "-- Conditions to the Exchange Offer." We expressly reserve the right, at any time and from time to time, to extend the period of time during which the exchange offer is open, and thereby delay acceptance for exchange of any old notes. If we elect to extend the period of time during which the exchange offer is open, we will give you oral or written notice of the extension and delay, as described below. During any extension of the exchange offer, all old notes previously tendered and not withdrawn will remain subject to the exchange offer and may be accepted for exchange by us. We will return to the registered holder, at our expense, any old notes not accepted for exchange as promptly as practicable after the expiration or termination of the exchange offer. In the case of an extension, we will issue a press release or other public announcement no later than 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on the next business day after the previously scheduled expiration of the exchange offer. We expressly reserve the right to amend or terminate the exchange offer, and not to accept for exchange any old notes not previously accepted for exchange if any of the events described below under the caption "-- Conditions to the Exchange Offer" should occur. We will give you oral or written notice of any amendment, termination or non-acceptance as promptly as practicable. Following completion of the exchange offer, we may, in our sole discretion, commence one or more additional exchange offers to those old note holders who did not exchange their old notes for new notes. The terms of these additional exchange offers may differ from those applicable to this exchange offer. We may use this prospectus, as amended or supplemented from time to time, in connection with any additional exchange offers. These additional exchange offers may take place from time to time until all 11 outstanding old notes have been exchanged for new notes, subject to the terms and conditions contained in the prospectus and letter of transmittal we will distribute in connection with the additional exchange offers. PROCEDURES FOR TENDERING OLD NOTES Old notes tendered in the exchange offer must be in denominations of $1,000 principal amount and any integral multiple thereof. When you tender your old notes, and we accept the old notes, this will constitute a binding agreement between you and us subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this prospectus and the enclosed letter of transmittal. Unless you comply with the procedures described below under the caption "-- Guaranteed Delivery Procedures," you must do one of the following on or prior to the expiration of the exchange offer to participate in the exchange offer: - tender your old notes by sending the certificates for your old notes, in proper form for transfer, a properly completed and duly executed letter of transmittal, with any required signature guarantees, and all other documents required by the letter of transmittal, to Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as exchange agent, at one of the addresses listed below under the caption "-- Exchange Agent"; or - tender your old notes by using the book-entry procedures described below under the caption "-- Book-Entry Transfer" and transmitting a properly completed and duly executed letter of transmittal, with any required signature guarantees, or an agent's message instead of the letter of transmittal, to Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as exchange agent, at one of the addresses listed below under the caption "-- Exchange Agent." In order for a book-entry transfer to constitute a valid tender of your old notes in the exchange offer, the exchange agent must receive a confirmation of book-entry transfer of your old notes into the exchange agent's account at The Depository Trust Company prior to the expiration of the exchange offer. The term "agent's message" means a message, transmitted by The Depository Trust Company and received by the exchange agent and forming a part of the book-entry confirmation, which states that The Depository Trust Company has received an express acknowledgment from you that you have received and have agreed to be bound by the letter of transmittal. If you use this procedure, we may enforce the letter of transmittal against you. THE METHOD OF DELIVERY OF CERTIFICATES FOR OLD NOTES, LETTERS OF TRANSMITTAL, AGENT'S MESSAGES AND ALL OTHER REQUIRED DOCUMENTS IS AT YOUR ELECTION. IF YOU DELIVER YOUR OLD NOTES BY MAIL, WE RECOMMEND REGISTERED MAIL, PROPERLY INSURED, WITH RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED. IN ALL CASES, YOU SHOULD ALLOW SUFFICIENT TIME TO ASSURE TIMELY DELIVERY. DO NOT SEND CERTIFICATES FOR OLD NOTES, LETTERS OF TRANSMITTAL OR AGENT'S MESSAGES TO US. Signatures on a letter of transmittal or a notice of withdrawal, as the case may be, must be guaranteed unless you are either a registered old note holder and have not completed the box entitled "Special Issuance Instructions" or "Special Delivery Instructions" on the letter of transmittal or you are exchanging old notes for the account of an eligible guarantor institution. An eligible guarantor institution means: - Banks (as defined in Section 3(a) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act); - Brokers, dealers, municipal securities dealers, municipal securities brokers, government securities dealers and government securities brokers (as defined in the Exchange Act); - Credit unions (as defined in Section 19B(1)(A) of the Federal Reserve Act); - National securities exchanges, registered securities associations and clearing agencies (as these terms are defined in the Exchange Act); and - Savings associations (as defined in Section 3(b) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act). 12 If signatures on a letter of transmittal or a notice of withdrawal are required to be guaranteed, the guarantor must be an eligible guarantor institution. If you plan to sign the letter of transmittal but you are not the registered holder of the old notes -- which term, for this purpose, includes any participant in The Depository Trust Company's system whose name appears on a security position listing as the owner of the old notes -- you must have the old notes signed by the registered holder of the old notes and that signature must be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution. You may also send a separate instrument of transfer or exchange signed by the registered holder and guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution, but that instrument must be in a form satisfactory to us in our sole discretion. In addition, if a person or persons other than the registered holder or holders of old notes signs the letter of transmittal, certificates for the old notes must be endorsed or accompanied by appropriate bond powers, in either case signed exactly as the name or names of the registered holder or holders that appear on the certificates for old notes. All questions as to the validity, form, eligibility -- including time of receipt -- and acceptance of old notes tendered for exchange will be determined by us in our sole discretion. Our determination will be final and binding. We reserve the absolute right to reject any and all tenders of old notes improperly tendered or to not accept any old notes, the acceptance of which might be unlawful as determined by us or our counsel. We also reserve the absolute right to waive any defects or irregularities or conditions of the exchange offer as to any old notes either before or after the expiration of the exchange offer -- including the right to waive the ineligibility of any holder who seeks to tender old notes in the exchange offer. Our interpretation of the terms and conditions of the exchange offer as to any particular old notes either before or after the expiration of the exchange offer -- including the terms and conditions of the letter of transmittal and the accompanying instructions -- will be final and binding. Unless waived, any defects or irregularities in connection with tenders of old notes for exchange must be cured within a reasonable period of time, as determined by us. Neither we, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as exchange agent, nor any other person has any duty to give notification of any defect or irregularity with respect to any tender of old notes for exchange, nor will we have any liability for failure to give this notification. If you are a trustee, executor, administrator, guardian, attorney-in-fact, officer of a corporation, or act in a similar fiduciary or representative capacity, and wish to sign the letter of transmittal or any certificates for old notes or bond powers, you must indicate your status when signing. If you are acting in any of these capacities, you must submit proper evidence satisfactory to us of your authority to so act unless we waive this requirement. By tendering your old notes, you represent to us: - that you are not our "affiliate" as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; - that any new notes you receive in the exchange offer are being acquired by you in the ordinary course of your business; - that at the time of the commencement of the exchange offer, you do not have any arrangement or understanding with any person to participate in the distribution of the new notes, as defined in the Securities Act, in violation of the Securities Act; - if you are not a participating broker-dealer, that you are not engaged in, and do not intend to engage in, the distribution of the new notes, as defined in the Securities Act; and - if you are a participating broker-dealer, that you will receive the new notes for your own account in exchange for old notes that were acquired by you as a result of your market-making or other trading activities and that you will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of the new notes you receive. As used in this prospectus, a "participating broker-dealer" is a broker-dealer that receives new notes for its own account in exchange for old notes that it acquired as a result of market-making or other trading activities. The SEC has taken the position that participating broker-dealers may fulfill their prospectus delivery requirements with respect to resales of the new notes -- other than a resale of an unsold allotment from the original sale of the old notes -- by 13 delivering this prospectus to prospective purchasers. For further information regarding participating broker-dealers and the prospectus delivery requirement, see "Plan of Distribution." ACCEPTANCE OF OLD NOTES FOR EXCHANGE; DELIVERY OF NEW NOTES Upon satisfaction or waiver of all of the conditions to the exchange offer, we will accept, promptly after the expiration of the exchange offer, all old notes properly tendered and will issue the new notes promptly after the acceptance of the old notes. For purposes of the exchange offer, we will be deemed to have accepted properly tendered old notes for exchange when, as and if we have given oral or written notice of acceptance to Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as exchange agent, with written confirmation of any oral notice to be given promptly after any oral notice. For each outstanding note accepted for exchange in the exchange offer, the holder of the old note will receive a new note having a principal amount at maturity equal to that of the surrendered old note. Interest on the new note will accrue: - from the later of the last date to which interest was paid on the old note surrendered in the exchange for the new note or if the old note is surrendered for exchange on a date in a period which includes the record date for an interest payment date to occur on or after the date of the exchange and as to which interest will be paid, the date to which interest will be paid on such interest payment date; or - if no interest has been paid on the old note, from and including July 3, 2002. Payments of interest, if any, on old notes that were exchanged for new notes will be made on each January 15 and July 15 during which the new notes are outstanding to the person who, at the close of business on the record date next preceding the interest payment date, is the registered holder of the old notes if the record date occurs prior to the exchange, or is the registered holder of the new notes if the record date occurs on or after the date of the exchange, even if the old notes are cancelled after the record date and on or before the interest payment date. In addition, if - we do not file a registration statement on or prior to September 16, 2002, - this registration statement is not declared effective on or prior to October 31, 2002 or the exchange offer is not completed within 60 days after the registration statement is declared effective, - the exchange offer is not consummated by December 30, 2002, - we are obligated to file a shelf registration statement and we fail to do so prior to the 75th day after the obligation arises or the shelf registration statement is not declared effective prior to the 60th day after the date of filing, or - if the shelf registration statement ceases to be effective or usable, (each a "Registration Default") then we agree to pay each holder of transfer restricted securities affected thereby liquidated damages in an amount equal to 0.25% per annum of the principal amount of transfer restricted securities held by such holder for the first 90-day period immediately following the occurrence of a Registration Default, increasing to 0.50% per annum thereafter, from and including the date on which any such registration default shall occur. We shall not be required to pay liquidated damages for more than one Registration Default at any given time. Following the cure of all Registration Defaults, the accrual of liquidated damages will cease. We did not file this registration statement on or prior to September 16, 2002, nor was it declared effective on or prior to October 31, 2002. Therefore, liquidated damages have been accruing since September 17, 2002. The liquidated damages will cease to accrue as of the date of this prospectus. However, since the exchange offer will not be consummated by December 30, 2002, liquidated damages will begin to accrue from December 31, 2002 until such time as the exchange offer is consummated. 14 In all cases, the issuance of new notes in exchange for old notes will be made only after Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as exchange agent, timely receives either certificates for all physically tendered old notes, in proper form for transfer, or a book-entry confirmation of transfer of the old notes into the exchange agent's account at The Depository Trust Company, as the case may be, a properly completed and duly executed letter of transmittal, with any required signature guarantees, and all other required documents or, in the case of a book-entry confirmation, a properly completed and duly executed letter of transmittal, with any required signature guarantees, or an agent's message instead of the letter of transmittal. If for any reason we do not accept any tendered old notes or if old notes are submitted for a greater principal amount than the holder desires to exchange, we will return the unaccepted or non-exchanged old notes without expense to the registered holder. In the case of old notes tendered by book-entry transfer into the exchange agent's account at The Depository Trust Company by using the book-entry procedures described below, the unaccepted or non-exchanged old notes will be credited to an account maintained with The Depository Trust Company. Any old notes to be returned to the holder will be returned as promptly as practicable after the expiration or termination of the exchange offer. BOOK-ENTRY TRANSFER BOOK-ENTRY, DELIVERY AND FORM The exchange agent will make a request to establish an account for the old notes at DTC for purposes of the exchange offer within two business days after the date of this prospectus. Any financial institution that is a participant in DTC's systems must make book-entry delivery of old notes by causing DTC to transfer those old notes into the exchange agent's account at DTC in accordance with DTC's procedure for transfer. The participant should transmit its acceptance to DTC at or prior to the expiration time or comply with the guaranteed delivery procedures described below. DTC will verify this acceptance, execute a book-entry transfer of the tendered old notes into the exchange agent's account at DTC and then send to the exchange agent confirmation of this book-entry transfer. The confirmation of this book-entry transfer will include an agent's message confirming that DTC has received an express acknowledgment from this participant that this participant has received and agrees to be bound by the letter of transmittal and that we may enforce the letter of transmittal against this participant. Delivery of new notes issued in the exchange offer may be effected through book-entry transfer at DTC. However, the letter of transmittal or facsimile of it or an agent's message, with any required signature guarantees and any other required documents, must: - be transmitted to and received by the exchange agent at the address listed under "-- Exchange Agent" at or prior to the expiration time; or - comply with the guaranteed delivery procedures described below. Delivery of documents to DTC in accordance with DTC's procedures does not constitute delivery to the exchange agent. GUARANTEED DELIVERY PROCEDURES If you are a registered holder of the old notes and wish to tender your old notes, but - the certificates for the old notes are not immediately available, - time will not permit your certificates for the old notes or other required documents to reach Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as exchange agent, before the expiration of the exchange offer, or - the procedure for book-entry transfer cannot be completed before the expiration of the exchange offer, 15 then you may effect a tender of your old notes if: - the tender is made through an eligible guarantor institution; - prior to the expiration of the exchange offer, the exchange agent receives from an eligible guarantor institution a properly completed and duly executed notice of guaranteed delivery, substantially in the form we have provided, setting forth your name and address, and the amount of old notes you are tendering and stating that the tender is being made by notice of guaranteed delivery. These documents may be sent by overnight courier, registered or certified mail or facsimile transmission. If you elect to use this procedure, you must also guarantee that within three New York Stock Exchange, Inc. trading days after the date of execution of the notice of guaranteed delivery, the certificates for all physically tendered old notes, in proper form for transfer, or a book-entry confirmation of transfer of the old notes into the exchange agent's account at The Depository Trust Company, as the case may be, a properly completed and duly executed letter of transmittal, with any required signature guarantees, and all other required documents or, in the case of a book-entry confirmation, a properly completed and duly executed letter of transmittal, with any required signature guarantees, or an agent's message instead of the letter of transmittal, will be deposited by the eligible guarantor institution with the exchange agent; and - the exchange agent receives the certificates for all physically tendered old notes, in proper form for transfer, or a book-entry confirmation of transfer of the old notes into the exchange agent's account at The Depository Trust Company, as the case may be, a properly completed and duly executed letter of transmittal, with any required signature guarantees, and all other required documents or, in the case of a book-entry confirmation, a properly completed and duly executed letter of transmittal, with any required signature guarantees, or an agent's message instead of the letter of transmittal, in each case, within three New York Stock Exchange, Inc. trading days after the date of execution of the notice of guaranteed delivery. WITHDRAWAL RIGHTS You may withdraw tenders of old notes at any time prior to the expiration of the exchange offer. For a withdrawal to be effective, a written notice of withdrawal must be received by Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as exchange agent, prior to the expiration of the exchange offer at one of the addresses listed below under the caption "-- Exchange Agent." Any notice of withdrawal must: - specify the name of the person who tendered the old notes to be withdrawn; - identify the old notes to be withdrawn, including the principal amount of the old notes; - contain a statement that the holder is withdrawing its election to have the old notes exchanged; - be signed by the holder in the same manner as the original signature on the letter of transmittal by which the old notes were tendered, including any required signature guarantees, or be accompanied by documents of transfer to have the trustee with respect to the old notes register the transfer of the old notes in the name of the person withdrawing the tender; and - specify the name in which the old notes are registered, if different from that of the depositor. If certificates for old notes have been delivered or otherwise identified to the exchange agent, then, prior to the release of the certificates, the withdrawing holder must also submit the serial numbers of the particular certificates to be withdrawn and a signed notice of withdrawal with signatures guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution unless the holder is an eligible guarantor institution. If old notes have been tendered using the procedure for book-entry transfer described above, any notice of withdrawal must specify the name and number of the account at The Depository Trust Company to be credited with the withdrawn old notes and otherwise comply with the procedures of the book-entry transfer facility. All questions as to the validity, form and eligibility -- including time of receipt -- of these notices will be determined by us. Our determination will be final and binding. 16 Any old notes so withdrawn will be deemed not to have been validly tendered for exchange for purposes of the exchange offer. Any old notes which have been tendered for exchange but which are not exchanged for any reason will be returned to the registered holder without cost to that holder as soon as practicable after withdrawal, non-acceptance of tender or termination of the exchange offer. In the case of old notes tendered by book-entry transfer into the exchange agent's account at The Depository Trust Company by using the book-entry transfer procedures described above, any withdrawn or unaccepted old notes will be credited to the tendering holder's account at The Depository Trust Company. Properly withdrawn old notes may be retendered at any time on or prior to the expiration of the exchange offer by following one of the procedures described above under "-- Procedures for Tendering Old Notes." CONDITIONS TO THE EXCHANGE OFFER Notwithstanding any other provision of the exchange offer, we will not be required to accept any old notes for exchange or to issue any new notes in exchange for old notes, and we may terminate or amend the exchange offer if, at any time before the acceptance of the old notes for exchange or the exchange of new notes for old notes, any of the following events occurs: - the exchange offer is determined to violate any applicable law or any applicable interpretation of the staff of the SEC; - an action or proceeding is pending or threatened in any court or by any governmental agency that might materially impair our ability to proceed with the exchange offer; - any material adverse development occurs in any existing legal action or proceeding involving us; - we do not receive any governmental approval we deem necessary for the completion of the exchange offer; or - any of the conditions precedent to our obligations under the registration rights agreement are not fulfilled. These conditions are for our benefit only and we may assert them regardless of the circumstances giving rise to any condition. We may also waive any condition in whole or in part at any time in our sole discretion. Our failure at any time to exercise any of the foregoing rights will not constitute a waiver of that right and each right is an ongoing right that we may assert at any time. In addition, we will not accept any old notes for exchange or issue any new notes in exchange for old notes, if at the time a stop order is threatened or in effect which relates to: - the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part; or - the qualification under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 of the indenture under which the old notes were issued and the new notes will be issued. EXCHANGE AGENT We have appointed Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. as the exchange agent for the exchange offer. All completed letters of transmittal and agent's messages should be directed to the exchange agent at one of the addresses listed below. Questions and requests for assistance, requests for additional copies of this 17 prospectus or the letter of transmittal, agent's messages and requests for notices of guaranteed delivery should be directed to the exchange agent at one of the following addresses: BY HAND DELIVERY: BY OVERNIGHT COURIER: Wells Fargo Bank Minnesota, N.A. Wells Fargo Bank Minnesota, N.A. Corporate Trust Operations Corporate Trust Operations MAC N9303-121 MAC N9303-121 Sixth and Marquette Sixth and Marquette Minneapolis, MN 55479 Minneapolis, MN 55479 BY REGISTERED OR CERTIFIED MAIL: BY FACSIMILE TRANSMISSION Wells Fargo Bank Minnesota, N.A. (FOR ELIGIBLE INSTITUTIONS ONLY): Corporate Trust Operations Wells Fargo Bank Minnesota, N.A. MAC N9303-121 (612) 667-4927 P.O. Box 1517 Confirm: (800) 344-5128 Minneapolis, MN 55480-1517 For Information (800) 344-5128
DELIVERY OF A LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL OR AGENT'S MESSAGE TO AN ADDRESS OTHER THAN THE ADDRESS LISTED ABOVE OR TRANSMISSION OF INSTRUCTIONS BY FACSIMILE OTHER THAN AS SET FORTH ABOVE IS NOT VALID DELIVERY OF THE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL OR AGENT'S MESSAGE. FEES AND EXPENSES The principal solicitation is being made by mail by Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as exchange agent. We will pay the exchange agent customary fees for its services, reimburse the exchange agent for its reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with the provision of these services and pay other registration expenses, including fees and expenses of the trustee under the indenture relating to the notes, filing fees, blue sky fees and printing and distribution expenses. We will not make any payment to brokers, dealers or others soliciting acceptances of the exchange offer. Additional solicitation may be made by telephone, facsimile or in person by our and our affiliates' officers and regular employees and by persons so engaged by the exchange agent. TRANSFER TAXES You will not be obligated to pay any transfer taxes in connection with the tender of old notes in the exchange offer unless you instruct us to register new notes in the name of, or request that old notes not tendered or not accepted in the exchange offer be returned to, a person other than the registered tendering holder. In those cases, you will be responsible for the payment of any applicable transfer tax. CONSEQUENCES OF EXCHANGING OR FAILING TO EXCHANGE OLD NOTES If you do not exchange your old notes for new notes in the exchange offer, your old notes will continue to be subject to the provisions of the indenture relating to the notes regarding transfer and exchange of the old notes and the restrictions on transfer of the old notes described in the legend on your certificates. These transfer restrictions are required because the old notes were issued under an exemption from, or in transactions not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. In general, the old notes may not be offered or sold, unless registered under the Securities Act, except under an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. We do not plan to register the old notes under the Securities Act unless required to do so under the Registration Rights Agreement. Based on interpretations by the staff of the SEC, as set forth in no-action letters issued to third parties, we believe that the new notes you receive in the exchange offer may be offered for resale, resold or otherwise transferred without compliance with the 18 registration and prospectus delivery provisions of the Securities Act. However, you will not be able to freely transfer the new notes if: - you are our "affiliate," as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; - you are not acquiring the new notes in the exchange offer in the ordinary course of your business; - you have an arrangement or understanding with any person to participate in the distribution of the new notes, as defined in the Securities Act, you will receive in the exchange offer; or - you are a participating broker-dealer. We do not intend to request the SEC to consider, and the SEC has not considered, the exchange offer in the context of a similar no-action letter. As a result, we cannot guarantee that the staff of the SEC would make a similar determination with respect to the exchange offer as in the circumstances described in the no-action letters discussed above. Each holder, other than a broker-dealer, must acknowledge that it is not engaged in, and does not intend to engage in, a distribution of new notes and has no arrangement or understanding to participate in a distribution of new notes. If you are our affiliate, are engaged in or intend to engage in a distribution of the new notes or have any arrangement or understanding with respect to the distribution of the new notes you will receive in the exchange offer, you - may not rely on the applicable interpretations of the staff of the SEC and - must comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any resale transaction involving the new notes. If you are a participating broker-dealer, you must acknowledge that you will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of the new notes. In addition, to comply with state securities laws, you may not offer or sell the new notes in any state unless they have been registered or qualified for sale in that state or an exemption from registration or qualification is available and is complied with. The offer and sale of the new notes to "qualified institutional buyers" -- as defined in Rule 144A of the Securities Act -- is generally exempt from registration or qualification under state securities laws. We do not plan to register or qualify the sale of the new notes in any state where an exemption from registration or qualification is required and not available. 19 DESCRIPTION OF NOTES The old notes were issued and the new notes will be issued under an indenture dated as of July 3, 2002. The trustee under the indenture was originally Citibank, N.A. Citibank, N.A. has been replaced as trustee by Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. This summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the indenture, a copy of which is available from us upon request. The old notes were and the new notes will be our unsecured and unsubordinated obligations ranking equally with our other outstanding unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness. At September 30, 2002, we had outstanding approximately $1.1 billion of unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness. The indenture contains no restrictions on the amount of additional secured or unsecured indebtedness that we may issue. TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE NOTES The notes will mature on July 15, 2012. The notes will bear interest from the date of original issuance of the old notes or, if interest has already been paid, from the date it was most recently paid, at the rate of 8.875% per year. Interest will be payable semi-annually on January 15 and July 15 of each year, beginning January 15, 2003, to the person in whose names the notes are registered at the close of business on the preceding January 1 and July 1, respectively, subject to certain exceptions. Interest on the notes will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year comprised of twelve 30-day months. We may, without the consent of the holders of the notes, issue additional notes having the same ranking and the same interest rate, maturity and other terms as the old notes or the new notes. Any additional notes will, together with the previously outstanding notes, constitute a single series of the notes under the indenture. No additional notes may be issued if an event of default has occurred with respect to the notes. The old notes are, and the new notes will initially be, issued only in registered, book-entry form, in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiples of $1,000 as described under "The Exchange Offer -- Book-Entry Transfer." We will issue global notes in denominations that together equal the total principal amount of the outstanding notes. OPTIONAL REDEMPTION The old notes are, and the new notes will be redeemable, in whole at any time, or in part, from time to time, at our option, at a redemption price equal to the greater of: - 100% of the principal amount of the notes then outstanding to be redeemed, or - the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest thereon from the redemption date to the maturity date computed by discounting such payments to the redemption date on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at a rate equal to the sum of 50 basis points plus the Adjusted Treasury Rate on the third business day prior to the redemption date, as calculated by an Independent Investment Banker. "Adjusted Treasury Rate" means: - the yield, under the heading which represents the average for the immediately preceding week, appearing in the most recently published statistical release designated "H.15(519)" or any successor publication which is published weekly by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and which contains yields on actively traded U.S. Treasury securities adjusted to constant maturity under the caption "Treasury Constant Maturities," for the maturity corresponding to the Comparable Treasury Issue (if no maturity is within three months before or after the remaining term of the notes, yields for the two published maturities most closely corresponding to the Comparable Treasury Issue will be determined and the Adjusted Treasury Rate will be interpolated or extrapolated from such yields on a straight line basis, rounding to the nearest month); or 20 - if such release (or any successor release) is not published during the week preceding the calculation date or does not contain such yields, the rate per annum equal to the semiannual equivalent yield to maturity of the Comparable Treasury Issue, calculated using a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for such redemption date. "Comparable Treasury Issue" means the U.S. Treasury security selected by an Independent Investment Banker as having a maturity comparable to the remaining term of the notes that would be utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the remaining term of the notes or, if, in the reasonable judgment of the Independent Investment Banker, there is no such security, then the Comparable Treasury Issue will mean the U.S. Treasury security or securities selected by an Independent Investment Banker as having an actual or interpolated maturity or maturities comparable to the remaining term of the notes. "Comparable Treasury Price" means (1) the average of five Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for the applicable redemption date, after excluding the highest and lowest Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, or (2) if the Independent Investment Banker obtains fewer than five such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all such quotations. "Independent Investment Banker" means Salomon Smith Barney Inc. or any successor firm, or if any such firm is unwilling or unable to serve as such, an independent investment and banking institution of national standing appointed by us. "Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations" means the average, as determined by the Independent Investment Banker, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to the Independent Investment Banker and the Trustee at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the third business day preceding such redemption date. We will mail notice of redemption at least 30 days but not more than 60 days before the applicable redemption date to each holder of the notes to be redeemed. If we elect to partially redeem the notes, the Trustee will select in a fair and appropriate manner the notes to be redeemed. Upon the payment of the redemption price, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, and liquidated damages, if any, to the date of redemption, interest will cease to accrue on and after the applicable redemption date on the notes or portions thereof called for redemption. COVENANTS Liens. The indenture refers to any of our instruments securing indebtedness, such as a mortgage, pledge, lien, security interest or encumbrance on any of our property, as a "mortgage." The indenture further provides that, subject to certain exceptions, we will not, nor will we permit any subsidiary to, issue, assume or guarantee any indebtedness secured by a mortgage unless we provide equal and proportionate security for the notes. Among these exceptions are: - purchase money mortgages; - preexisting mortgages on any property acquired or constructed by us or a subsidiary; - mortgages created within one year after completion of such acquisition or construction or within one year of commencement of full operation of such property; - mortgages created on any contract for the sale of products or services related to the operation or use of any property acquired or constructed within one year after the later of completion of such acquisition or construction or commencement of full operation of such property; - mortgages on property of a subsidiary existing at the time it became our subsidiary; and 21 - mortgages, other than as specifically excepted, in an aggregate amount which, at the time of, and after giving effect to, the incurrence does not exceed five percent of our Consolidated Net Tangible Assets, as defined in the indenture. Limitation on Sale and Lease-Back Transactions. We will not, and we will not permit any of our subsidiaries to, enter into any arrangement with any person providing for the leasing by us or any of our subsidiaries of any Principal Property, acquired or placed into service more than 180 days prior to such arrangement (except for leases of three years or less), whereby such property has been or is to be sold or transferred by us or any of our subsidiaries to such person (any such transaction being referred to as a "Sale and Lease-Back Transaction"), unless: - we or any of our subsidiaries would, at the time of entering into a Sale and Lease-Back Transaction, be entitled to incur indebtedness secured by a mortgage on the property to be leased in an amount at least equal to the Attributable Debt in respect of such transaction without equally and ratably securing the Securities pursuant to the covenant described above under "-- Liens"; or - we shall covenant that we will apply an amount equal to the net proceeds from the sale of the Principal Property so leased to the retirement (other than any mandatory retirement) of our Funded Indebtedness within 90 days of the effective date of any such Sale and Lease-Back Transaction, provided that the amount to be applied to the retirement of our Funded Indebtedness shall be reduced by (a) the principal amount of any notes delivered by us to the Trustee within 90 days after such Sale and Lease-Back Transaction for retirement and cancellation, and (b) the principal amount of Funded Indebtedness, other than notes, voluntarily retired by us within 90 days following such Sale and Lease-Back Transaction, provided, further, this covenant shall not apply to, and there shall be excluded from Attributable Debt in any computation under this covenant, Attributable Debt with respect to any Sale and Lease-Back Transaction if: - such Sale and Lease-Back Transaction is entered into in connection with transactions which are part of an industrial development or pollution control financing or, - the only parties involved in such Sale and Lease-Back Transaction are us and/or any of our subsidiaries. Notwithstanding the foregoing, we and our subsidiaries may enter into, create, assume and suffer to exist Sale and Lease-Back Transactions, not otherwise permitted, if at the time of, and after giving effect to, such Sale and Lease-Back Transaction, our total consolidated Attributable Debt does not exceed five percent of our Consolidated Net Tangible Assets. "Attributable Debt" means, with respect to any Sale and Lease-Back Transaction as of any particular time, the present value discounted at the rate of interest implicit in the terms of the lease of the obligations of the lessee under such lease for net rental payments during the remaining term of the lease (including any period for which such lease has been extended or may, at our option, be extended). "Consolidated Net Tangible Assets" means the total assets appearing on a consolidated balance sheet of us and our consolidated subsidiaries, less: (1) intangible assets, unamortized debt discount and expense and stock expense and other deferred debits; (2) all current and accrued liabilities (other than consolidated Funded Indebtedness and capitalized rentals or leases); deferred credits (other than deferred investment tax credits), deferred gains and deferred income and billings recorded as revenues deferred pending the outcome of a rate proceeding (less applicable income taxes) to the extent refunds thereof shall not have been finally determined; and (3) all reserves (other than for deferred federal income taxes arising from timing differences) not already deducted from assets. 22 "Funded Indebtedness" means any indebtedness which matures more than one year after the date as of which Funded Indebtedness is being determined less any such Indebtedness as will be retired through or by means of any deposit or payment required to be made within one year from such date under any prepayment provision, sinking fund, purchase fund or otherwise. "Principal Property" means any natural gas pipeline, gathering property or natural gas processing plant located in the United States, except any such property that in the opinion of our board of directors is not of material importance to the total business conducted by us and our consolidated subsidiaries. "Principal Property" shall not include (i) the production or proceeds from production of gas processing plants or natural gas or petroleum products in any pipeline or storage field and (ii) any property acquired or constructed by us or any of our subsidiaries after December 31, 1996. Consolidation, Merger, Conveyance of Assets. The indenture provides, in general, that we will not consolidate with or merge into any other entity or convey, transfer or lease our properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any person, unless: - the corporation, limited liability company, limited partnership, joint stock company or trust formed by such consolidation or into which we are merged or the person which acquires such assets expressly assumes our obligations under the indenture and the notes; and - immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no event of default, and no event which, after notice or lapse of time or both, would become an event of default, shall have happened and be continuing. Event Risk. Except for the limitations on liens and consolidations, mergers and conveyance of assets described above, neither the indenture nor the notes contain any covenants or other provisions designed to afford holders of the notes protection in the event of a highly leveraged transaction or change of control involving us or any restrictions on the amount of additional indebtedness that we may issue. MODIFICATION OF THE INDENTURE Without the consent of any holder, we and the trustee may amend or supplement the indenture or the notes to: - cure any ambiguity, omission, defect or inconsistency; - comply with the indenture in the case of the merger, consolidation or sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of our assets; - provide for uncertificated notes in addition to or in place of certificated notes; - add any additional events of default; - provide for the acceptance of a successor trustee; - secure the notes pursuant to the requirements under the indenture; - comply with any requirements in order to effect or maintain the qualification of the indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939; - comply with any requirements of the SEC in connection with qualifying the indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939; - add to our covenants for the benefit of the holders of notes or surrender any power conferred upon us; or - make any change that does not adversely affect the rights of any holder of notes in any material respect. 23 We and the trustee may take the following actions with the consent of the holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the notes then outstanding: - add any provisions to the indenture; - change in any manner the indenture; - eliminate any of the provisions of the indenture; and - modify in any way the rights of the holders of the notes. These changes must conform to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939. In addition, without the consent of each holder affected, we may not: - reduce the percentage of principal amount of notes whose holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver; - reduce the rate of or change the time for payment of interest, including default interest, on any note; - reduce the principal of or change the fixed maturity of any note or alter the premium or other provisions with respect to redemption; - make any note payable in money or in a place other than that stated in the note; - impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment of principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on any note; - make any change in the percentage of principal amount of notes necessary to waive compliance with certain provisions of the indenture; or - waive a continuing default or event of default in the payment of principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on the notes. EVENTS OF DEFAULT In general, the indenture defines an event of default with respect to the notes as being: - default in payment of any principal of the notes, either at maturity, upon any redemption, by declaration or otherwise; - default for 30 days in payment of any interest on the notes unless otherwise provided; - default for 90 days after written notice in the observance or performance of any covenant or warranty in the notes or the indenture other than: - default in or breach of a covenant which is dealt with otherwise below; or - if certain conditions are met, if the events of default described in this clause are the result of changes in generally accepted accounting principles; or - certain events of our bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization. In general, the indenture provides that if an event of default described in the first three clauses above occurs, the Trustee or the holders of the notes may then declare the entire principal of all the notes and the interest accrued on such principal to be due and payable immediately. Such a declaration by the holders requires the approval of at least 25 percent in principal amount of the notes then outstanding. Upon certain conditions, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the notes then outstanding may annul such declarations and waive the past defaults. However, the majority holders may not annul or waive a continuing default in payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the notes. 24 The indenture provides that the holders of the notes will indemnify the trustee before the trustee exercises any of its rights or powers under the indenture. This indemnification is subject to the trustee's duty to act with the required standard of care during a default. The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding notes may 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. This right of the holders of the notes is, however, subject to the provisions in the indenture providing for the indemnification of the trustee and other specified limitations. In general, the indenture provides that holders of the notes may only institute an action against us under the indenture if the following four conditions are fulfilled: - the holder previously has given to the trustee written notice of default and the default continues; - the holders of at least 25 percent in principal amount of the notes then outstanding have both (1) requested the trustee to institute such action and (2) offered the trustee reasonable indemnity; - the trustee has not instituted such action within 60 days of receipt of such request; and - the trustee has not received direction inconsistent with such written request by the holders of a majority in principal amount of the notes then outstanding. The above four conditions do not apply to actions by holders of the notes against us for payment of principal or interest on or after the due date provided. The indenture contains a covenant that we will file annually with the trustee a certificate of no default or a certificate specifying any default that exists. DISCHARGE, DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE We can discharge or defease our obligations under the indenture as set forth below. Under terms satisfactory to the trustee, we may discharge certain obligations to holders of the notes which have not already been delivered to the trustee for cancellation. These notes must also: - have become due and payable; or - be due and payable by their terms within one year. We may discharge the notes by irrevocably depositing an amount certified to be sufficient to pay at maturity or upon redemption the principal of and interest on and any liquidated damages with respect to the notes. We may make the deposit in cash or U.S. Government Obligations, as defined in the indenture. We may also, upon satisfaction of the conditions listed below, discharge certain obligations to holders of the notes at any time ("Defeasance"). Under terms satisfactory to the trustee, we may be released from the obligations imposed by the sections containing the covenants described above limiting liens and consolidations, mergers and conveyances of assets. Also under terms satisfactory to the trustee, we may omit to comply with these sections without creating an event of default ("Covenant Defeasance"). Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance may be effected only if, among other things: - we irrevocably deposit with the trustee cash or U.S. Government Obligations as trust funds in an amount certified to be sufficient to pay at maturity or upon redemption the principal of and interest on all outstanding notes; and - we deliver to the trustee an opinion of counsel to the effect that the holders of the notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States federal income tax purposes as a result of such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance. The opinion must further state that these holders will be subject to United States federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance had not occurred. In the case of a Defeasance, this opinion must be based on a ruling of the Internal Revenue 25 Service or a change in United States federal income tax law occurring after the date of the indenture, since this result would not occur under current tax law. CONCERNING THE TRUSTEE The trustee is one of a number of banks with which we and our subsidiaries maintain ordinary banking relationships and with which we and our subsidiaries maintain credit facilities. GOVERNING LAW The indenture and the notes are governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York. 26 EXCHANGE OFFER; REGISTRATION RIGHTS We entered into a registration rights agreement with Salomon Smith Barney Inc. and other institutions, as the initial purchasers of the old notes, for your benefit. In the registration rights agreement, we agreed to: - file with the SEC within 75 days after the initial issuance of the old notes a registration statement relating to an offer to exchange the old notes for registered new notes with principal amount and terms identical in all material respects to the principal amount and terms of the old notes, except that the registered notes would not contain terms with respect to transfer restrictions under the Securities Act or the payment of liquidated damages; - use our reasonable best efforts to cause the exchange offer registration statement to be declared effective under the Securities Act within 120 days after the initial issuance of the old notes; - commence the exchange offer promptly after the exchange offer registration statement has been declared effective; - use our reasonable best efforts to keep the exchange offer registration statement effective until the closing of the exchange offer; and - use our reasonable best efforts to cause the exchange to be completed within 60 days after the SEC declares the exchange offer registration statement effective. Promptly after the exchange offer registration statement has been declared effective, we will offer the new notes in exchange for surrender of the old notes. We will keep the exchange offer open for at least 20 business days, or longer if required by applicable law, after the effective date of the registration statement. Interest will accrue on each new note from the last interest payment date on which we paid interest on the old note tendered in the exchange offer, or if we have not paid interest on the tendered old note, from the date of original issuance of the old note. Based on existing interpretations of the Securities Act by the staff of the SEC set forth in several no-action letters to third parties, we believe that you may offer for resale, resell and otherwise transfer the new notes without further compliance with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act. However, if you are an affiliate of ours, if you intend to participate in the exchange offer for the purpose of distributing the new notes or if you are a broker-dealer who purchased the old notes for the purpose of reselling the notes under Rule 144A or any other available exemption under the Securities Act, you: - will not be able to rely on the interpretation of the staff of the SEC set forth in these letters; - will not be entitled to tender your old notes in the exchange offer; and - must comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any resale or transfer of the old notes unless the resale or transfer is made under an exemption from those requirements. If you wish to exchange your old notes for new notes in the exchange offer, you will be required to represent that: - you are not an affiliate of ours; - at the time of the exchange offer, you have no arrangement or understanding with any person to participate in the distribution, within the meaning of the Securities Act, of the new notes; and - you are acquiring the new notes in the ordinary course of your business. In addition, any broker-dealer who acquired the old notes for its own account as a result of market-making or other trading activities must deliver a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any resale of the new notes. The SEC has taken the position that broker-dealers may use the prospectus contained in the registration statement to fulfill this prospectus delivery requirement. 27 Under the registration rights agreement, we must allow broker-dealers and any other persons subject to prospectus delivery requirements to use the prospectus contained in the registration statement in connection with the resale of the new notes. If (1) we determine that applicable law or the applicable interpretations of the staff of the SEC do not permit us to effect the exchange offer, (2) for any other reason the exchange offer has not been consummated within 180 days after the initial issuance of the old notes or (3) in the written opinion of counsel for holders of the old notes, a shelf registration statement must be filed and a prospectus must be delivered by a holder of the old notes in connection with its reoffering or resale of the old notes, then in addition to, or instead of, effecting the registration of the new notes under the exchange offer registration statement, we will: - file a shelf registration statement covering resales of the old notes within 75 days after the determination described in clause (1), the last date described in clause (2) or our receipt of the opinion described in clause (3), as applicable; - use our reasonable best efforts to cause the shelf registration statement to be declared effective under the Securities Act within 60 days after filing the registration statement; and - use our reasonable best efforts to keep the shelf registration statement continuously effective until the earlier of (1) the expiration of the period referred to in Rule 144(k) under the Securities Act, or similar successor rule, with respect to the notes or (2) such time as all of the old notes have been sold under the shelf registration statement or otherwise cease to be registrable notes within the meaning of the registration rights agreement. If we file a shelf registration statement, we will notify you when the shelf registration statement has become effective and take other actions which are required to permit unrestricted resales of the old notes. If you sell old notes under the shelf registration statement, you will be: - required to deliver information to be used in connection with the shelf registration statement; - required to be named as a selling security holder in the related prospectus; - required to deliver a prospectus to purchasers; - subject to certain of the civil liability provisions under the Securities Act in connection with the sales; and - bound by some of the provisions of the registration rights agreement, including those regarding indemnification rights and obligations. By accepting an old note, you will be deemed to have agreed to be bound by the provisions of the registration rights agreement. Under the registration rights agreement, upon receipt of notice from us of the occurrence of any event which makes any statement of a material fact in the prospectus which is part of the exchange registration statement or shelf registration statement untrue or which requires the making of any changes in the prospectus in order to make the statements in the prospectus not misleading, you must suspend the disposition of the old notes until we have amended or supplemented the prospectus to correct the misstatement or omission and have furnished copies of the amended or supplemented prospectus to you. For purposes of the registration rights agreement, "transfer restricted securities" means each note until the earliest on the date of which (i) the note is exchanged in the exchange offer and entitled to be resold to the public by the holder of the note without complying with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act, (ii) the note has been disposed of in accordance with the shelf registration statement, (iii) the note is disposed of by a broker-dealer pursuant to the "Plan of Distribution" contemplated by the exchange offer registration statement (including delivery of the prospectus contained therein) or (iv) the note is distributed to the public pursuant to Rule 144 or under the Securities Act. 28 If: - we do not file with the SEC an exchange offer registration statement which we are required to file under the registration rights agreement on or prior to September 16, 2002; - the SEC does not declare an exchange offer registration statement effective on or prior to October 30, 2002; - we do not file with the SEC a shelf registration statement which we are required to file under the registration rights agreement on or prior to the date specified in the registration rights agreement and described above; - we do not consummate the exchange offer by December 30, 2002; or - we have filed, and the SEC has declared effective, the shelf registration statement and at any time prior to the expiration of the period referred to in Rule 144(k) under the Securities Act, or similar successor rule, with respect to the old notes, other than after all the old notes have been disposed of under the shelf registration statement or cease to be registrable notes under the registration rights agreement, the shelf registration statement ceases to be effective, or fails to be usable for its intended purpose without being succeeded within two business days by a post-effective amendment which cures the failure and that is itself immediately declared effective; (each, a "Registration Default") then we agree to pay each holder of transfer restricted securities affected thereby liquidated damages in an amount equal to 0.25% per annum of the principal amount of transfer restricted securities held by such holder for the first 90 day period immediately following the occurrence of a Registration Default, increasing to 0.50% per annum thereafter, from and including the date on which any such Registration Default occurs. We shall not be required to pay liquidated damages for more than one Registration Default at any given time. Following the cure of all Registration Defaults, the accrual of liquidated damages will cease. We did not file this registration statement on or prior to September 16, 2002, nor was it declared effective on or prior to October 31, 2002. Therefore, liquidated damages have been accruing since September 17, 2002. The liquidated damages will cease to accrue as of the date of this prospectus. However, since the exchange offer will not be consummated by December 30, 2002, liquidated damages will begin to accrue from December 31, 2002 until such time as the exchange offer is consummated. We have agreed to (1) pay all expenses incident to the exchange offer and (2) indemnify the initial purchasers and holders of the notes against some liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. We have not completely summarized the provisions of the registration rights agreement in this prospectus and our summary is subject to, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, the actual registration rights agreement. For a complete description of the terms of the registration rights agreement, you should read the registration rights agreement, which is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. In addition, you should not construe our description of the interpretations of, and positions taken by, the staff of the SEC as legal advice. You should consult your own legal advisor about this matter. MATERIAL UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS The following is a discussion of the material U.S. federal income and estate tax consequences applicable to the exchange of old notes for new notes in the exchange offer and the ownership and disposition of the notes by an initial beneficial owner of the notes that is a "non-U.S. holder," as defined below. This discussion is based upon current provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, its legislative history, final, temporary and proposed regulations, published rulings, and court decisions, all of which are subject to change, possibly on a retroactive basis. For purposes of this discussion, you are a "U.S. holder" if you are a beneficial owner of notes who is a "United States person" 29 for United States federal income tax purposes or a "non-U.S. holder" if you are a beneficial owner of notes and are not a U.S. holder. A "United States person" is: - a citizen or resident of the United States, - a corporation, partnership, or other entity created or organized in the United States or under the law of the United States or of any state thereof including the District of Columbia, - an estate whose income is subject to United States federal income taxation regardless of its source, or - a trust if a U.S. court 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. This discussion only applies to you if you are a beneficial owner of the notes who holds the notes as capital assets. The tax treatment of holders of the notes may vary depending upon their particular situations. Particular persons including, for example, insurance companies, tax exempt organizations, financial institutions, partnerships or other entities classified as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and broker-dealers, may be subject to special rules not discussed below. If a partnership holds notes, the tax treatment of a partner generally will depend on the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. Prospective investors are urged to consult their own tax advisors regarding the particular U.S. federal tax consequences of holding and disposing of notes, as well as any tax consequences that may arise under the laws of any relevant foreign, state, local, or other taxing jurisdiction or under any applicable tax treaty. TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE EXCHANGE OFFER The exchange of old notes for new notes pursuant to the exchange offer will not be a taxable event for U.S. federal income tax purposes. U.S. holders and non-U.S. holders will not recognize any taxable gain or loss as a result of the exchange and will have the same tax basis and holding period in the new notes as they had in the old notes immediately before the exchange. TAX CONSEQUENCES TO NON-U.S. HOLDERS Payment of Interest Generally, interest we pay to you will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax, provided that this interest income is not effectively connected with your conduct of a United States trade or business, and will not be subject to United States federal withholding tax provided that: - you do not actually or constructively own 10% or more our of the combined voting power of all classes of our stock, - you are not, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, a controlled foreign corporation related to us within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code, - you are not a bank receiving interest on a loan entered into in the ordinary course of its business within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code, and - either (A) you provide a Form W-8BEN (or a suitable substitute form), signed under penalties of perjury that includes your name and address and certify as to your non-U.S. holder status in compliance with applicable law and regulations or (B) hold your notes through a securities clearing organization, bank or other financial institution that holds customers' securities in the ordinary course of its trade or business and that provides a statement signed under penalties of perjury in which it certifies to us or our agent that a Form W-8BEN (or suitable substitute), has been received by it from you or a qualifying intermediary and furnishes us or our agent with a copy thereof. 30 If these conditions are not satisfied, then interest paid on the notes will be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at a rate of 30% unless that rate is reduced or eliminated pursuant to an applicable tax treaty and you provide a properly completed and executed IRS Form W-8BEN. Sale, Exchange or Redemption of the Notes You generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income and withholding tax on any gain realized on the sale, exchange, redemption or other disposition of a note unless: - the gain is effectively connected with your conduct of a United States trade or business, or, under an applicable tax treaty, is attributable to a permanent establishment you maintain in the United States, or - if you are an individual, you are present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the taxable year of the disposition and certain other requirements are met. Effectively Connected Income If the interest, gain or other income you recognize on a note is effectively connected with your conduct of a trade or business within the United States, you will be exempt from the withholding tax previously discussed if an appropriate statement is furnished, but generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the interest, gain or other income at regular federal income tax rates. In addition to regular U.S. federal income tax, if you are a corporation, you may be subject to a branch profits tax equal to 30% of your effectively connected earnings and profits, as adjusted for certain items, unless you qualify for a lower rate under an applicable tax treaty. U.S. Federal Estate Tax Considerations A note beneficially owned by an individual who is not a citizen or resident of the United States at the time of death will generally not be includable in the decedent's gross estate for U.S. federal estate tax purposes, provided that the beneficial owner did not at the time of death actually or constructively own 10% or more of the combined voting power of all classes of our stock entitled to vote, and provided that, at the time of the holder's death, payments with respect to that note would not have been effectively connected with the holder's conduct of a trade or business within the United States. Information Reporting and Backup Withholding Tax United States information reporting requirements and backup withholding tax generally will not apply to payments of interest and principal on a note if you provide the certification described in "Payment of Interest" or otherwise establish an exemption, provided that we do not have actual knowledge or reason to know that you are a United States person. Information reporting requirements and backup withholding tax generally will not apply to any payment of the proceeds of the sale of a note effected outside the United States by a foreign office of a "broker." However, if the broker: - is a United States person, - derives 50% or more of its gross income from all sources for certain periods from the conduct of a United States trade or business, - is a controlled foreign corporation for United States tax purposes or - is a foreign partnership in which one or more United States persons, in the aggregate, own more than 50% of the income or capital interests in the partnership or a foreign partnership that is engaged in a trade or business in the United States, 31 payment of the proceeds will be subject to information reporting requirements unless the 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. Payment of the proceeds of any sale of a note to or through the United States office of a broker, whether foreign or United States, is subject to information reporting and backup withholding requirements, unless you provide the certification described in "Payment of Interest" or otherwise establish an exemption and the broker does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that you are a United States person or that the exemption conditions are not satisfied. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld from a payment to you under the backup withholding rules will be allowed as a credit against your U.S. federal income tax liability and may entitle you to a refund, provided that the required information is provided to the IRS. THIS DISCUSSION IS INCLUDED FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY AND MAY NOT BE APPLICABLE DEPENDING UPON YOUR PARTICULAR SITUATION. YOU SHOULD CONSULT YOUR TAX ADVISOR WITH RESPECT TO THE TAX CONSEQUENCES TO YOU OF THE OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF THE NOTES, INCLUDING THE TAX CONSEQUENCES UNDER STATE, LOCAL, FOREIGN AND OTHER TAX LAWS AND THE POSSIBLE EFFECTS OF CHANGES IN FEDERAL OR OTHER TAX LAWS. CERTAIN ERISA CONSIDERATIONS The following is a summary of certain considerations associated with the purchase of the notes by employee benefit plans that are subject to Title I of the U.S. Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended ("ERISA"), plans, individual retirement accounts and other arrangements that are subject to Section 4975 of the Code or provisions under any federal, state, local, non-U.S. or other laws or regulations that are similar to such provisions of the Code or ERISA (collectively, "Similar Laws"), and entities whose underlying assets are considered to include "plan assets" of such plans, accounts and arrangements (each, a "Plan"). GENERAL FIDUCIARY MATTERS ERISA and the Code impose certain duties on persons who are fiduciaries of a Plan subject to Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code and prohibit certain transactions involving the assets of a Plan and its fiduciaries or other interested parties. Under ERISA and the Code, any person who exercises any discretionary authority or control over the administration of such a Plan or the management or disposition of the assets of such a Plan, or who renders investment advice for a fee or other compensation to such a Plan, is generally considered to be a fiduciary of the Plan. In considering an investment in the notes of a portion of the assets of any Plan, a fiduciary should determine whether the investment is in accordance with the documents and instruments governing the Plan and the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Code or any similar law relating to a fiduciary's duties to the Plan including, without limitation, the prudence, diversification, delegation of control and prohibited transaction provisions of ERISA, the Code and any other applicable Similar Laws Any insurance company proposing to invest assets of its general account in the notes should consider the extent that such investment would be subject to the requirements of ERISA in light of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Co. v. Harris Trust and Savings Bank and under any subsequent legislation or other guidance that has or may become available relating to that decision, including the enactment of Section 401(c) of ERISA by the Small Business Job Protection Act of 1996 and any related regulations. PROHIBITED TRANSACTION ISSUES Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code prohibit Plans subject to Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code from engaging in specified transactions involving plan assets with persons or entities who are "parties in interest," within the meaning of ERISA, or "disqualified persons," within the 32 meaning of Section 4975 of the Code, unless an exemption is available. A party in interest or disqualified person who engaged in a non-exempt prohibited transaction may be subject to excise taxes and other penalties and liabilities under ERISA and the Code. In addition, the fiduciary of the Plan that engaged in such a non-exempt prohibited transaction may be subject to penalties and liabilities under ERISA and the Code. The acquisition and/or holding of notes by a Plan with respect to which we, our affiliates or the Initial Purchaser is considered a party in interest or a disqualified person may constitute or result in a direct or indirect prohibited transaction under ERISA and/or the Code, unless the investment is acquired and is held in accordance with an applicable statutory, class or individual prohibited transaction exemption. In this regard, the U.S. Department of Labor has issued prohibited transaction class exemptions, or "PTCEs," that may apply to the acquisition and holding of the notes. These class exemptions include PTCE 84-14 respecting transactions determined by independent qualified professional asset managers, PTCE 90-1 respecting insurance company pooled separate accounts, PTCE 91-38 respecting bank collective investment trusts, PTCE 95-60 respecting life insurance company general accounts and PTCE 96-23 respecting transactions determined by in-house asset managers. However, there can be no assurance that all of the conditions of any such exemptions will be satisfied, or, if satisfied, that the scope of the relief will cover all acts which might be construed as prohibited transactions. Because of the foregoing, the notes should not be purchased or held by any person investing "plan assets" of any Plan, unless such purchase and holding will not constitute a non-exempt prohibited transaction under ERISA and the Code or similar violation of any applicable Similar Laws whether pursuant to an applicable exemption or otherwise. The foregoing discussion is general in nature and is not intended to be all inclusive. Due to the complexity of these rules and the penalties that may be imposed upon persons involved in non-exempt prohibited transactions, it is particularly important that fiduciaries, or other persons considering purchasing the notes on behalf of, or with the assets of, any Plan, consult with their counsel regarding the potential applicability of ERISA, Section 4975 of the Code and any similar laws to such investment and whether an exemption would be applicable to the purchase and holding of the notes. 33 PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION Each broker-dealer that receives new notes for its own account in the exchange offer must acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of the new notes. This prospectus, as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, may be used by a broker-dealer in connection with resales of new notes received in exchange for old notes where the old notes were acquired as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities. We have agreed that for 180 days after the closing of the exchange offer we will make this prospectus, as amended or supplemented, available to any broker-dealer that requests these documents from the Exchange Agent for use in connection with resales of the new notes. In addition, until , 2003, all dealers effecting transactions in the new notes may be required to deliver a prospectus. We will not receive any proceeds from any sale of new notes by broker-dealers. New notes received by broker-dealers for their own account in the exchange offer may be sold from time to time in one or more transactions in the over-the-counter market, in negotiated transactions, through the writing of options on the new notes or a combination of such methods of resale, at market prices prevailing at the time of resale, at prices related to such prevailing market prices or negotiated prices. Any resale of the new notes may be made directly to purchasers or to or through brokers or dealers who may receive compensation in the form of commissions or concessions from any such broker-dealer and/or the purchasers of any such new notes. Any broker-dealer that resells new notes that were received by it for its own account in the exchange offer and any broker or dealer that participates in a distribution of the new notes may be deemed to be an "underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities Act. Any profit on any resale of new notes and any commissions or concessions received by any persons deemed to be underwriters may be deemed to be underwriting compensation under the Securities Act. The enclosed letter of transmittal states that by acknowledging that it will deliver and be delivering a prospectus, a broker-dealer will not be deemed to admit that it is an "underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities Act. For a period of 180 days after the closing of the exchange offer, we will promptly send additional copies of this prospectus and any amendment or supplement to this prospectus to any broker-dealer that requests such documents in the letter of transmittal. We have agreed to pay all expenses incident to the exchange offer (including the expenses of one counsel for the holders of the old notes) other than commissions or concessions of any brokers or dealers and will indemnify the holders of the old notes (including any broker-dealers) against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. Following completion of the exchange offer, we may, in our sole discretion, commence one or more additional exchange offers to holders of old notes who did not exchange their old notes for new notes in the exchange offer on terms which may differ from those contained in the prospectus and the enclosed letter of transmittal. This prospectus, as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, may be used by us in connection with any additional exchange offers. These additional exchange offers may take place from time to time until all outstanding old notes have been exchanged for new notes, subject to the terms and conditions in the prospectus and letter of transmittal distributed by us in connection with these additional exchange offers. LEGAL MATTERS The validity of the new notes will be passed upon for us by Andrews & Kurth L.L.P., Houston, Texas. EXPERTS Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors, have audited the consolidated financial statements included in Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2001, as set forth in their report, which is incorporated by reference in this Prospectus and elsewhere in the Registration Statement. Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation's financial statements are incorporated by reference in reliance on Ernst & Young LLP's report, given on their authority as experts in accounting and auditing. 34 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [LOGO] TRANSCONTINENTAL GAS PIPE LINE CORPORATION , 2002 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PART II INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN THE PROSPECTUS ITEM 20. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation is empowered by Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of Delaware, subject to the procedures and limitations stated therein, to indemnify any person against expenses (including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding in which such person is made a party by reason of such person being or having been a director, officer, employee or agent of Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation. The statute provides that indemnification pursuant to its provisions is not exclusive of other rights of indemnification to which a person may be entitled under any by-law, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors, or otherwise. The By-laws of Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation provide for indemnification by it of its directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by the General Corporation Law of Delaware. In addition, Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation has entered into indemnity agreements with its directors and certain officers providing for, among other things, the indemnification of and the advancing of expenses to such individuals to the fullest extent permitted by law, and, to the extent insurance is maintained, for the continued coverage of such individuals. Policies of insurance are maintained by Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation under which its directors and officers are insured, within the limits and subject to the limitations of the policies, against certain expenses in connection with the defense of actions, suits or proceedings, and certain liabilities which might be imposed as a result of such actions, suits or proceedings, to which they are parties by reason of being or having been such directors or officers. ITEM 21. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES (a) Exhibits The following instruments and documents are included as Exhibits to this Registration Statement.
EXHIBIT NUMBER EXHIBIT - ------- ------- 4.1 -- Indenture, dated as of July 3, 2002, between the registrant and Citibank N.A. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to The Williams Companies, Inc. Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2002 Commission File Number 1-4174) 4.2 -- Registration Rights Agreement, dated July 3, 2002, by and among the registrant and Salomon Smith Barney Inc., and other parties listed therein, as Initial Purchasers. 5.1 -- Opinion of Andrews & Kurth L.L.P., as to the validity of the new notes. 10.1 -- Purchase Agreement between registrant and the parties listed therein, dated June 28, 2002. 12.1 -- Statement re computation of ratios. 23.1 -- Consent of Ernst & Young LLP. 24.1 -- Power of Attorney (included on signature page). 25.1 -- Statement of Eligibility and Qualification under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, on Form T-1, of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as trustee. 99.1 -- Form of Letter of Transmittal. 99.2 -- Form of Notice of Guaranteed Delivery.
II-1 ITEM 22. UNDERTAKINGS The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes: (a)(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement: (i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933; (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment theory thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered)and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in the effective registration statement; and (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement; provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the SEC by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement. (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering. (b) That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. (c) To respond to requests for information that is incorporated by reference into the prospectus pursuant to Item 4, 10(b), 11, or 13 of this form, within one business day of receipt of such request, and to send the incorporated documents by first class mail or other equally prompt means. This includes information contained in documents filed subsequent to the effective date of the registration statement through the date of responding to the request. (d) To supply by means of a post-effective amendment all information concerning a transaction, and the company being acquired involved therein, that was not the subject of and included in the Registration Statement when it became effective. (e) To file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act ("Act") in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission under Section 305(b)2 of the Act. II-2 SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement on Form S-4 to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, on this 10 day of December, 2002. TRANSCONTINENTAL GAS PIPE LINE CORPORATION By: /s/ JAMES C. BOURNE ------------------------------------ James C. Bourne Controller, Assistant Treasurer POWER OF ATTORNEY Each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Richard Carson and Richard Rodekhor (with full power to each of them to act alone) his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution, for him and on his behalf and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign, execute and file this registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any or all amendments (including, without limitation, post-effective amendments), with all exhibits and any and all documents required to be filed with respect thereto, with the Securities and Exchange Commission or any regulatory authority, granting unto such attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises in order to effectuate the same, as fully to all intents and purposes as he himself might or could do, if personally present, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated on December 10, 2002.
SIGNATURE TITLE --------- ----- /s/ STEVEN J. MALCOLM Chairman of the Board ------------------------------------------------ Steven J. Malcolm /s/ J. DOUGLAS WHISENANT Director, President ------------------------------------------------ and Chief Executive Officer J. Douglas Whisenant (Principal Executive Officer) /s/ RICHARD RODEKHOR Vice President ------------------------------------------------ (Principal Financial Officer) Richard Rodekhor Treasurer /s/ JAMES C. BOURNE Controller ------------------------------------------------ (Principal Accounting Officer) James C. Bourne Assistant Treasurer
II-3 EXHIBIT INDEX
EXHIBIT NUMBER EXHIBIT - ------- ------- 4.1 -- Indenture, dated as of July 3, 2002, between the registrant and Citibank N.A. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to The Williams Companies, Inc. Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2002 Commission File Number 1-4174) 4.2 -- Registration Rights Agreement, dated July 3, 2002, by and among the registrant and Salomon Smith Barney Inc., and other parties listed therein, as Initial Purchasers. 5.1 -- Opinion of Andrews & Kurth L.L.P., as to the validity of the new notes. 10.1 -- Purchase Agreement between registrant and the parties listed therein, dated June 28, 2002. 12.1 -- Statement re computation of ratios. 23.1 -- Consent of Ernst & Young LLP. 24.1 -- Power of Attorney (included on signature page). 25.1 -- Statement of Eligibility and Qualification under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, on Form T-1, of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as trustee. 99.1 -- Form of Letter of Transmittal. 99.2 -- Form of Notice of Guaranteed Delivery.
EX-4.2 3 d99347exv4w2.txt REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT EXHIBIT 4.2 EXECUTION COPY REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT dated as of July 3, 2002 among TRANSCONTINENTAL GAS PIPE LINE CORPORATION and SALOMON SMITH BARNEY INC. on behalf of itself and the Initial Purchasers listed on Schedule I REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT THIS REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (the "AGREEMENT") is made and entered into as of July 3, 2002 , by and among TRANSCONTINENTAL GAS PIPE LINE CORPORATION (the "COMPANY"), a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware, and Salomon Smith Barney Inc., acting on behalf of itself and the several initial purchasers listed on Schedule I hereto, (the "INITIAL PURCHASERS"). This Agreement is made pursuant to the Purchase Agreement dated June 28, 2002, by and among the Company and the Initial Purchasers (the "PURCHASE AGREEMENT"), which provides for the sale by the Company to the Initial Purchasers of $325,000,000 principal amount of its 8.875% Notes due 2012 (the "SECURITIES"). The Notes are to be issued pursuant to the provisions of an Indenture dated as of July 3, 2002 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the "INDENTURE") by and among the Company and Citibank, N.A., as trustee (the "TRUSTEE"). In order to induce the Initial Purchasers to enter into the Purchase Agreement, the Company has agreed to provide to each Initial Purchaser and its direct and indirect transferees the registration rights with respect to the Securities set forth in this Agreement. The execution of this Agreement is a condition to the closing under the Purchase Agreement. In consideration of the foregoing, the parties hereto agree as follows: 1. Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following capitalized defined terms shall have the following meanings: "1933 ACT" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time. "1934 ACT" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time. "AGREEMENT" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble. "BUSINESS DAY" shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 13e-4(a)(3) under the 1934 Act. 2 "CLOSING DATE" shall mean the Closing Date as defined in the Purchase Agreement. "COMPANY" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble and shall also include the Company's successors. "EXCHANGE DATES" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(a)(ii). "EXCHANGE OFFER" shall mean the exchange offer by the Company of Exchange Securities for all Securities that are Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof. "EXCHANGE OFFER REGISTRATION" shall mean a registration under the 1933 Act effected pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof. "EXCHANGE OFFER REGISTRATION STATEMENT" shall mean a registration statement on Form S-4 (or, if applicable, on another appropriate form) relating to an offering of Exchange Securities pursuant to an Exchange Offer and all amendments and supplements to such registration statement, in each case including the Prospectus contained therein, all exhibits thereto and all material incorporated by reference therein. "EXCHANGE SECURITIES" shall mean any securities issued by the Company to be offered to Holders in exchange for Securities (pursuant to the Exchange Offer or otherwise) pursuant to an Exchange Offer Registration Statement containing terms identical to the Securities for which they are exchanged except that (i) interest thereon shall accrue from the last date on which interest was paid on the Securities or, if no such interest has been paid, from the date of issuance of the Securities and (ii) the Exchange Securities will not contain the legend appearing on the face of the Securities in the form recited in the Indenture and will not contain terms with respect to transfer restrictions. "HOLDER" shall mean each Initial Purchaser, for so long as it owns any Registrable Securities, and each of its successors, assigns and direct and indirect transferees who become registered owners of Registrable Securities under the Indenture; provided that for purposes of Sections 4 and 5 of this Agreement, the term "Holder" shall include Participating Broker-Dealers (as defined in Section 4(a)). "INDEMNIFIED PARTY" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(c). "INDEMNIFYING PARTY" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(c). "INDENTURE" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble. 3 "INITIAL PURCHASERS" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble. "LIQUIDATED DAMAGES" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(e). "MAJORITY HOLDERS" shall mean the Holders of a majority of the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Registrable Securities; provided that, for purposes of Section 6(b), whenever the consent or approval of Holders of a specified percentage of Registrable Securities is required hereunder, Registrable Securities held by the Company or any of its affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 405 under the 1933 Act)(other than the Initial Purchasers or subsequent Holders of Registrable Securities if such subsequent Holders are deemed to be such affiliates solely by reason of their holding of such Registrable Securities) shall not be considered outstanding and shall not be counted in determining whether such consent or approval was given by the Holders of such required percentage or amount. "PARTICIPANT" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(a). "PARTICIPATING BROKER-DEALER" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a) hereof. "PERSON" shall mean an individual, partnership, limited liability company, corporation, trust or unincorporated organization, or a government or agency or political subdivision thereof. "PROSPECTUS" shall mean the prospectus included in a Registration Statement, including any preliminary prospectus, and any such prospectus as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, including a prospectus supplement with respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the Registrable Securities covered by a Shelf Registration Statement, and by all other amendments and supplements to such prospectus, and in each case including all material incorporated by reference therein. "PURCHASE AGREEMENT" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble. "REGISTRABLE SECURITIES" shall mean the Securities; provided, however, that the Securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities when (i) a Registration Statement with respect to such Securities shall have been declared effective under the 1933 Act and such Securities shall have been exchanged for Exchange Securities pursuant to an Exchange Offer Registration Statement or disposed of pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement, as applicable, (ii) such Securities have been sold to the public pursuant to Rule 144 under the 1933 Act or are saleable pursuant to Rule 144(k)(or any similar 4 provision then in force, but not Rule 144A) under the 1933 Act or (iii) such Securities shall have ceased to be outstanding. "REGISTRATION DEFAULT" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(e). "REGISTRATION EXPENSES" shall mean any and all expenses incident to performance of or compliance by the Company with this Agreement, including without limitation: (i) all SEC, stock exchange or National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. registration and filing fees, (ii) all fees and expenses incurred in connection with compliance with state securities or blue sky laws (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for any underwriters or Holders in connection with blue sky qualification of any of the Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities), (iii) all expenses of any Person in preparing or assisting in preparing, word processing, printing and distributing any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, any amendments or supplements thereto, any underwriting agreements, securities sales agreements and other documents relating to the performance of and compliance with this Agreement, (iv) all rating agency fees, (v) all fees and disbursements relating to the qualification of the Indenture under applicable securities laws, (vi) the fees and disbursements of the Trustee and its counsel, (vii) the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the reasonable fees and disbursements of one counsel for the Holders (which counsel shall be selected by the Majority Holders and which counsel may also be counsel for the Initial Purchasers) and (viii) the fees and disbursements of the independent public accountants of the Company, including the expenses of any special audits or "cold comfort" letters required by or incident to such performance and compliance, but excluding fees of counsel to the Underwriters (other than the fees and expenses set forth in clause (ii) above) and the Holders and underwriting discounts and commissions and transfer taxes, if any, relating to the sale or disposition of Registrable Securities by a Holder. "REGISTRATION STATEMENT" shall mean any registration statement of the Company that covers any of the Exchange Securities or the Registrable Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement and all amendments and supplements to any such Registration Statement, including post-effective amendments, in each case including the Prospectus contained therein, all exhibits thereto and all material incorporated by reference therein. "SEC" shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission. "SECURITIES" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble. "SHELF REGISTRATION" shall mean a registration effected pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof. 5 "SHELF REGISTRATION STATEMENT" shall mean a "shelf" registration statement of the Company pursuant to the provisions of Section 2(b) of this Agreement which covers all of the Registrable Securities (but no other securities unless approved by the Holders of a majority of the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Registrable Securities that are covered by such Shelf Registration Statement) on an appropriate form under Rule 415 under the 1933 Act, or any similar rule that may be adopted by the SEC, and all amendments and supplements to such registration statement, including post-effective amendments, in each case including the Prospectus contained therein, all exhibits thereto and all material incorporated by reference therein. "TIA" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(1) hereof. "TRUSTEE" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble. "UNDERWRITER" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3 hereof. "UNDERWRITTEN REGISTRATION OR UNDERWRITTEN OFFERING" shall mean a registration in which Registrable Securities are sold to an Underwriter for reoffering to the public. 2. Registration under the 1933 Act. (a) To the extent not prohibited by any applicable law or applicable interpretation of the Staff of the SEC, the Company shall (1) cause to be filed an Exchange Offer Registration Statement within 75 days following the Closing Date covering the offer by the Company to the Holders to exchange all of the Registrable Securities for an equal aggregate principal amount of Exchange Securities and (2) use its reasonable best efforts to cause such Exchange Offer Registration Statement to become effective within 120 days following the Closing Date. The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to have the Exchange Offer Registration Statement remain effective until the closing of the Exchange Offer. The Company shall commence the Exchange Offer promptly after the Exchange Offer Registration Statement has been declared effective by the SEC and use its reasonable best efforts to have the Exchange Offer consummated not later than 60 days after such effective date. The Company shall commence the Exchange Offer by mailing the related exchange offer Prospectus and accompanying documents to each Holder stating, in addition to such other disclosures as are required by applicable law: (i) that the Exchange Offer is being made pursuant to this Registration Rights Agreement and that all Registrable Securities validly tendered will be accepted for exchange; 6 (ii) the dates of acceptance for exchange (which shall be a period of at least 20 Business Days from the date such notice is mailed) (the "Exchange Dates"); (iii) that any Registrable Security not tendered will remain outstanding and continue to accrue interest, but will not retain any rights under this Agreement; (iv) that Holders electing to have a Registrable Security exchanged pursuant to the Exchange Offer will be required to surrender such Registrable Security, together with the enclosed letters of transmittal, to the institution and at the address specified in the notice prior to the close of business on the last Exchange Date; and (v) that Holders will be entitled to withdraw their election, not later than the close of business on the last Exchange Date, by sending to the institution and at the address (located in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York) specified in the notice, a telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter setting forth the name of such Holder, the principal amount of Registrable Securities delivered for exchange and a statement that such Holder is withdrawing his election to have such Registrable Securities exchanged. As soon as practicable after the last Exchange Date, the Company shall: (A) accept for exchange Registrable Securities or portions thereof tendered and not validly withdrawn pursuant to the Exchange Offer; and (B) deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Trustee for cancellation all Registrable Securities or portions thereof so accepted for exchange by the Company and issue, and cause the Trustee to promptly authenticate and mail to each Holder, an Exchange Security equal in aggregate principal amount to the aggregate principal amount of the Registrable Securities surrendered by such Holder. The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to complete the Exchange Offer as provided above and shall comply with the applicable requirements of the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act and other applicable laws and 7 regulations in connection with the Exchange Offer. The Exchange Offer shall not be subject to any conditions, other than that the Exchange Offer does not violate applicable law or any applicable interpretation of the Staff of the SEC. The Company shall inform the Initial Purchasers of the names and addresses of the Holders to whom the Exchange Offer is made, and the Initial Purchasers shall have the right, subject to applicable law, to contact such Holders and otherwise facilitate the tender of Registrable Securities in the Exchange Offer. If, during the period the Exchange Offer Registration Statement is effective, an event occurs which makes any statement made in such Exchange Offer Registration Statement or the related Prospectus untrue in any material respect or which requires the making of any changes in such Exchange Offer Registration Statement or Prospectus in order to make the statements therein not misleading, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to prepare and file with the SEC a supplement or post-effective amendment to the Exchange Offer Registration Statement or the related Prospectus or any document incorporated therein by reference or file any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of the Registrable Securities, such Prospectus will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The Company agrees to notify the Holders to suspend the exchange of the Registrable Securities as promptly as practicable after the occurrence of such an event, and the Holders hereby agree to suspend such exchange until the Company has amended or supplemented the Prospectus to correct such misstatement or omission. (b) If (i) the Company determines that the Exchange Offer Registration provided for in Section 2(a) above is not available or may not be consummated as soon as practicable after the last Exchange Date because it would violate applicable law or the applicable interpretations of the Staff of the SEC, (ii) the Exchange Offer is not for any other reason consummated within 180 days following the Closing Date or (iii) in the written opinion of counsel for the Holders a Shelf Registration Statement must be filed and a Prospectus must be delivered by any Holder in connection with any reoffering or resale of Registrable Securities, the Company shall (x) file with the SEC within 75 days following such determination, date or notice of such opinion of counsel is given to the Company a Shelf Registration Statement providing for the resale by the Holders (other than those who fail to comply with the paragraph immediately following clause (p) of Section 3) of all of their Registrable Securities and (y) use its reasonable best efforts to cause such Shelf Registration Statement to become effective within 60 days thereafter. If the Company is required to file a 8 Shelf Registration Statement solely as a result of the matters referred to in clause (iii) of the preceding sentence, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to file and have declared effective by the SEC both an Exchange Offer Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(a) with respect to all Registrable Securities and a Shelf Registration Statement (which may be a combined Registration Statement with the Exchange Offer Registration Statement) with respect to reoffers and resales of Registrable Securities held by the Holders who must deliver the related Prospectus. The Company agrees to use its reasonable best efforts to keep the Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective until the expiration of the period referred to in Rule 144(k) with respect to the Registrable Securities or such shorter period that will terminate when all of the Registrable Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement have been sold pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement or cease to be Registrable Securities within the meaning of this Agreement. The Company further agrees to supplement or amend the Shelf Registration Statement if required by the rules, regulations or instructions applicable to the registration form used by the Company for such Shelf Registration Statement or by the 1933 Act or by any other rules and regulations thereunder for shelf registration or if reasonably requested by a Holder with respect to information relating to such Holder, and to use its reasonable best efforts to cause any such amendment to become effective and such Shelf Registration Statement to become usable as soon as thereafter practicable. The Company agrees to furnish to the Holders of Registrable Securities copies of any such supplement or amendment promptly after its being used or filed with the SEC. (c) The Company shall pay all Registration Expenses in connection with the registration pursuant to Section 2(a) or Section 2(b). Each Holder shall pay all underwriting discounts, if any, and commissions and transfer taxes, if any, relating to the sale or disposition of such Holder's Registrable Securities pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement. (d) An Exchange Offer Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof or a Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof will not be deemed to have become effective unless it has been declared effective by the SEC; provided, however, that, if, after it has been declared effective, the offering of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement is interfered with by any stop order, injunction or other order or requirement of the SEC or any other governmental agency or court, such Registration Statement will be deemed not to have become effective during the period of such interference until the offering of Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement may legally resume. 9 (e) The Company and the Initial Purchasers agree that the Holders will suffer damages if the Company fails to fulfill its obligations under Section 2(a) or Section 2(b) hereof and that it would not be feasible to ascertain the extent of such damages with precision. Accordingly, the Company agrees that if: (i) the Exchange Offer Registration Statement is not filed with the SEC on or prior to the 75th day following the Closing Date, (ii) the Exchange Offer Registration Statement is not declared effective on or prior to the 120th day following the Closing Date, (iii) the Exchange Offer is not completed on or prior to the 180th day following the Closing Date, or (iv) the Shelf Registration Statement is required to be filed but is not filed or declared effective within the time period set forth herein or is declared effective but thereafter ceases to be effective or usable prior to the expiration of the period referred to in Rule 144(k) with respect to the Registrable Securities other than after the Registrable Securities have been disposed of under the Shelf Registration Statement or cease to be Registrable Securities, without being succeeded within two Business Days by a post-effective amendment which cures the failure and that is itself immediately declared effective, (each such event referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) a "REGISTRATION DEFAULT"), liquidated damages ("LIQUIDATED DAMAGES") will accrue on the affected Registrable Securities and the affected Exchange Securities, as applicable. The rate of Liquidated Damages will be 0.25% per annum of the principal amount of Registrable Securities held by such Holder for the first 90-day period immediately following the occurrence of a Registration Default, increasing to 0.50% per annum thereafter, from and including the date on which any such Registration Default shall occur to, but excluding, the earlier of (1) the date on which all Registration Defaults have been cured or (2) the date on which all the Registrable Securities and Exchange Securities otherwise become freely transferable by Holders other than affiliates of the Securities without further registration under the 1933 Act. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (1) the amount of Liquidated Damages payable shall not increase because more than one Registration Default has occurred and is pending and (2) a Holder of Registrable Securities or Exchange 10 Securities who is not entitled to the benefits of the Shelf Registration Statement (i.e., such Holder has not elected to including information) shall not be entitled to Liquidated Damages with respect to a Registration Default that pertains to the Shelf Registration Statement. (f) The Company shall notify the Trustee within one Business Day after each date on which an event occurs in respect of which Liquidated Damages are required to be paid. Any amounts of Liquidated Damages due pursuant to this Section 2 will be payable in addition to any other interest payable from time to time with respect to the Registrable Securities in cash semi-annually on the interest payment dates specified in the Indenture (to the holders of record as specified in the Indenture), commencing with the first such interest payment date occurring after any such Liquidated Damages commence to accrue. The amount of Liquidated Damages will be determined in a manner consistent with the calculation of interest under the Indenture. (g) Without limiting the remedies available to the Holders, the Company acknowledges that any failure by the Company to comply with its obligations under Section 2(a) and Section 2(b) hereof may result in material irreparable injury to the Holders for which there is no adequate remedy at law, that it will not be possible to measure damages for such injuries precisely and that, in the event of any such failure, the Initial Purchasers or any Holder may obtain such relief as may be required to specifically enforce the Company's obligations under Section 2(a) and Section 2(b) hereof. 3. Registration Procedures. In connection with the obligations of the Company with respect to the Registration Statements pursuant to Section 2(a) and Section 2(b) hereof, the Company shall as expeditiously as possible (provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to take actions more promptly than required by Sections 2(a) and 2(b)): (a) prepare and file with the SEC a Registration Statement on the appropriate form under the 1933 Act, which form shall (x) be selected by the Company, (y) in the case of a Shelf Registration, be available for the sale of the Registrable Securities by the selling Holders thereof and (z) comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the 1933 Act and rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and include all financial statements required by the SEC to be filed therewith, and use reasonable best efforts to cause such Registration Statement to become effective and remain effective in accordance with Section 2 hereof; 11 (b) prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and post-effective amendments to each Registration Statement as may be necessary to keep such Registration Statement effective for the applicable period and cause each Prospectus to be supplemented by any required prospectus supplement and, as so supplemented, to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the 1933 Act; and keep each Prospectus current during the period described under Section 4(3) and Rule 174 under the 1933 Act that is applicable to transactions by brokers or dealers with respect to the Registrable Securities or Exchange Securities; (c) in the case of a Shelf Registration, furnish to each Holder of Registrable Securities, to counsel for the Initial Purchasers and to counsel for the Holders and to each Underwriter of an Underwritten Offering of Registrable Securities, if any, without charge, as many copies of each Prospectus, including each preliminary Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and such other documents as such Holder or Underwriter may reasonably request, in order to facilitate the public sale or other disposition of the Registrable Securities; and, subject to Section 3(i), the Company consents to the use of such Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto in accordance with applicable law by each of the selling Holders of Registrable Securities and any such Underwriters in connection with the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities covered by and in the manner described in such Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto in accordance with applicable law; (d) use its reasonable best efforts to register or qualify the Registrable Securities under all applicable state securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as any Holder of Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement shall reasonably request in writing by the time the applicable Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC, and to cooperate with such Holders in connection with any filings required to be made with the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. and do any and all other acts and things which may be reasonably necessary or advisable to enable such Holder to consummate the disposition in each such jurisdiction of such Registrable Securities owned by such Holder; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify but for this Section 3(d), (ii) file any general consent to service of process or (iii) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction if it is not so subject; (e) in the case of a Shelf Registration, notify each Holder of Registrable Securities, counsel for the Holders and counsel for the Initial 12 Purchasers (or, if applicable, separate counsel for the Holders) promptly and, if requested by any such Holder or counsel, confirm such advice in writing, (i) when a Registration Statement has become effective and when any post-effective amendment thereto has been filed and becomes effective, (ii) of any request by the SEC or any state securities authority for amendments and supplements to a Registration Statement and Prospectus or for additional information after the Registration Statement has become effective, (iii) of the issuance by the SEC or any state securities authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose, (iv) if, between the effective date of a Registration Statement and the closing of any sale of Registrable Securities covered thereby, the representations and warranties of the Company contained in any underwriting agreement, securities sales agreement or other similar agreement, if any, relating to the offering cease to be true and correct in all material respects or if the Company receives any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation of any proceeding for such purpose, (v) of the happening of any event during the period a Shelf Registration Statement is effective which makes any statement made in such Shelf Registration Statement or the related Prospectus untrue in any material respect or which requires the making of any changes in such Registration Statement or Prospectus in order to make the statements therein not misleading and (vi) of any determination by the Company that a post-effective amendment to a Registration Statement would be appropriate; (f) use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the withdrawal of any order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement at the earliest possible moment and provide immediate notice to each Holder of the withdrawal of any such order; (g) in the case of a Shelf Registration, furnish to each Holder of Registrable Securities, without charge, at least one conformed copy of each Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto (without documents incorporated therein by reference or exhibits thereto, unless requested); (h) in the case of a Shelf Registration, cooperate with the selling Holders of Registrable Securities to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing Registrable Securities to be sold and not bearing any restrictive legends (unless required by applicable securities laws) and enable such Registrable Securities to be in such denominations (consistent with the provisions of the Indenture) and registered in such names as the selling Holders 13 may reasonably request at least two Business Days prior to the closing of any sale of Registrable Securities; (i) in the case of a Shelf Registration, upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by Section 3(e)(v) hereof, use its reasonable best efforts to prepare and file with the SEC a supplement or post-effective amendment to a Registration Statement or the related Prospectus or any document incorporated therein by reference or file any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of the Registrable Securities, such Prospectus will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The Company agrees to notify the Holders to suspend use of the Prospectus as promptly as practicable after the occurrence of such an event, and the Holders hereby agree to suspend use of the Prospectus until the Company has amended or supplemented the Prospectus to correct such misstatement or omission and has furnished copies of the amended or supplemented Prospectus to the Holders or until the Company notifies the Holders that the sale of the Registrable Securities may be resumed; (j) a reasonable time prior to the filing of any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, any amendment to a Registration Statement or amendment or supplement to a Prospectus, or any document which is to be incorporated by reference into a Registration Statement or Prospectus after the initial filing of a Registration Statement, provide copies of such document to the Initial Purchasers and their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Holders and their counsel) and make such of the representatives of the Company as shall be reasonably requested by the Initial Purchasers or their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Holders or their counsel) available for discussion of such document, and shall not at any time file or make any amendment to the Shelf Registration Statement, any Prospectus or any amendment of or supplement to a Shelf Registration Statement or a Prospectus or any document which is to be incorporated by reference into a Registration Statement or a Prospectus, of which the Initial Purchasers and their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Holders or their counsel) shall not have previously been advised and furnished a copy or to which the Initial Purchasers or their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Holders or their counsel) shall reasonably object; (k) obtain a CUSIP number for all Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities, as the case may be, not later than the effective date of the applicable Registration Statement; 14 (l) cause the Indenture to be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the "TIA"), in connection with the registration of the Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities, as the case may be, and cooperate with the Trustee and the Holders to effect such changes to the Indenture as may be required for the Indenture to be so qualified in accordance with the terms of the TIA and execute, and use commercially reasonable best efforts to cause the Trustee to execute, all documents as may be required to effect such changes and all other forms and documents required to be filed with the SEC to enable the Indenture to be so qualified in a timely manner; (m) in the case of a Shelf Registration, make available for inspection by a representative of the Holders of the Registrable Securities, any Underwriter participating in any disposition pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement, and attorneys and accountants designated by the Holders, at reasonable times and in a reasonable manner, all financial and other records, pertinent documents and properties of the Company, and cause the respective officers, directors and employees of the Company to supply all information reasonably requested by any such representative, Underwriter, attorney or accountant in connection with a Shelf Registration Statement, in each case that would customarily be reviewed or examined in connection with "due diligence" review of the Company; (n) use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Exchange Securities to continue to be rated by two nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (as such term is defined in Rule 436(g)(2) under the 1933 Act), if the Registrable Securities have been rated; (o) if reasonably requested by any Holder of Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement, (i) promptly incorporate in a Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment such information with respect to such Holder as such Holder reasonably requests to be included therein and (ii) make all required filings of such Prospectus supplement or such post-effective amendment as soon as reasonably practicable after the Company has received notification of the matters to be incorporated in such filing; and (p) in the case of a Shelf Registration, enter into such customary agreements and take all such other actions in connection therewith (including those reasonably requested by the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities being sold thereunder) in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities thereunder including, but not limited to, pursuant to an Underwritten Offering and in such connection, (i) to the 15 extent possible, make such representations and warranties to the Holders and any Underwriters of such Registrable Securities with respect to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, the Registration Statement, Prospectus and documents incorporated by reference or deemed incorporated by reference, if any, in each case, in form, substance and scope as are customarily made by issuers to underwriters in underwritten offerings and confirm the same if and when requested, (ii) obtain opinions of counsel to the Company (which counsel and opinions, in form, scope and substance, shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Registrable Securities being sold under such Shelf Registration Statement, such Underwriters and their respective counsel) addressed to each selling Holder and Underwriter of Registrable Securities, covering the matters customarily covered in opinions requested in underwritten offerings, (iii) obtain "cold comfort" letters from the independent certified public accountants of the Company (and, if necessary, any other certified public accountant of any subsidiary of the Company, or of any business acquired by the Company for which financial statements and financial data are or are required to be included in the Registration Statement) addressed to each selling Holder and Underwriter of Registrable Securities, such letters to be in customary form and covering matters of the type customarily covered in "cold comfort" letters in connection with underwritten offerings, and (iv) deliver such documents and certificates as may be reasonably requested by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Registrable Securities being sold under such Shelf Registration Statement or by the Underwriters, and which are customarily delivered in underwritten offerings, to evidence the continued validity of the representations and warranties of the Company made pursuant to clause (i) above and to evidence compliance with any customary conditions contained in an underwriting agreement. In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Company may require each Holder of Registrable Securities to furnish to the Company such information regarding the Holder and the proposed distribution by such Holder of such Registrable Securities as the Company may from time to time reasonably request in writing. No Holder of Registrable Securities may include its Registrable Securities in such Shelf Registration Statement unless and until such Holder furnishes such information to the Company. Each Holder including Registrable Securities in a Shelf Registration Statement shall agree to furnish promptly to the Company all information regarding such Holder and the proposed distribution by such Holder of such Registrable Securities required to make the information previously furnished to the Company by such Holder not materially misleading. 16 In connection with an Exchange Offer Registration, each Holder exchanging Securities for Exchange Securities shall be required to represent that (i) the Exchange Securities are being obtained in the ordinary course of business of the Person receiving such Exchange Securities, whether or not such Person is a Holder, (ii) neither such Holder nor any such other Person has an arrangement or understanding with any Person to participate in the distribution of Exchange Securities, (iii) other than as set forth in Section 4, if the Holder is not a broker-dealer, or is a broker-dealer but will not receive Exchange Securities for its own account in exchange for Securities, neither the Holder nor any such other Person is engaged in or intends to participate in a distribution of the Exchange Securities and (iv) neither the Holder nor any such other Person is an "affiliate" of the Company within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act or, if such Person is an "affiliate", that such Holder will comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act to the extent applicable. In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, each Holder agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 3(e)(v) hereof, such Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement until such Holder's receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus contemplated by Section 3(i) hereof, and, if so directed by the Company, such Holder will destroy or deliver to the Company (at its expense) all copies in its possession, other than permanent file copies then in such Holder's possession, of the Prospectus covering such Registrable Securities current at the time of receipt of such notice. If the Company shall give any such notice to suspend the disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement, the Company shall extend the period during which the Registration Statement shall be maintained effective pursuant to this Agreement by the number of days during the period from and including the date of the giving of such notice to and including the date when the Holders shall have received copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus necessary to resume such dispositions. The Company may give such notice so long as there are no more than 90 days during any 365 day period in which such suspensions are in effect. The Holders of Registrable Securities covered by a Shelf Registration Statement who desire to do so may sell such Registrable Securities in an Underwritten Offering. In any such Underwritten Offering, the investment banker or investment bankers and manager or managers (the "Underwriters") that will administer the offering will be selected by the Majority Holders of the 17 Registrable Securities included in such offering, provided that such Underwriters shall be reasonably acceptable to the Company. 4. Participation of Broker-Dealers in Exchange Offer. (a) The parties hereto understand that the Staff of the SEC has taken the position that any broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its own account in the Exchange Offer in exchange for Securities that were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of market-making or other trading activities (a "Participating Broker-Dealer"), may be deemed to be an "underwriter" within the meaning of the 1933 Act and must deliver a prospectus meeting the requirements of the 1933 Act in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities. The Company understands that it is currently the Staff's position that if the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement includes a plan of distribution containing a statement to the above effect and the means by which Participating Broker-Dealers may resell the Exchange Securities, without naming the Participating Broker-Dealers or specifying the amount of Exchange Securities owned by them, such Prospectus may be delivered by Participating Broker-Dealers to satisfy their prospectus delivery obligation under the 1933 Act in connection with resales of Exchange Securities for their own accounts, so long as the Prospectus otherwise meets the requirements of the 1933 Act. (b) In light of the above, notwithstanding the other provisions of this Agreement, the Company agrees that the provisions of this Agreement as they relate to a Shelf Registration shall also apply to an Exchange Offer Registration to the extent, and with such reasonable modifications thereto as may be, reasonably requested by the Initial Purchasers or by one or more Participating Broker-Dealers, in each case as provided in clause (ii) below, in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of any Exchange Securities by Participating Broker-Dealers consistent with the positions of the Staff recited in Section 4(a) above; provided that: (i) the Company shall not be required to amend or supplement the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, as would otherwise be contemplated by Section 3(i), for a period exceeding 180 days after the last Exchange Date (as such period may be extended pursuant to the penultimate paragraph of Section 3 of this Agreement) and Participating Broker-Dealers shall not be authorized by the Company to deliver and shall not 18 deliver such Prospectus after such period in connection with the resales contemplated by this Section 4; and (ii) the application of the Shelf Registration procedures set forth in Section 3 of this Agreement to an Exchange Offer Registration, to the extent not required by the positions of the Staff of the SEC or the 1933 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, will be in conformity with the reasonable request in writing to the Company by the Initial Purchasers or with the reasonable request in writing to the Company by one or more broker-dealers who certify to the Initial Purchasers and the Company in writing that they anticipate that they will be Participating Broker-Dealers; and provided further that, in connection with such application of the Shelf Registration procedures set forth in Section 3 to an Exchange Offer Registration, the Company shall be obligated (x) to deal only with one entity representing the Participating Broker-Dealers, which shall be Salomon Smith Barney Inc. unless it elects not to act as such representative, (y) to pay the fees and expenses of only one counsel representing the Participating Broker-Dealers, which shall be counsel to the Initial Purchasers unless such counsel elects not to so act and (z) to cause to be delivered only one, if any, "cold comfort" letter with respect to the Prospectus in the form existing on the last Exchange Date and with respect to each subsequent amendment or supplement, if any, effected during the period specified in clause (i) above. (c) The Initial Purchasers shall have no liability to the Company, other than as Holders in accordance with the terms hereof, or to any other Holder with respect to any request that they may make pursuant to Section 4(b) above. 5. Indemnification and Contribution. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Initial Purchasers, each Holder and each Person, if any, who controls the Initial Purchasers or any Holder within the meaning of either Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, or is under common control with, or is controlled by, the Initial Purchasers or any Holder (each, a "Participant"), from and against all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal fees or other expenses reasonably incurred by a Participant in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) pursuant to which 19 Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities were registered under the 1933 Act, including all documents incorporated therein by reference, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Prospectus (as amended or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished any amendments or supplements thereto) forming a part of such Registration Statement, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary to make the statements therein in light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities are caused by any such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission based upon and in conformity with information relating to the Initial Purchasers or any Holder furnished to the Company in writing by the Initial Purchasers or any selling Holder expressly for use therein; provided that the foregoing indemnity with respect to any Prospectus shall not inure to the benefit of any Holder from whom the Person asserting any such losses, claims, damages or liabilities purchased Securities, or any Person controlling such Holder, if a copy of the final Prospectus (as then amended or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished any amendments or supplements thereto) was not sent by, or delivered on behalf of, such Holder to such Person at or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of the Securities to such Person, if the final Prospectus (as so amended or supplemented) would have cured the defect giving rise to such loss, claim, damage or liability. In connection with any Underwritten Offering permitted by Section 3, the Company will also enter into an underwriting agreement pursuant to which the Company will agree to indemnify the Underwriters, if any, selling brokers, dealers and similar securities industry professionals participating in such Underwritten Offering, their officers and directors and each Person who controls such Persons (within the meaning of either Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act) to the same extent as provided above with respect to the indemnification of the Holders, if requested in connection with any Registration Statement for such Underwritten Offering. (b) Each Holder agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Initial Purchasers and the other selling Holders, and each of their respective directors and officers who sign the Registration Statement and each Person, if any, who controls the Company, the Initial Purchasers and any other selling Holder within the meaning of either Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to the Initial Purchasers and the Holders pursuant to Section 5(a), but only with reference to information relating to such Holder furnished to the Company in writing by such 20 Holder expressly for use in any Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or any Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto). (c) In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be instituted involving any Person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to either paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) above, such Person (the "INDEMNIFIED PARTY") shall promptly notify the Person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the "INDEMNIFYING PARTY") in writing, but the failure to so promptly notify the Indemnifying Party shall not negate the obligation to so indemnify such Indemnified Party unless the Indemnifying Party is materially prejudiced by such delay, and the Indemnifying Party, upon request of the Indemnified Party, shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party to represent the Indemnified Party and any others the Indemnifying Party may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and expenses of such counsel related to such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Party shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Party unless (i) the Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified Party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel or (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified Party and, in the opinion of counsel to the Indemnifying Party, representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is understood that the Indemnifying Party shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for (a) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for the Initial Purchasers and all Persons, if any, who control the Initial Purchasers within the meaning of either Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, (b) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for the Company, its directors, its officers who sign the Registration Statement and each Person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of either such Section and (c) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Holders and all Persons, if any, who control any Holders within the meaning of either such Section, and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. In such case involving the Initial Purchasers and Persons who control the Initial Purchasers, such firm shall be designated in writing by the Initial Purchasers. In such case involving the Holders and such Persons who control Holders, such firm shall be designated in writing by the Majority Holders. In all other cases, such firm shall be designated by the Company. The Indemnifying Party shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding 21 effected without its written consent but, if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the Indemnifying Party agrees to indemnify the Indemnified Party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. No Indemnifying Party shall, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which such Indemnified Party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding. (d) If the indemnification provided for in paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) of this Section 5 is unavailable to an Indemnified Party or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, then each Indemnifying Party under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Party thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Indemnifying Party or parties on the one hand and of the Indemnified Party or parties on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the Company and the Holders shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Holders and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Holders' respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 5(d) are several in proportion to the respective principal amount of Registrable Securities of the applicable Holder that were registered pursuant to a Registration Statement. (e) The Company and each Holder agree that it would not be just or equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 5(d) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in Section 5(d) above. The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Party as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in Section 5(d) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5, no Holder shall be required to indemnify or contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which Registrable Securities 22 were sold by such Holder exceeds the amount of any damages that such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No Person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The remedies provided for in this Section 5 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any Indemnified Party at law or in equity. The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section 5 shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of the Initial Purchasers, any Holder or any Person controlling the Initial Purchasers or any Holder, or by or on behalf of the Company, its officers or directors or any Person controlling the Company, (iii) acceptance of any of the Exchange Securities and (iv) any sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement. 6. Miscellaneous. (a) No Inconsistent Agreements. The Company has not entered into, and on or after the date of this Agreement will not enter into, any agreement which is inconsistent with the rights granted to the Holders of Registrable Securities in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof. The rights granted to the Holders hereunder do not in any way conflict with and are not inconsistent with the rights granted to the holders of the Company's other issued and outstanding securities under any such agreements. (b) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement, including the provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof may not be given unless the Company has obtained the written consent of Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Registrable Securities affected by such amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or consent; provided, however, that no amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or consent to any departure from the provisions of Section 5 hereof or this paragraph (b) shall be effective as against any Holder of Registrable Securities unless consented to in writing by such Holder. 23 (c) Notices. All notices and other communications provided for or permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand-delivery, registered first-class mail, telex, telecopier, or any courier guaranteeing overnight delivery (i) if to a Holder, at the most current address given by such Holder to the Company by means of a notice given in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6(c), which address initially is, with respect to the Initial Purchasers, the address set forth in the Purchase Agreement; and (ii) if to the Company, initially at the Company's address set forth in the Purchase Agreement and thereafter at such other address, notice of which is given in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6(c). All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have been duly given at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; five Business Days after being deposited in the mail, postage pre-paid, if mailed; when answered back, if telexed; when receipt is acknowledged, if telecopied; and on the next Business Day if timely delivered to an air courier guaranteeing overnight delivery. Copies of all such notices, demands, or other communications shall be concurrently delivered by the Person giving the same to the Trustee, at the address specified in the Indenture. (d) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of, and be binding upon, the successors, assigns and transferees of each of the parties, including, without limitation and without the need for an express assignment, subsequent Holders of Registrable Securities; provided that nothing herein shall be deemed to permit any assignment, transfer or other disposition of Registrable Securities in violation of the terms of the Securities and the Purchase Agreement. If any transferee of any Holder shall acquire Registrable Securities, in any manner, whether by operation of law or otherwise, such Registrable Securities shall be held subject to all of the terms of this Agreement, and by taking and holding such Registrable Securities such Person shall be conclusively deemed to have agreed to be bound by and to perform all of the terms and provisions of this Agreement and such Person shall be entitled to receive the benefits hereof. The Initial Purchasers shall have no liability or obligation to the Company with respect to any failure by a Holder to comply with, or any breach by any other Holder of, any of the obligations of such Holder under this Agreement. (e) Purchases and Sales of Securities. The Company shall not, and shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause its affiliates (as defined in Rule 405 24 under the 1933 Act) not to, purchase and then resell or otherwise transfer any Securities. (f) Third Party Beneficiary. Each Holder shall be a third party beneficiary to the agreements made hereunder between the Company, on the one hand, and the Initial Purchasers, on the other hand, shall be bound by all of the terms and provisions of this Agreement and shall have the right to enforce such agreements directly to the extent it deems such enforcement necessary or advisable to protect its rights or the rights of Holders hereunder. (g) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement. (h) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof. (i) Governing Law This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of New York. (j) Severability. In the event that any one or more of the provisions contained herein, or the application thereof in any circumstance, is held invalid, illegal or unenforceable the validity, legality and enforceability of any such provision in every other respect and of the remaining provisions contained herein shall not be affected or impaired thereby. 25 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the date first written above. TRANSCONTINENTAL GAS PIPELINE CORPORATION By: /s/ Jeffrey P. Heinrichs ------------------------ Name: Jeffrey P. Heinrichs Title: Treasurer Confirmed and accepted as of the date first above written: SALOMON SMITH BARNEY INC. on behalf of itself and the several Managers listed on Schedule I hereto By: /s/ James Hanson ----------------------------------- Name: James Hanson Title: Vice President 26 SCHEDULE I Initial Purchasers Salomon Smith Barney Inc. ABN AMRO Incorporated. Banc of America Securities LLC Commerzbank Capital Markets Corp. Credit Lyonnais Securities (USA) Inc. Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. The Royal Bank of Scotalnd plc. Scotia Capital (USA) Inc. UBS Warburg LLC Banc One Capital Markets, Inc. Barclays Capital Inc. Mizuho International plc. TD Securities (USA) Inc. 27 EX-5.1 4 d99347exv5w1.txt OPINION OF ANDREWS & KURTH LLP EXHIBIT 5.1 [ANDREWS & KURTH L.L.P. LETTERHEAD] December 10, 2002 Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation 2800 Post Oak Boulevard Houston, Texas 77251 Gentlemen: We have acted as special counsel to Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), in connection with the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement on Form S-4 by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), on December 10, 2002 (the "Registration Statement"), with respect to the issuance by the Company of up to $325,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 8?% Series B Senior Notes due 2012 (the "New Notes") in exchange for up to $325,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its outstanding 8?% Series A Senior Notes due 2012 (the "Old Notes"). The New Notes are to be issued in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture, dated as of July 3, 2002 (the "Indenture"), by and between the Company and Citibank N.A., as trustee. Citibank N.A. has been succeeded as trustee under the Indenture by Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. The New Notes are to be issued pursuant to an exchange offer (the "Exchange Offer") by the Company to holders of the issued and outstanding Old Notes, as contemplated by the Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of July 3, 2002 (the "Registration Rights Agreement"), by and between the Company and Salomon Smith Barney Inc. ("Salomon"). This opinion is being furnished in accordance with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Act. In connection with this opinion, we have examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of: (i) the Registration Statement, including the form of prospectus included therein and the documents incorporated by reference therein; (ii) the Company's Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws, each as amended to date; Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation December 10, 2002 Page 2 (iii) an executed copy of the Indenture; (iv) an executed copy of the Registration Rights Agreement; (v) the Form T-1 of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. (the "Trustee"), as successor trustee to Citibank N.A. under the Indenture , filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement; and (vi) the form of the New Notes. We have also examined originals or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction of such other certificates of public officials, officers and representatives of the Company and such other persons, and we have made such investigations of law, as we have deemed appropriate as a basis for the opinions expressed below. In rendering the opinion set forth below, we have assumed and have not verified (i) the genuineness of the signatures on all documents that we have examined, (ii) the legal capacity of all natural persons, (iii) the authenticity of all the documents supplied to us as originals, and (iv) the conformity to the authentic originals of all documents supplied to us as certified or photostatic or faxed copies. In conducting our examination of such documents, we have assumed that the parties to such documents had the power, corporate or other, to enter into and perform all obligations thereunder and have also assumed the due authorization by all requisite action, corporate or other, and the due execution and delivery by such parties of such documents and that, except as set forth below with respect to the Company, to the extent such documents purport to constitute agreements, such documents constitute valid and binding obligations of such parties. As to any facts material to the opinion expressed herein which we have not independently established or verified, we have relied upon oral or written statements and representations of officers and other representatives of the Company and others. Our opinion set forth herein is limited to the laws of the State of New York that are normally applicable to transactions of the type contemplated by the Exchange Offer and, to the extent that judicial or regulatory orders or decrees or consents, approvals, licenses, authorizations, validations, filings, recordings or registrations with governmental authorities are relevant, to those required under such laws (all of the foregoing being referred to as "Opined-on-Law"). We do not express any opinion with respect to the law of any jurisdiction other than Opined-on-Law or as to the effect of any such other law on the opinion stated herein. Based upon and subject to the foregoing, having due regard for such legal considerations as we deem relevant, and subject to the limitations, qualifications, exceptions and assumptions set forth herein, we are of the opinion that when the New Notes (in the form examined by us) have been duly executed by the Company, authenticated by the Trustee in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and delivered upon consummation of the Exchange Offer against receipt of Old Notes surrendered in exchange therefor in accordance with the terms of the Exchange Offer, the Registration Rights Agreement and the Indenture, the New Notes will Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation December 10, 2002 Page 3 constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms under the laws of the State of New York, except, to the extent that enforcement thereof may be limited by (i) bankruptcy, insolvency (including, without limitation, all laws relating to fraudulent transfer or conveyance), reorganization, moratorium, or other similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally and (ii) general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding at law or in equity). In rendering the opinion set forth above, we have assumed that the execution and delivery by the Company of the Indenture and the New Notes, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under the Indenture and the New Notes, do not and will not violate, conflict with or constitute a default under any agreement or instrument to which either the Company or its properties are subject. In addition, we have assumed that the Company is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization and has complied with all aspects of such laws in connection with the issuance of the New Notes and the related transactions. We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the Commission as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. We also consent to the reference to our firm under the caption "Legal Matters" in the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we are included in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission. This opinion is expressed as of the date hereof, and we disclaim any undertaking to advise you of any subsequent changes in the facts stated or assumed herein or of any subsequent changes in applicable law. Very truly yours, /s/ Andrews & Kurth L.L.P. EX-10.1 5 d99347exv10w1.txt PURCHASE AGREEMENT EXHIBIT 10.1 EXECUTION COPY TRANSCONTINENTAL GAS PIPE LINE CORPORATION $325,000,000 8.875% Notes due July 15, 2012 PURCHASE AGREEMENT June 28, 2002 To the Initial Purchasers listed on Schedule I hereto c/o Salomon Smith Barney Inc. 388 Greenwich Street New York, NY, 10013 Ladies and Gentlemen: Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation, a Delaware corporation, (the "COMPANY"), proposes to issue and sell to the several initial purchasers listed on Schedule I hereto (the "INITIAL PURCHASERS", individually the "INITIAL PURCHASER"), $325,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 8.875% Notes due 2012 (the "Securities"), to be issued pursuant to the provisions of an Indenture to be dated as of July 3, 2002 (the "INDENTURE"), between the Company and Citibank, N.A. (the "TRUSTEE"). The Securities will be entitled to the benefits of a registration rights agreement to be dated July 3, 2002 between the Company and the Initial Purchasers (the "REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT"). The Company hereby confirms its agreement with the Initial Purchasers to issue and sell all of the Securities to the Initial Purchasers, on the terms and conditions set forth herein. The Securities will be offered and sold to the Initial Purchasers, without registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "SECURITIES ACT"), in reliance upon an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. In connection with the sale of the Securities, the Company has prepared and delivered to the Initial Purchasers a preliminary confidential offering memorandum, dated June 28, 2002 (together with all documents incorporated by reference therein, the "PRELIMINARY OFFERING MEMORANDUM") and has prepared and will deliver to the Initial Purchasers on the date hereof or as soon as practicable thereafter, copies of a final confidential memorandum, dated June 28, 2002 (together with all amendments and supplements thereto, and together with all documents incorporated by reference therein, the "FINAL OFFERING MEMORANDUM"), relating to the Securities. The Preliminary Offering Memorandum and the Final Offering Memorandum are sometimes collectively referred to herein as the "Offering Memorandum." All references in this Agreement to the Offering Memorandum include the documents incorporated by reference therein. The Company hereby confirms that it has authorized the use of the Offering Memorandum in connection with the offer and sale of the Securities. The Company understands that the Initial Purchasers propose to make offerings ("EXEMPT RESALES") of the Securities only on the terms and in the manner set forth in the Offering Memorandum and Section 3 hereof, as soon as the Initial Purchasers deem advisable after this Agreement has been executed and delivered only (i) to persons in the United States whom the Initial Purchasers reasonably believe to be "qualified institutional buyers" ("QIBS") as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act, as such rule may be amended from time to time ("RULE 144A"), or, if any such person is buying for one or more institutional accounts for which such person is acting as fiduciary or agent, only when such person has represented to the Initial Purchasers that each such account is a QIB to whom notice has been given that such sale or delivery is being made in reliance on Rule 144A or (ii) in offshore transactions to non-U.S. persons in reliance on Regulation S under the Securities Act ("REGULATION S"). S 1. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Initial Purchasers that as of the date hereof and at the Closing Date (as defined herein): (a) The Company has been duly incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, has the corporate power and authority to own its property and to conduct its business as described in the Offering Memorandum and is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the financial condition, results of operations or business of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole (a "MATERIAL ADVERSE EFFECT"); (b) Each of the subsidiaries of the Company (the "SUBSIDIARIES" or "SUBSIDIARY") has been duly organized or validly formed, is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its 2 formation or incorporation, has the power (corporate or other) and authority to own its property and to conduct its business as described in the Offering Memorandum and is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a Material Adverse Effect; (c) Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has all consents, authorizations, approvals, orders, certificates and permits of and from, and has made all declarations and filings with, all federal, state, local and other governmental authorities, and all courts or other tribunals (collectively the "LICENSES") necessary to own, hold, or lease, as the case may be, and to operate its properties and to carry on its business as presently conducted, except where the failure to possess such Licenses could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to revocation or modification of any such Licenses; (d) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Final Offering Memorandum and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and conform to the description thereof in the Final Offering Memorandum; and all of the issued shares of capital stock of each Subsidiary (in the case of each Subsidiary which is a corporation) have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims. (e) Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries (i) is in compliance with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants ("ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS"), (ii) has received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of it under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct its business and (iii) is in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval, except, with respect to (i), (ii) and (iii), as may be disclosed in the Offering Memorandum and except where such noncompliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals or failure to comply with the terms and conditions of such permits, licenses or approvals would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; (f) There has been no storage, disposal, generation, manufacture, refinement, transportation, handling or treatment of toxic wastes, medical 3 wastes, hazardous wastes or hazardous substances by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of their predecessors in interest) at, upon or from any of the property now or previously owned or leased by the Company or its Subsidiaries in violation of any applicable law, ordinance, rule, regulation, order, judgment, decree or permit or which would require remedial action under any applicable law, ordinance, rule, regulation, order, judgment, decree or permit, except as may be disclosed in the Offering Memorandum and except for any violation or remedial action which would not have, or could not be reasonably likely to have, singularly or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect; there has been no material spill, discharge, leak, emission, injection, escape, dumping or release of any kind onto such property or into the environment surrounding such property of any toxic wastes, medical wastes, solid wastes, hazardous wastes or hazardous substances due to or caused by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or with respect to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries have knowledge, except for any such spill, discharge, leak, emission, injection, escape, dumping or release which would not have or would not be reasonably likely to have, singularly or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect; and the terms "hazardous wastes", "toxic wastes", "hazardous substances" and "medical wastes" shall have the meanings specified in any applicable local, state, federal and foreign laws or regulations with respect to environmental protection; (g) The Company has filed all material tax returns which are required to be filed by it and has paid all taxes due pursuant to such returns or pursuant to any assessment received by the Company, except where the same may be contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, and where the Company has maintained in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles appropriate reserves for the accrual of any of the same. The charges, accruals and reserves on the books of the Company in respect of taxes or other governmental charges are, in the opinion of the Company, adequate; (h) The Company is not an "investment company" or an entity "controlled" by an "investment company" as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended; (i) Assuming due authorization, execution and authentication by the Trustee, the Indenture, when duly executed and delivered by the Company, will constitute a valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as (i) the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency (including, without limitation, all laws relating to fraudulent transfers), reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors' rights 4 generally and (ii) rights of acceleration, if any, enforceability and the availability of equitable remedies may be limited by equitable principles of general applicability (regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law). The Indenture conforms in all material respects to the description thereof in the Offering Memorandum; (j) The Securities have been duly authorized by the Company and, when executed and authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the Initial Purchasers in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture and will be valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms, except as (i) the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency (including, without limitation, all laws relating to fraudulent transfers), reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally and (ii) rights of acceleration, if any, enforceability and the availability of equitable remedies may be limited by equitable principles of general applicability (regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law); (k) The Securities constitute unsecured and unsubordinated obligations of the Company and rank pari passu without any preference among themselves; the Securities rank pari passu with all other unsecured and unsubordinated debt obligations of the Company other than any unsubordinated debt obligations which rank junior to the Securities; (l) Each of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement has been duly authorized by the Company and, when duly executed and delivered by the Company, and assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by the representatives on behalf of the Initial Purchasers, will be a valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting enforcement of creditors' rights generally or is subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and except as rights to indemnification and contribution thereunder may be limited by applicable law; (m) The execution and delivery by the Company of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement, the issuance and delivery of the Securities, the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated herein and the compliance by the Company with the terms of this Agreement, the Indenture, the Securities and the Registration Rights Agreement have been duly authorized by all necessary 5 corporate action on the part of the Company and do not and will not result in any violation of the charter or by-laws of the Company, and do not and will not conflict with, or result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company is bound (except for such conflicts, breaches or defaults that could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect), nor does or will such action result in any violation of any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties; and no consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or body is required for the issuance and sale of the Securities by the Company to the Initial Purchasers as contemplated by this Agreement; (n) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of its charter or by-laws or in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contracts, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party, except for any such violation or default that would not singularly or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect; (o) The Company has filed all documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "COMMISSION") that it is required to file under the Securities Act and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "EXCHANGE ACT"), as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and such documents conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and at the time so filed none of such documents contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; and each document so filed or to be filed and incorporated by reference in the Offering Memorandum or any further amendment or supplement thereto, complied or will comply when so filed in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (p) The Offering Memorandum (as amended or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished any amendments or supplements thereto) does not as of the time hereof and will not, as of the Closing Date, 6 contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not be made to the Initial Purchasers with regard to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by, or on behalf of, the Initial Purchasers; (q) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has sustained, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Offering Memorandum, any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, which would result in any Material Adverse Effect, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the general affairs, management, financial position, stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Offering Memorandum, and, since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Offering Memorandum or since the date of the Offering Memorandum, there has not been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the general affairs, management, financial position, stockholder's equity or results of operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, otherwise than as disclosed in the Offering Memorandum; (r) The consolidated financial statements filed with or as part of any document filed with the Commission present fairly in all material respects the financial position, results of operations and changes in financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries at the dates and for the periods indicated, all in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles; and the Company has no material contingent obligation which is not disclosed in such financial statements or in the Offering Memorandum; (s) Other than as set forth or incorporated by reference in the Offering Memorandum, there is no action, suit or proceeding before or by any government, governmental instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, now pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company that could reasonably be expected to result in any Material Adverse Effect, or that could reasonably be expected to adversely affect the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement; 7 (t) Assuming the accuracy of the representations, warranties and agreements of the Initial Purchasers in Section 2 hereof, compliance by the Initial Purchasers with the offering and transfer procedures and restrictions described in the Offering Memorandum, the accuracy of the representations and warranties deemed to be made in the Offering Memorandum by purchasers to whom the Initial Purchasers initially resell the Securities and that purchasers to whom the Initial Purchasers initially resell the Securities receive a copy of the Offering Memorandum prior to such sale, it is not necessary in connection with the offer, sale and delivery of the Securities to the Initial Purchasers or in connection with the initial resale of the Securities by the Initial Purchasers, in each case, in the manner contemplated by this Agreement and the Offering Memorandum to register the Securities under the Securities Act or to qualify the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended; (u) The Company, its affiliates and any person acting on its or their behalf (other than the Initial Purchasers in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, about which the Company makes no representation) have not, directly or indirectly: (i) engaged in any directed selling efforts (within the meaning of Regulation S under the Securities Act) with respect to the Securities; (ii) offered or sold the Securities in the United States by any form of general solicitation or general advertising (within the meaning of Regulation D under the Securities Act) or in any manner involving a public offering within the meaning of Section 4(2) of the Securities Act; or (iii) sold, solicited any offers to buy or offered to sell or otherwise negotiated in respect of any security in a manner that would require registration of the Securities under the Securities Act in accordance with the theory of "integration" referred to in Regulation D under the Securities Act. (v) Assuming the accuracy of the Initial Purchasers' representations and warranties and the compliance by the Initial Purchasers with their agreements made herein, the Securities offered and sold in reliance on Regulation S have been and will be offered and sold only in offshore transactions, and the sale of the Securities pursuant to Regulation S is not part of a plan or scheme to evade the registration provisions of the Securities Act; 8 (w) The Securities satisfy the requirements of Rule 144A(d)(3) under the Securities Act; (x) The Final Offering Memorandum will contain the information regarding the Company specified in, and which satisfies the requirements of, Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act; and (y) Ernst & Young LLP, who have audited certain consolidated financial statements of the Company, are independent public accountants as required by the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. The Company (i) acknowledges that the Initial Purchasers and, for purposes of the opinions to be delivered to each Initial Purchaser pursuant hereto, counsel to the Company and counsel to the Initial Purchasers will rely upon the accuracy and truth of the foregoing representations and (ii) hereby consents to such reliance. 2. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE INITIAL PURCHASERS. Each Initial Purchaser, severally and not jointly, hereby represents and warrants to, and agrees with the Company that: each Initial Purchaser (i) is a QIB with such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters as are necessary to evaluate the merits and risks of an investment in the Securities; (ii) is not acquiring the Securities with a view to any distribution thereof that would violate the Securities Act or the securities or blue sky laws of any state or country, (iii) has received all information it considers necessary to evaluate the merits and risks of an investment in the Securities, (iv) has not and will not solicit offers for, or offer to sell, the Securities by means of any form of general solicitation or general advertising within the meaning of Rule 502(c) under the Securities Act, or in any manner involving a public offering within the meaning of Section 4(2) of the Securities Act; and (v) has and will solicit offers for the Securities only from, and will offer, sell or deliver the Securities, as part of their initial offering, only (A) to persons in the United States whom the Initial Purchasers reasonably believes to be QIBs or, if any such person is buying for one or more institutional accounts for which such person is acting as fiduciary or agent, only when such person has represented to the Initial Purchasers that each such account is a QIB to whom notice has been given that such sale or delivery is being made in reliance on Rule 144A or (B) in offshore transactions to non-U.S. persons in reliance on Regulation S. Each Initial Purchaser, severally and not jointly, hereby represents and warrants to, and agrees with the Company that: (i) such Initial Purchaser and its affiliates or any person acting on its or their behalf have not engaged or will not engage in any directed selling efforts within the meaning of Regulation S with respect to the Securities; 9 (ii) the Securities offered and sold by such Initial Purchaser pursuant hereto in reliance on Regulation S have been and will be offered and sold only in offshore transactions; (iii) the sale of the Securities offered and sold by such Initial Purchaser pursuant hereto in reliance on Regulation S is not part of a plan or scheme to evade the registration provisions of the Securities Act; (iv) such Initial Purchaser has not offered or sold and will not offer or sell the Securities in the United States or to, or for the benefit or account of, a U.S. Person (other than a distributor), in each case, as defined in Rule 902 under the Securities Act (a) as part of its distribution at any time and (b) otherwise until 40 days after the later of the commencement of the offering of the Securities pursuant hereto and the Closing Date, other than in accordance with Regulation S of the Securities Act or another exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act; (v) it has (A) not offered or sold and, prior to the date six months after the Closing Date, will not offer or sell any Securities to persons in the United Kingdom except to persons whose ordinary activities involve them in acquiring, holding, managing or disposing of investments (as principal or agent) for the purposes of their businesses or otherwise in circumstances which have not resulted and will not result in an offer to the public in the United Kingdom within the meaning of the Public Offers of Securities Regulations 1995, (B) only communicated any invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (the "FSMA")) received by it in connection with the issue or sale of any Securities in circumstances in which Section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply to the Company, and (C) complied and will comply with all applicable provisions of the FSMA with respect to anything done by it in relation to the Securities in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom; (vi) at or prior to confirmation of a sale of Securities by such Initial Purchaser pursuant hereto in reliance on Regulation S to any distributor, dealer or person receiving a selling concession, fee or other remuneration during the 40-day restricted period referred to in Rule 903(b)(2) under the Securities Act, it will send to such distributor, dealer or person receiving a selling concession, fee or other remuneration a confirmation or notice to substantially the following effect: 10 "The Securities covered hereby have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and may not be offered and sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons (i) as part of your distribution at any time or (ii) otherwise until 40 days after the later of the commencement of the Offering and the Closing Date, except in either case in accordance with Regulation S under the Securities Act or Rule 144A in transactions that are exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, and in connection with any subsequent sale by you of the Securities covered hereby in reliance on Regulation S during the period referred to above to any distributor, dealer or person receiving a selling concession, fee or other remuneration, you must deliver a notice to substantially the foregoing effect. Terms used above have the meanings assigned to them in Regulation S." The Initial Purchasers (i) acknowledge that the Company and, for purposes of the opinions to be delivered to each Initial Purchaser pursuant hereto, counsel to the Company and counsel to the Initial Purchasers will rely upon the accuracy and truth of the foregoing representations and (ii) hereby consent to such reliance. 3. AGREEMENTS TO SELL AND PURCHASE. The Company hereby agrees to sell and each Initial Purchaser, upon the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the conditions hereinafter stated, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective principal amounts of Securities set forth in Schedule I hereto opposite its name at 96.70% of their principal amount (the "PURCHASE PRICE") plus accrued interest, if any, from July 3, 2002 to the date of payment and delivery. 4. PAYMENT AND DELIVERY. Payment for the Securities shall be made by wire or other immediately available funds to the order of the Company to a bank account designated by the Company at 10:00 A.M., New York time, on July 3, 2002, or at such other time on the same or such other date, as shall be agreed by the parties and designated in writing by the Initial Purchasers. The time and date of such payment are herein referred to as the "CLOSING DATE." Payment for the Securities shall be made against delivery to the Initial Purchasers of the one or more global notes representing the Securities (collectively, the "GLOBAL NOTE") registered in the name of Cede & Co. (the "GLOBAL HOLDER") with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the transfer of the Securities to the Initial Purchasers duly paid. Such Global Note shall be made available to the Initial Purchasers for checking at least twenty four hours prior to the Closing Date, at the offices of Davis Polk & Wardwell, New York, New York. 11 5. CONDITIONS TO THE INITIAL PURCHASERS' OBLIGATIONS. The obligations of the Initial Purchasers are subject to the following conditions: (a) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date: (i) there shall not have occurred any downgrading, nor shall any notice have been received of (A) any intended or potential downgrading or (B) any review or possible change that does not indicate the direction of a possible change, in the rating accorded any of the Company's securities by any "nationally recognized statistical rating organization," as such term is defined for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Act; and (ii) there shall not have occurred any material adverse change, or any development which could reasonably be expected to result in a prospective material adverse change, in the financial condition, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Final Offering Memorandum. (b) The Initial Purchasers shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed by an executive officer of the Company, to the effect set forth in clauses (a)(i) and (ii) above and to the effect that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement are true and correct as of the Closing Date and that the Company has complied with all of the agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder on or before the Closing Date. The officer signing and delivering such certificate may rely upon the best of his or her knowledge as to proceedings threatened. (c) The Initial Purchasers shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of William G. von Glahn, Esq., Senior Vice President and General Counsel of The Williams Companies, Inc., dated the Closing Date, with such exceptions and qualifications as shall be agreed by the Initial Purchasers, to the effect set forth in Exhibit A. The opinion of William G. von Glahn, Esq. described in Exhibit A shall be rendered to the Initial Purchasers at the request of the Company and shall so state therein. (d) The Initial Purchasers shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion from Andrews & Kurth LLP, special counsel for the 12 Company, dated the Closing Date, with such exceptions and qualifications as shall be agreed by the Initial Purchasers, to the effect set forth in Exhibit B. (e) The Initial Purchasers shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Davis Polk & Wardwell, counsel for the Initial Purchasers, dated the Closing Date, covering the matters referred to in subparagraph (ix) of Exhibit A, and such other matters as shall be agreed by the Initial Purchasers. With respect to subparagraph (ix) of Exhibit A, Davis Polk & Wardwell may state that their opinion and belief are based upon their participation in the preparation of the Offering Memorandum (excluding any documents incorporated by reference therein) and any amendments or supplements thereto and review and discussion of the contents thereof, but are without independent check or verification, except as specified. Davis Polk & Wardwell may also state that they have relied solely on the opinion of William G. von Glahn, Esq., as to matters relating to the regulation of the Company by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. (f) The Initial Purchasers shall have received on the Closing Date a letter, in form and substance satisfactory to the Initial Purchasers, from Ernst & Young LLP, independent public accountants, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants' "comfort letters" to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained or incorporated by reference in the Offering Memorandum. (g) The Initial Purchasers and the Company shall have validly entered into the Registration Rights Agreement, substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto. 6. COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY. In further consideration of the agreements of the Initial Purchasers herein contained, the Company, its affiliates and any person acting on its or their behalf, covenant with the Initial Purchasers as follows: (a) The Company, its affiliates and any person acting on its or their behalf will not, directly or indirectly: (i) engage in any directed selling efforts (within the meaning of Regulation S under the Securities Act) with respect to the Securities; 13 (ii) offer or sell the Securities in the United States by any form of general solicitation or general advertising (within the meaning of Regulation D under the Securities Act) or in any manner involving a public offering within the meaning of Section 4(2) of the Securities Act; or (iii) sell, solicit any offers to buy or offer to sell or otherwise negotiate in respect of any security in a manner that would require registration of the Securities under the Securities Act in accordance with the theory of "integration" referred to in Regulation D under the Securities Act. (b) While any Security remains outstanding, during any period in which the Company is not subject to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and its securities are not exempt from Section 12(g) thereof pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) thereunder, the Company will upon request make available to the Initial Purchasers, to any holder of Securities, and to any prospective purchaser designated by any holder of Securities, the information regarding the Company specified in, and satisfying the requirements of, Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act. (c) The Company will prepare the Final Offering Memorandum in a form approved by the Initial Purchasers, and before amending or supplementing the Final Offering Memorandum, will furnish to Salomon Smith Barney Inc. on behalf of the Initial Purchasers a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement and will not prepare any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Initial Purchasers reasonably object. (d) As soon as practicable but in no event later than the New York Business Day (as defined below) next succeeding the date of this Agreement and from time to time during the period that in the opinion of counsel for the Initial Purchasers a Final Offering Memorandum is required by law to be delivered in connection with Exempt Resales by the Initial Purchasers, the Company will furnish the Initial Purchasers, in New York City, with copies of the Final Offering Memorandum and each amendment or supplement thereto, together with any independent accountants' report contained in the Final Offering Memorandum, and any amendment or supplement containing amendments to the financial statements covered by such report, signed by the accountants, and additional copies thereof in such quantities as the Initial Purchasers from time to time reasonably request, and if, at any time prior to the consummation of any Exempt Resale, any event shall have occurred as a result of which the Final Offering Memorandum as then amended or 14 supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made when such Final Offering Memorandum is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall be necessary or desirable, during such same period to amend or supplement the Final Offering Memorandum, the Company will notify the Initial Purchasers and upon the Initial Purchaser's request to prepare and furnish without charge to the Initial Purchasers and to any dealer in securities as many copies as the Initial Purchasers may from time to time reasonably request of the amended Final Offering Memorandum or supplement to the Final Offering Memorandum which will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance. For the purposes of this paragraph, "New York Business Day" shall mean any day that is not a day on which banking institutions in New York are generally authorized or required by law or regulation to close; (e) During the period beginning on the date hereof and continuing to and including the Closing Date, the Company will not offer, sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of any debt securities of the Company or warrants to purchase debt securities of the Company substantially similar to the Securities (other than the Securities and commercial paper issued in the ordinary course of business), without the prior written consent of the Initial Purchasers. (f) The Company will arrange for the qualification of the Securities for sale under the laws of such states in the United States as the Initial Purchasers designate and will continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for the resale of the Securities by the Initial Purchasers; provided that the Company will not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general consent to service of process in any such state. (g) Whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company will pay all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including: (i) expenses associated with the preparation, printing and distribution of the Offering Memorandum and all amendments and supplements thereto; (ii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the Securities; (iii) the fees and disbursements of the Company's counsel and accountants and of the Trustee and its counsel; (iv) the fees and disbursements of the Initial Purchasers' counsel; (v) the costs of qualification of the Securities under state securities or blue sky laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 6(f), including filing fees and the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Initial Purchasers in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation of any blue 15 sky or legal investment memoranda; (vi) the costs of printing and delivery to the Initial Purchasers in quantities as herein above stated of copies of the Offering Memorandum and any amendments or supplements thereto; (vii) the costs of printing and delivery to the Initial Purchasers of copies of any blue sky or legal investment memoranda; (viii) any fees charged by rating agencies for the rating of the Securities; and (ix) any expenses incurred by the Company in connection with a "road show" presentation to potential investors. (h) To take all reasonable action necessary to enable Standard & Poor's Rating Service, a division of McGraw Hill, Inc. ("S&P"), and Moody's Investor Service, Inc. ("MOODY'S") to provide their respective ratings of the Securities. (i) To cooperate with the Initial Purchasers and use its reasonable best efforts to permit the Securities to be eligible for clearance and settlement through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company. 7. COVENANTS OF THE INITIAL PURCHASERS. (a) Each Initial Purchaser severally acknowledges that the Securities have not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act and severally agrees that it, its affiliates and any person acting on its or their behalf: (i) will not offer or sell the Securities in the United States by any form of general solicitation or general advertising (within the meaning of Regulation D under the Securities Act) or in any manner involving a public offering within the meaning of Section 4(2) if the Securities Act; and (ii) will offer or sell the Securities only to persons whom it reasonably believes to be qualified institutional buyers ("QIBS") within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act in compliance with Rule 144A or in offshore transactions to non-U.S. persons in reliance on Regulation S. 8. INDEMNITY AND CONTRIBUTION. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Initial Purchaser and each person, if any, who controls any of the Initial Purchasers within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "EXCHANGE ACT"), from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses 16 reasonably incurred by any Initial Purchaser or any such controlling person in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Offering Memorandum or any amendment thereof (as amended or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished any amendments or supplements thereto), or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities are caused by any such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission based upon information relating to each Initial Purchaser furnished to the Company in writing by the Initial Purchasers expressly for use therein; provided however that the foregoing indemnity agreement with respect to the Preliminary Offering Memorandum shall not inure to the benefit of the Initial Purchasers, or any person controlling any of the Initial Purchasers, if the person asserting any such losses, claims, damages or liabilities purchased Securities, and a copy of the Final Offering Memorandum (as then amended or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished any amendments or supplements thereto) was not sent or given by or on behalf of the Initial Purchasers to such person, at or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of the Securities to such person, and if the Final Offering Memorandum (as so amended or supplemented) would have cured the defect giving rise to such losses, claims, damages or liabilities. (b) Each Initial Purchaser agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers, its employees, its agents and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to each Initial Purchaser, but only with reference to information relating to such Initial Purchaser furnished to the Company in writing by each Initial Purchaser expressly for use in the Offering Memorandum or any amendments or supplements thereto. (c) In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to either paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section 8, such person (the "INDEMNIFIED PARTY") shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the "INDEMNIFYING PARTY") in writing and the indemnifying party, upon request of the indemnified party, shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party and any others the indemnifying party may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the 17 right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel, (ii) the indemnifying party shall have failed to assume the defense of such action or employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party or (iii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impeded parties) include both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. Such firm shall be designated in writing by Salomon Smith Barney Inc., in the case of the parties indemnified pursuant to Section 8(a), and by the Company, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 8(b). It is understood that the indemnifying party shall not, in respect of the legal expenses of any indemnified party in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all such indemnified parties and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by the second and third sentences of this paragraph, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of the indemnified party. (d) To the extent the indemnification provided for in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section 8 is unavailable to an indemnified party or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each indemnifying party under such paragraph, in lieu of 18 indemnifying such indemnified party thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and each Initial Purchaser on the other hand from the offering and sale of the Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Initial Purchasers on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Initial Purchasers on the other hand in connection with the offering of the Securities shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds from the offering of the Securities (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Initial Purchasers, in each case as set forth in the Offering Memorandum, bears to the aggregate initial offering price of the Securities. The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Initial Purchasers on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Initial Purchasers and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. (e) The Company and the Initial Purchasers agree that it would not be just or equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 8 were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (d) of this Section 8. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending or appearing as a third party witness in any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8, the Initial Purchasers shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Securities purchased by it exceeds the amount of any damages that the Initial Purchasers have otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. The remedies provided for in this Section 8 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity. 19 (f) The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section 8 and the representations, warranties and other statements of the Company contained in this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of the Initial Purchasers or any person controlling the Initial Purchasers or by or on behalf of the Company, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (iii) acceptance of and payment for any of the Securities. 9. TERMINATION. This Agreement shall be subject to termination by notice given by the Initial Purchasers to the Company, if (a) after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date any of the events described in Section 5(a) shall have occurred or (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on or by, as the case may be, any of the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., the Chicago Board of Options Exchange, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange or the Chicago Board of Trade, (ii) trading of any securities of the Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation or The Williams Companies, Inc. shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market, (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities in New York shall have been declared by either Federal or New York State authorities or (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities (including, without limitation, an act of terrorism) or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis that, in your judgment, is material and adverse and (b) in the case of any of the events specified in clauses (a)(i) through (iv), such event, singly or together with any other such event, makes it, in your judgment, impracticable to market the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Offering Memorandum. Notice of such cancellation shall be given to the Company by telecopy or telephone but shall be subsequently confirmed by letter. 10. EFFECTIVENESS; DEFAULTING INITIAL PURCHASERS. This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto. If, on the Closing Date, any one or more of the Initial Purchasers shall fail or refuse to purchase Securities that it has or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate principal amount of Securities which such defaulting Initial Purchaser or Initial Purchasers agreed but failed or refused to purchase is not more than one-tenth of the aggregate principal amount of the Securities to be purchased on such date, the other Initial Purchasers shall be obligated severally in the proportions that the principal amount of Securities set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule I bear to the principal amount of Securities set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting Initial Purchasers, or in such other proportions as you may specify, to purchase the 20 Securities which such defaulting Initial Purchaser or Initial Purchasers agreed but failed or refused to purchase on such date; provided that in no event shall the principal amount of Securities that any Initial Purchaser has agreed to purchase pursuant to this Agreement be increased pursuant to this Section 10 by an amount in excess of one-ninth of such principal amount of Securities without the written consent of such Initial Purchaser. If, on the Closing Date, any Initial Purchaser or Initial Purchasers shall fail or refuse to purchase Securities and the aggregate principal amount of Securities with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate principal amount of Securities to be purchased on such date, and arrangements satisfactory to you and the Company for the purchase of such Securities are not made within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Initial Purchaser or the Company. In any such case either you or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date, but in no event for longer than seven days, in order that the required changes, in the Offering Memorandum or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. Any action taken under this paragraph shall not relieve any defaulting Initial Purchaser from liability in respect of any default of such Initial Purchaser under this Agreement. If this Agreement shall be terminated by the Initial Purchasers, or any of them, because of any failure or refusal on the part of the Company to comply with the terms or to fulfill any of the conditions of this Agreement, or if for any reason the Company shall be unable to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Company will reimburse the Initial Purchasers or such Initial Purchasers as have so terminated this Agreement with respect to themselves, severally, for all out-of-pocket expenses (including the fees and disbursements of their counsel) reasonably incurred by such Initial Purchasers in connection with this Agreement or the offering contemplated hereunder. Any notice under this Section 10 may be made by telecopy or telephone but shall be subsequently confirmed by letter. 11. REIMBURSEMENT OF INITIAL PURCHASER'S EXPENSES. If this Agreement shall be terminated by the Initial Purchasers because of any failure or refusal on the part of the Company to comply with the terms or to fulfill any of the conditions of this Agreement, or if for any reason the Company shall be unable to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Company will reimburse the Initial Purchasers for all out-of-pocket expenses (including the fees and disbursements of its counsel) reasonably incurred by the Initial Purchasers in connection with this Agreement and the offering contemplated hereunder. 12. NOTICES. Except as otherwise provided notice given pursuant to any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be delivered (a) if to the Company, at 2800 Post Oak Blvd., P.O. Box 1396, Houston, Texas 77251, Attention: Treasurer, or (b) if to the Initial Purchasers, at the offices of Salomon 21 Smith Barney Inc., 388 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10013, or in any case to such other address as the person to be notified may have requested in writing. 13. SUCCESSORS. The Agreement is made solely for the benefit of the Initial Purchasers, the Company, their directors and officers and other controlling persons referred to in Section 8 hereof, and their respective successors and assigns, and no other person shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement. The term "successors and assigns" as used in this Agreement shall not include a purchaser from the Initial Purchasers of any of the Securities in his status as such purchaser. 14. PARTIAL UNENFORCEABILITY. If any section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, such determination shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other section, paragraph or provision hereof. 15. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be signed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument. 16. APPLICABLE LAW. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York. 17. HEADINGS. The headings of the sections of this Agreement have been inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not be deemed a part of this Agreement. 22 Please confirm that the foregoing correctly sets forth the agreement among the Company and the Initial Purchasers. Very truly yours, TRANSCONTINENTAL GAS PIPE LINE CORPORATION By: /s/ Jeffrey P. Heinrichs --------------------------------------- Name: Jeffrey P. Heinrichs Title: Treasurer Accepted as of the date hereof: SALOMON SMITH BARNEY INC. ABN AMRO INCORPORATED BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC COMMERZBANK CAPITAL MARKETS CORP. CREDIT LYONNAIS SECURITIES (USA) INC. CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON CORPORATION J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC. THE ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND PLC SCOTIA CAPITAL (USA) INC. UBS WARBURG LLC BANC ONE CAPITAL MARKETS, INC. BARCLAYS CAPITAL INC. MIZUHO INTERNATIONAL PLC TD SECURITIES (USA) INC. By: SALOMON SMITH BARNEY INC. /s/ Anne Clarke Wolfe ----------------------------- Name: Anne Clarke Wolff Title: Managing Director 23 EXHIBIT A OPINION OF WILLIAM G. VON GLAHN, ESQ., SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL COUNSEL OF THE WILLIAMS COMPANIES, INC. (i) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries have been duly incorporated (in the case of each Subsidiary that is a corporation) or otherwise validly organized or validly formed and are validly existing in good standing under the laws of their respective jurisdictions of formation or incorporation, have the requisite power and authority to own their property and to conduct their business as described in the Offering Memorandum and are duly qualified to do business and are in good standing in each jurisdiction in which their respective ownership or lease of property or the conduct of their respective businesses requires such qualification, except to the extent such failure to be qualified or in good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the consolidated financial position, results of operations, business or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole (a "MATERIAL ADVERSE EFFECT"), and all of the issued shares of capital stock of each Subsidiary (in the case of each Subsidiary that is a corporation) or membership interests (in the case of each Subsidiary which is a limited liability corporation) have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid, non-assessable and are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims; (ii) the Company and its subsidiaries hold all franchises, certificates of public convenience and necessity, consents, authorizations, approvals, orders, permits, licenses and easements necessary to own, operate and maintain its properties as described in the Offering Memorandum, subject only to such defects, irregularities, restrictions, conditions and other matters as are described in the Offering Memorandum or which do not materially affect the right of the Company or its subsidiaries to own, operate and maintain its properties and to conduct its business as described therein, and has made all declarations and filings with, all federal, state, local and other governmental authorities, and all courts or other tribunals, necessary to conduct its business in the manner described in the Offering Memorandum, except to the extent that the lack of such consents, authorizations, approvals, orders, certificates or permits would not have a Material Adverse Effect; (iii) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries (i) is in violation of its charter or bylaws, (ii) is in default in any material respect, and no event has occurred which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant or condition A-1 contained in any material indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it is bound or to which any of its properties or assets is subject or (iii) is in violation in any material respect of any law, ordinance, governmental rule, regulation or court decree to which it or its property or assets may be subject or has failed to obtain any material license, permit, certificate, franchise or other governmental authorization or permit necessary to the ownership of its property or to the conduct of its business except as disclosed in the Offering Memorandum, and in case of (ii) and (iii), for such defaults, violations, or failures to obtain such authorizations or permits that have not had or are not reasonably expected to have, a Material Adverse Effect; (iv) each of the Purchase Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities have been duly authorized, executed, and delivered by the Company. The Purchase Agreement is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms under the laws of the State of New York, subject, as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors' rights and to general equity principles, and except as rights to indemnity and contribution thereunder may be limited under applicable law; (v) the execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, this Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement, the Securities and the Indenture will not contravene any provision of applicable law, or the Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws of the Company or any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Company that is material to the Company, or any judgment, order, decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Company; (vi) the Company has filed all documents with the Commission that it is required to file under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and such documents (other than the financial statements, including the notes thereto, and related schedules therein, and the other financial and accounting data, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder; (vii) except as set forth in the Company's filings with the Commission, to the knowledge of such counsel, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or threatened to which the Company is a party or to which any of the properties of the Company is subject that are required to be described in the documents incorporated by reference in the Offering Memorandum and are not so described; A-2 (viii) the Company is not, and following the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein will not be an "investment company" or an entity "controlled" by an "investment company," as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended; and In addition, such counsel shall state that such counsel or personnel under such counsel's supervision have participated in conferences with officers and other representatives of the Company, representatives of the independent auditors for the Company, your representatives and your counsel at which the contents of the Offering Memorandum and related matters were discussed and, although such counsel is not passing upon, and does not assume any responsibility for, the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained or incorporated by reference in the Offering Memorandum, on the basis of the foregoing, no facts have come to such counsel's attention that have led such counsel to believe that the Offering Memorandum, as of its date or as of the Closing Date, contained or contains an untrue statement of material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that such counsel need not express an opinion or belief with respect to the financial statements, schedules and other financial, statistical and accounting data included or incorporated by reference in or excluded from the Offering Memorandum. A-3 EXHIBIT B OPINION OF ANDREWS & KURTH LLP 1. The Securities, when authenticated in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the Initial Purchasers in accordance with the terms of the Purchase Agreement, will be valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with the terms of the Securities and the Indenture under the laws of the State of New York. 2. The Indenture is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms under the laws of the State of New York. 3. The Securities and the Indenture conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained in the Offering Memorandum. 4. No consent, approval, authorization or other order of, or filing with, any Governmental Authority is legally required under any Applicable Laws of the State of New York or under any Applicable Laws of the United States of America for the issuance or sale to the Initial Purchasers of the Securities as contemplated by the Purchase Agreement. 5. The execution and delivery by the Company of the Purchase Agreement and the Indenture and the issuance and sale of the Securities to the Initial Purchasers as contemplated thereby and the performance of the Company's obligations pursuant to the Purchase Agreement and the Indenture will not conflict with or violate any Applicable Law of the State of New York or any Applicable Law of the United States of America. 6. The Registration Rights Agreement is a valid and binding agreement of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms under the laws of the State of New York. 7. The Indenture conforms in all material respects to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the "TIA"), and the rules and regulations of the SEC applicable to an indenture that would be qualified thereunder. 8. The information in the Offering Memorandum under the caption "Description of the Notes- Terms and Conditions of the Notes" and "Exchange Offer; Registration Rights" insofar as such information constitutes summaries of B-1 legal matters or certain provisions of the documents referred to therein, fairly summarizes the matters referred to therein in all material respects. 9. Assuming (i) the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in Section 1 of the Purchase Agreement, (ii) the due performance by the Company of the covenants and agreements set forth in Section 6 of the Purchase Agreement, (iii) the compliance by the Initial Purchasers with the offering and transfer procedures and the restrictions described in the Offering Memorandum and their covenants and agreements in Sections 2 and 7 of the Purchase Agreement, (iv) the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Initial Purchasers set forth in Section 2 of the Purchase Agreement, and (v) and that purchasers to whom the Initial Purchasers initially resell the Notes receive a copy of the Offering Memorandum prior to such sale, the offer, sale and delivery of the Notes to the Initial Purchasers in the manner contemplated by the Purchase Agreement and the Offering Memorandum and the initial resale of the Notes by the Initial Purchasers in the manner contemplated in the Offering Memorandum and the Purchase Agreement, do not require registration under the Securities Act, and prior to the consummation of the Exchange Offer or the effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement), the Indenture does not require qualification under the TIA, it being understood that such counsel expresses no opinion as to any subsequent resale of any Note. B-2 Schedule I
Initial Purchaser Principal Amount Purchased - -------------------------------------------------- -------------------------- Salomon Smith Barney Inc.......................... $ 97,500,000 ABN AMRO Incorporated............................. $ 19,500,000 Banc of America Securities LLC.................... $ 19,500,000 Commerzbank Capital Markets Corp.................. $ 19,500,000 Credit Lyonnais Securities (USA) Inc.............. $ 19,500,000 Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation............ $ 19,500,000 J.P. Morgan Securities Inc........................ $ 19,500,000 The Royal Bank of Scotland plc.................... $ 19,500,000 Scotia Capital (USA) Inc.......................... $ 19,500,000 UBS Warburg LLC................................... $ 19,500,000 Banc One Capital Markets, Inc..................... $ 13,000,000 Barclays Capital Inc.............................. $ 13,000,000 Mizuho International plc.......................... $ 13,000,000 TD Securities (USA) Inc........................... $ 13,000,000 $325,000,000 ============
EX-12.1 6 d99347exv12w1.txt STATEMENT RE COMPUTATION OF RATIOS EXHIBIT 12.1 TRANSCONTINENTAL GAS PIPE LINE CORPORATION COMPUTATION OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES Thousands of Dollars, except ratios (UNAUDITED)
Nine Months Ended Year Ended December 31, September 30, ---------------------------------------------------------- ------------- 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- --------- ------------- Earnings Available for Fixed Charges: Net Income $ 111,388 $ 135,694 $ 161,187 $ 191,801 $ 132,576 $ 130,924 Adjustment for distributed earnings of equity investees (504) (239) (3,214) (2,623) 4,139 12,826 Plus - Interest expense and portion of rents representative of the interest factor, net of interest capitalized, and amortization of debt expense, discount and premium 73,070 95,227 74,808 81,218 92,280 71,761 - Federal income taxes 68,632 75,422 30,163 86,765 46,470 57,528 - Deferred federal income taxes (3,041) (5,056) 57,299 14,603 26,336 13,143 - State and Municipal income taxes 1,002 8,914 11,459 14,438 9,444 10,131 --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- Total $ 250,547 $ 309,962 $ 331,702 $ 386,202 $ 311,245 $ 296,313 ========= ========= ========= ========= ========= ========= Fixed Charges: Interest on long-term debt $ 56,611 $ 68,477 $ 67,732 $ 69,691 $ 67,799 $ 58,882 Other interest expense (includes intercompany) 14,640 21,912 1,642 6,358 20,336 9,649 Portion of rents representative of the interest factor, including amounts capitalized 6,770 6,945 7,290 7,300 7,132 5,383 Amortization of debt expense, discount and premium (3,098) 275 254 210 122 306 --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- Total $ 74,923 $ 97,609 $ 76,918 $ 83,559 $ 95,389 $ 74,220 ========= ========= ========= ========= ========= ========= Ratio of earnings to fixed charges 3.34 3.18 4.31 4.62 3.26 3.99
For purposes of calculating the ratio of earnings to fixed charges: (a) Earnings represent the aggregate of pre-tax income, adjusted for distributed income of equity investees, and fixed charges, net of interest capitalized. (b) Fixed charges represent interest (whether expensed or capitalized), the amortization of total debt premium, discount and expense, and that portion of rentals considered to be representative of the interest factor. EX-23.1 7 d99347exv23w1.txt CONSENT OF ERNST & YOUNG LLP EXHIBIT 23.1 CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption "Experts" in the Registration Statement (Form S-4) and related Prospectus of Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation for the registration of $325,000,000 Series B Senior Notes due July 15, 2012 and to the incorporation by reference therein of our report dated March 4, 2002, with respect to the consolidated financial statements of Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation included in its Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2001, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Ernst & Young LLP December 6, 2002 Houston, Texas EX-25.1 8 d99347exv25w1.txt FORM T-1 STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY OF TRUSTEE EXHIBIT 25.1 ================================================================================ SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 ----------------- FORM T-1 STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE ----------------- CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO SECTION 305(b) (2) WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION (Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter) Not Applicable 94-1347393 (Jurisdiction of incorporation or (I.R.S. Employer organization if not a U.S. national bank) Identification No.) 505 Main Street, Suite 301 Fort Worth, Texas 76102 (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code) Wells Fargo & Company Law Department, Trust Section MAC N9305-172 Sixth and Marquette, 17th Floor Minneapolis, MN 55479 (agent for services) ----------------- Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Corporation (Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter) Texas 74-1079400 (State or other jurisdiction of (I.R.S. Employer incorporation or organization) |Identification No.) 2800 Post Oak Boulevard Houston, Texas 77251 (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code) ----------------- 8.875% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2012 (Title of the indenture securities) ================================================================================ Item 1. General Information. Furnish the following information as to the trustee: (a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject. Comptroller of the Currency, Treasury Department Washington, D.C. 20230 Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Washington, D.C. 20429 Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco San Francisco, CA 94120 (b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers. The trustee is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers. Item 2. Affiliations with Obligor. If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation. None with respect to the trustee. No responses are included for Items 3-14 of this Form T-1 because the obligor is not in default as provided under Item 13. Item 15. Foreign Trustee. Not applicable. Item 16. List of Exhibits. List below all exhibits filed as a part of this Statement of Eligibility. Wells Fargo Bank incorporates by reference into this Form T-1 exhibits attached hereto. Exhibit 1. A copy of the Articles of Association of the trustee now in effect. * Exhibit 2. A copy of the Comptroller of the Currency Certificate of Corporate Existence for Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, dated November 28, 2001. * Exhibit 3. A copy of the authorization of the trustee to exercise corporate trust powers. A copy of the Comptroller of the Currency Certificate of Corporate Existence (with Fiduciary Powers) for Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, dated November 28, 2001. * Exhibit 4. Copy of By-laws of the trustee as now in effect. * Exhibit 5. Not applicable. Exhibit 6. The consents of United States institutional trustees required by Section 321(b) of the Act. Exhibit 7. Attached is a copy of the latest report of condition of the trustee published pursuant to law or the requirements of its supervising or examining authority. 2 Exhibit 8. Not applicable. Exhibit 9. Not applicable. * Incorporated by reference to exhibit number 25 filed with registration statement number 333-87398. 3 SIGNATURE Pursuant to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, the trustee, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, a national banking association organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in the City of Fort Worth and State of Texas on the day of 9th of December, 2002. WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION /s/ Melissa Scott ------------------------------------- Name: Melissa Scott Title: Corporate Trust Officer Exhibit 6 August 30, 2002 Securities and Exchange Commission Washington, D.C. 20549 Gentlemen: In accordance with Section 321(b) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, the undersigned hereby consents that reports of examination of the undersigned made by Federal, State, Territorial, or District authorities authorized to make such examination may be furnished by such authorities to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon its request thereof. Very truly yours, WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION /s/ Melissa Scott ----------------------------------- Melissa Scott Corporate Trust Officer Exhibit 7 Consolidated Report of Condition of Wells Fargo Bank National Association of 420 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA 94163 And Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries, at the close of business September 30, 2002, filed in accordance with 12 U.S.C. Section 161 for National Banks.
Dollar Amounts In Millions -------------- ASSETS Cash and balances due from depository institutions: Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin $ 8,221 Interest-bearing balances 4,188 Securities: Held-to-maturity securities 0 Available-for-sale securities 5,844 Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell: Federal funds sold in domestic offices 2,148 Securities purchased under agreements to resell 7 Loans and lease financing receivables: Loans and leases held for sale 22,302 Loans and leases, net of unearned income 94,512 LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses 1,331 Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowance 93,181 Trading Assets 6,152 Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases) 1,616 Other real estate owned 70 Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies 256 Customers' liability to this bank on acceptances outstanding 42 Intangible assets Goodwill 5,356 Other intangible assets 4,966 Other assets 11,512 -------------- Total assets $ 165,861 ============== LIABILITIES Deposits: In domestic offices $ 87,329 Noninterest-bearing 26,595 Interest-bearing 60,734 In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and IBFs 16,057 Noninterest-bearing 4 Interest-bearing 16,053 Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase: Federal funds purchased in domestic offices 17,958 Securities sold under agreements to repurchase 469
Dollar Amounts In Millions -------------- Trading liabilities 6,096 Other borrowed money (includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized leases) 8,528 Bank's liability on acceptances executed and outstanding 42 Subordinated notes and debentures 4,884 Other liabilities 7,364 -------------- Total liabilities $ 148,727 Minority interest in consolidated subsidiaries 33 EQUITY CAPITAL Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus 0 Common stock 520 Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock) 13,272 Retained earnings 3,096 Accumulated other comprehensive income 213 Other equity capital components 0 -------------- Total equity capital 17,101 -------------- Total liabilities, minority interest, and equity capital $ 165,861 ==============
I, James E. Hanson, Vice President of the above-named bank do hereby declare that this Report of Condition has been prepared in conformance with the instructions issued by the appropriate Federal regulatory authority and is true to the best of my knowledge and belief. James E. Hanson Vice President We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness of this Report of Condition and declare that it has been examined by us and to the best of our knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions issued by the appropriate Federal regulatory authority and is true and correct. Carrie L. Tolstedt Howard Atkins Directors Clyde W. Ostler EX-99.1 9 d99347exv99w1.txt FORM OF LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL EXHIBIT 99.1 LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL TRANSCONTINENTAL GAS PIPE LINE CORPORATION OFFER TO EXCHANGE 8 7/8% SERIES B SENIOR NOTES DUE JULY 15, 2012 WHICH HAVE BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, PURSUANT TO THE PROSPECTUS, DATED , 2002, FOR ALL ISSUED AND OUTSTANDING 8 7/8% SERIES A SENIOR NOTES DUE JULY 15, 2012 THE EXCHANGE OFFER WILL EXPIRE AT 5:00 P.M., NEW YORK CITY TIME, ON , 2002, UNLESS THE EXCHANGE OFFER IS EXTENDED. TENDERS MAY BE WITHDRAWN PRIOR TO 5:00 P.M., NEW YORK CITY TIME, ON THE EXPIRATION DATE. The Exchange Agent for the Exchange Offer is: WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A. BY HAND DELIVERY: BY OVERNIGHT COURIER: Wells Fargo Bank Minnesota, N.A. Wells Fargo Bank Minnesota, N.A. Corporate Trust Operations Corporate Trust Operations MAC N9303-121 MAC N9303-121 Sixth and Marquette Sixth and Marquette Minneapolis, MN 55479 Minneapolis, MN 55479 BY REGISTERED OR CERTIFIED MAIL: BY FACSIMILE TRANSMISSION Wells Fargo Bank Minnesota, N.A. (FOR ELIGIBLE INSTITUTIONS ONLY): Corporate Trust Operations Wells Fargo Bank Minnesota, N.A. MAC N9303-121 (612) 667-4927 P.O. Box 1517 Confirm: (800) 344-5128 Minneapolis, MN 55480-1517 For Information (800) 344-5128
DELIVERY OF THIS LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL TO AN ADDRESS OTHER THAN THOSE LISTED ABOVE, OR TRANSMISSION OF INSTRUCTIONS BY FACSIMILE OTHER THAN AS SET FORTH ABOVE, WILL NOT CONSTITUTE A VALID DELIVERY OF YOUR OLD NOTES. By signing this Letter of Transmittal, you hereby acknowledge that you have received and reviewed the Prospectus, dated , 2002, of Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation and this Letter of Transmittal. The Prospectus, together with this Letter of Transmittal, constitutes Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation's offer to exchange an aggregate principal amount of up to $325,000,000 of its 8 7/8% Series B Senior Notes due July 15, 2012 (the "New Notes"), which have been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), for a like principal amount of our issued and outstanding 8 7/8% Series A Senior Notes due July 15, 2012 (the "Old Notes"). The Old Notes were issued in an offering under Rule 144A and Regulation S of the Securities Act that was not registered under the Securities Act. This Exchange Offer is being extended to all holders of the Old Notes. If you decide to tender your Old Notes, and we accept the Old Notes, this will constitute a binding agreement between you and Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus and this Letter of Transmittal. Unless you comply with the procedures described in the Prospectus under the caption "The Exchange Offer -- Guaranteed Delivery Procedures," you must do one of the following on or prior to the expiration of the Exchange Offer to participate in the Exchange Offer: - tender your Old Notes by sending the certificates for your Old Notes, in proper form for transfer, a properly completed and duly executed Letter of Transmittal, with any required signature guarantees, and all other documents required by this Letter of Transmittal to the Exchange Agent at one of the addresses listed above; or - tender your Old Notes by using the book-entry transfer procedures described in the Prospectus under the caption "The Exchange Offer -- Book-Entry Transfer," and transmitting this Letter of Transmittal, with any required signature guarantees, or an Agent's Message (as defined below) instead of this Letter of Transmittal to the Exchange Agent. In order for a book-entry transfer to constitute a valid tender of your Old Notes in the Exchange Offer, the Exchange Agent must receive a confirmation of book-entry transfer (a "Book-Entry Confirmation") of your Old Notes into the Exchange Agent's account at The Depository Trust Company prior to the expiration of the Exchange Offer. The term "Agent's Message" means a message, transmitted by The Depository Trust Company and received by the Exchange Agent and forming a part of the Book-Entry Confirmation, which states that The Depository Trust Company has received an express acknowledgment from you that you have received and have agreed to be bound by the terms of this Letter of Transmittal. If you use this procedure, we may enforce the Letter of Transmittal against you. DELIVERY OF DOCUMENTS TO THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY'S BOOK-ENTRY TRANSFER FACILITY WILL NOT CONSTITUTE DELIVERY TO THE EXCHANGE AGENT. If you are a holder of Old Notes and wish to tender your Old Notes in the Exchange Offer, but (1) the Old Notes are not immediately available, (2) time will not permit your Old Notes or other required documents to reach the Exchange Agent before the expiration of the Exchange Offer, or (3) the procedure for book-entry transfer cannot be completed prior to the expiration of the Exchange Offer, you may tender Old Notes by following the procedures described in the Prospectus under the caption "The Exchange Offer -- Guaranteed Delivery Procedures." Only registered holders of Old Notes -- which term, for purposes of this Letter of Transmittal, includes any participant in The Depository Trust Company's system whose name appears on a security position listing as the owner of the Old Notes -- are entitled to tender their Old Notes for exchange in the Exchange Offer. If you are a beneficial owner whose Old Notes are registered in the name of a broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee and you wish to tender your Old Notes in the Exchange Offer, you should promptly contact the person in whose name the Old Notes are registered and instruct that person to tender on your behalf. If you wish to tender in the Exchange Offer on your own behalf, prior to completing and executing this Letter of Transmittal and delivering the certificates for your Old Notes, you must either make appropriate arrangements to register ownership of the Old Notes in your name or obtain a properly completed bond power from the person in whose name the Old Notes are registered. YOU MUST COMPLETE THIS LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL IF YOU ARE A REGISTERED HOLDER OF OLD NOTES -- WHICH TERM, FOR PURPOSES OF THIS LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL, INCLUDES ANY PARTICIPANT IN THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY'S SYSTEM WHOSE NAME APPEARS ON A SECURITY POSITION LISTING AS THE OWNER OF THE OLD NOTES -- AND EITHER (1) YOU WISH TO TENDER THE CERTIFICATES REPRESENTING YOUR OLD NOTES TO THE EXCHANGE AGENT TOGETHER WITH THIS LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL OR (2) YOU WISH TO TENDER YOUR OLD NOTES BY BOOK-ENTRY TRANSFER TO THE EXCHANGE AGENT'S ACCOUNT AT THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY AND YOU ELECT TO SUBMIT THIS LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL TO THE EXCHANGE AGENT INSTEAD OF AN AGENT'S MESSAGE. 2 In order to properly complete this Letter of Transmittal, you must: (1) complete the box entitled "Description of Old Notes Tendered," (2) if appropriate, check and complete the boxes relating to book-entry transfer and guaranteed delivery and the boxes entitled "Special Issuance Instructions" and "Special Delivery Instructions," (3) sign this Letter of Transmittal by completing the box entitled "Sign Here" and (4) complete the box entitled "Substitute Form W-9." By completing the box entitled "Description of Old Notes Tendered" and signing below, you will have tendered your Old Notes for exchange on the terms and conditions described in the Prospectus and this Letter of Transmittal. You should read the detailed instructions below before completing this Letter of Transmittal. 3 NOTE: SIGNATURES MUST BE PROVIDED BELOW PLEASE READ THE ACCOMPANYING INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BOX BELOW TO BE COMPLETED BY ALL TENDERING HOLDERS OF OLD NOTES
DESCRIPTION OF OLD NOTES TENDERED (CUSIP NO. 893570BS9) NAME AND ADDRESS OF REGISTERED HOLDER 1 2 3 AGGREGATE PRINCIPAL CERTIFICATE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT AMOUNT NUMBER(S)* OF OLD NOTE(S) TENDERED** ------------------------------------------------------ TOTAL: * Need not be completed by holders who tender by book-entry transfer. ** Old Notes tendered by this Letter of Transmittal must be in denominations of $1,000 principal amount and any integral multiple thereof. Unless otherwise indicated in column 3, a holder will be deemed to have tendered ALL of the Old Notes represented by the certificate(s) listed in column 1. (See Instruction 4.)
DESCRIPTION OF OLD NOTES TENDERED (CUSIP NO. U89358AB8) (REGULATION S) NAME AND ADDRESS OF REGISTERED HOLDER 1 2 3 AGGREGATE PRINCIPAL CERTIFICATE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT AMOUNT NUMBER(S)* OF OLD NOTE(S) TENDERED** ------------------------------------------------------ TOTAL: * Need not be completed by holders who tender by book-entry transfer. ** Old Notes tendered by this Letter of Transmittal must be in denominations of $1,000 principal amount and any integral multiple thereof. Unless otherwise indicated in column 3, a holder will be deemed to have tendered ALL of the Old Notes represented by the certificate(s) listed in column 1. (See Instruction 4.)
4 BOXES BELOW TO BE CHECKED AS APPLICABLE [ ] CHECK HERE IF THE CERTIFICATE(S) REPRESENTING YOUR OLD NOTES IS BEING TENDERED WITH THIS LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. [ ] CHECK HERE IF THE CERTIFICATE(S) REPRESENTING YOUR OLD NOTES HAS BEEN LOST, DESTROYED OR STOLEN AND YOU REQUIRE ASSISTANCE IN OBTAINING A NEW CERTIFICATE(S). Certificate Number(s) ------------------------------------------------------ Principal Amount(s) Represented --------------------------------------------- You must contact the Exchange Agent to obtain instructions for replacing lost, destroyed or stolen certificate(s) representing Old Notes. (See Instruction 12.) SPECIAL ISSUANCE INSTRUCTIONS (SEE INSTRUCTIONS 1, 5 AND 6) TO BE COMPLETED ONLY IF NEW NOTES OR OLD NOTES NOT TENDERED OR EXCHANGED ARE TO BE ISSUED IN THE NAME OF SOMEONE OTHER THAN THE REGISTERED HOLDER OF THE OLD NOTES WHOSE NAME(S) APPEAR BELOW. [ ] Old Note(s) to: [ ] New Note(s) to: Name --------------------------------------------------------------------------- (PLEASE PRINT) Address ------------------------------------------------------------------------ - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (ZIP CODE) Telephone Number ( ) - --------------------------------------------------------------- - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (TAX IDENTIFICATION OR SOCIAL SECURITY NO.) (SEE INSTRUCTION 9) SPECIAL DELIVERY INSTRUCTIONS (SEE INSTRUCTIONS 1, 5 AND 6) TO BE COMPLETED ONLY IF NEW NOTES OR OLD NOTES NOT TENDERED OR EXCHANGED ARE TO BE DELIVERED TO SOMEONE OTHER THAN THE REGISTERED HOLDER OF THE OLD NOTES WHOSE NAME(S) APPEAR(S) BELOW OR TO THE REGISTERED HOLDER AT AN ADDRESS OTHER THAN THAT SHOWN BELOW. [ ] Old Note(s) to: [ ] New Note(s) to: Name --------------------------------------------------------------------------- (PLEASE PRINT) Address ------------------------------------------------------------------------ - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (ZIP CODE) Telephone Number ( ) - --------------------------------------------------------------- - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (TAX IDENTIFICATION OR SOCIAL SECURITY NO.) (SEE INSTRUCTION 9) 5 [ ] CHECK HERE AND ENCLOSE A PHOTOCOPY OF THE NOTICE OF GUARANTEED DELIVERY IF TENDERED OLD NOTES ARE BEING DELIVERED UNDER A NOTICE OF GUARANTEED DELIVERY PREVIOUSLY SENT TO THE EXCHANGE AGENT AND COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING: Name(s) of Registered Holder(s) -------------------------------------------- Window Ticket Number (if any) ----------------------------------------------- Date of Execution of Notice of Guaranteed Delivery -------------------------- Name of Institution Which Guaranteed Delivery ------------------------------ If delivered by Book-Entry Transfer, complete the following: Name of Tendering Institution: -------------------------------------------------- Account Number ------------------------------------------------------------- Transaction Code Number ---------------------------------------------------- BOXES BELOW TO BE CHECKED BY ELIGIBLE INSTITUTIONS ONLY [ ] CHECK HERE IF TENDERED OLD NOTES ARE BEING DELIVERED BY BOOK-ENTRY TRANSFER TO THE EXCHANGE AGENT'S ACCOUNT AT THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY AND COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING: Name of Tendering Institution: -------------------------------------------- Account Number -------------------------------------------- Transaction Code Number -------------------------------------------- [ ] CHECK HERE IF OLD NOTES THAT ARE NOT TENDERED OR NOT EXCHANGED ARE TO BE RETURNED BY CREDITING THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY ACCOUNT NUMBER INDICATED ABOVE. 6 Ladies and Gentlemen: Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Exchange Offer, as described in the Prospectus and this Letter of Transmittal, I hereby tender to Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation the aggregate principal amount of Old Notes described above in the box entitled "Description of Old Notes Tendered" in exchange for a like principal amount of New Notes with the same maturity date which have been registered under the Securities Act. Subject to and effective upon the acceptance for exchange of all or any portion of the Old Notes tendered by this Letter of Transmittal in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Exchange Offer -- including, if the Exchange Offer is extended or amended, the terms and conditions of any extension or amendment -- I hereby sell, assign and transfer to, or upon the order of, Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation all right, title and interest in and to the Old Notes tendered by this Letter of Transmittal. I hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint the Exchange Agent as my agent and attorney-in-fact -- with full knowledge that the Exchange Agent is also acting as the agent of Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation in connection with the Exchange Offer -- with respect to the tendered Old Notes, with full power of substitution, such power of attorney being deemed to be an irrevocable power coupled with an interest, subject only to the right of withdrawal described in the Prospectus, to (1) deliver certificates for the tendered Old Notes to Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation together with all accompanying evidences of transfer and authenticity to, or upon the order of, Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation, upon receipt by the Exchange Agent, as my agent, of the New Notes to be issued in exchange for the tendered Old Notes, (2) present certificates for the tendered Old Notes for transfer, and to transfer the tendered Old Notes on the books of Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation, and (3) receive for the account of Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation all benefits and otherwise exercise all rights of ownership of the tendered Old Notes, all in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Exchange Offer. I hereby represent and warrant that I have full power and authority to tender, sell, assign and transfer the Old Notes tendered by this Letter of Transmittal and that, when the tendered Old Notes are accepted for exchange, Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation will acquire good, marketable and unencumbered title to the tendered Old Notes, free and clear of all liens, restrictions, charges and encumbrances, and that the tendered Old Notes are not subject to any adverse claims or proxies. I will, upon request, execute and deliver any additional documents deemed by Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation or the Exchange Agent to be necessary or desirable to complete the exchange, sale, assignment and transfer of the Old Notes tendered by this Letter of Transmittal, and I will comply with my obligations, if any, under the Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of July 3, 2002 (the "Registration Rights Agreement"), between Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation and Salomon Smith Barney Inc. and other parties listed therein. I have read and I agree to all of the terms of the Exchange Offer. The name(s) and address(es) of the registered holder(s) -- which term, for purposes of this Letter of Transmittal, includes any participant in The Depository Trust Company's system whose name appears on a security position listing as the holder of the Old Notes -- of the Old Notes tendered by this Letter of Transmittal are printed above as they appear on the certificate(s) representing the Old Notes. The certificate number(s) and the Old Notes that I wish to tender are indicated in the appropriate boxes above. Unless I have otherwise indicated by completing the box entitled "Special Issuance Instructions" above, I hereby direct that the New Notes be issued in the name(s) of the undersigned or, in the case of a book-entry transfer of Old Notes, that the New Notes be credited to the account indicated above maintained with The Depository Trust Company. Similarly, unless I have otherwise indicated by completing the box entitled "Special Delivery Instructions," I hereby direct that the New Notes be delivered to the address shown below my signature. If I have (1) tendered any Old Notes that are not exchanged in the Exchange Offer for any reason or (2) submitted certificates for more Old Notes than I wish to tender, unless I have otherwise indicated by completing the boxes entitled "Special Issuance Instructions" or "Special Delivery Instructions," I hereby direct that certificates for any Old Notes that are not tendered or not exchanged should be issued in the name of the undersigned, if applicable, and delivered to the address shown below my signature or, in the case of a 7 book-entry transfer of Old Notes, that Old Notes that are not tendered or not exchanged be credited to the account indicated above maintained with The Depository Trust Company, in each case, at Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation's expense, promptly following the expiration or termination of the Exchange Offer. I understand that if I decide to tender Old Notes, and Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation accepts the Old Notes for exchange, this will constitute a binding agreement between me and Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus and this Letter of Transmittal. I also recognize that, under certain circumstances described in the Prospectus under the caption "The Exchange Offer -- Conditions to the Exchange Offer," Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation may not be required to accept for exchange any of the Old Notes tendered by this Letter of Transmittal. By tendering Old Notes and executing this Letter of Transmittal, or delivering an Agent's Message instead of this Letter of Transmittal, I hereby represent and agree that: (1) I am not an "affiliate" (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) of Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation; (2) any New Notes I receive in the Exchange Offer are being acquired by me in the ordinary course of my business; (3) at the time of the commencement of the Exchange Offer, neither I nor, to my knowledge, anyone receiving New Notes from me, has any arrangement or understanding with any person to participate in the distribution (as defined in the Securities Act) of the New Notes in violation of the Securities Act; (4) if I am not a Participating Broker-Dealer (as defined below), that I am not engaged in, and do not intend to engage in, the distribution of the New Notes; and (5) if I am a Participating Broker-Dealer, that I will receive the New Notes for my own account in exchange for Old Notes that I acquired as a result of my market-making or other trading activities and that I will deliver a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any resale of the New Notes I receive. As used in this Letter of Transmittal, a "Participating Broker-Dealer" is a broker-dealer that receives New Notes for its own account in exchange for Old Notes that it acquired as a result of market-making or other trading activities. If I am a Participating Broker-Dealer, by making the representation set forth above and delivering a prospectus in connection with any resale transaction involving the New Notes, I understand that I will not be deemed to have admitted that I am an "underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities Act. Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation has agreed, subject to the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement, that for a period of not more than 180 days after the date of acceptance of Old Notes for exchange, it will make the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented from time to time, available to any Participating Broker-Dealer for use in connection with resales of the New Notes. Each Participating Broker-Dealer, by tendering Old Notes and executing this Letter of Transmittal, or delivering an Agent's Message instead of this Letter of Transmittal, agrees that, upon receipt of notice from Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation of the occurrence of any event or the discovery of any fact which makes any statement contained or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus untrue in any material respect or which causes the Prospectus to omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements contained or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, the Participating Broker-Dealer will suspend the sale of New Notes under the Prospectus. Each Participating Broker-Dealer further agrees that, upon receipt of a notice from Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation to suspend the sale of New Notes as provided above, the Participating Broker-Dealer will suspend resales of the New Notes until (1) Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation has amended or supplemented the Prospectus to correct the misstatement or omission and has furnished copies of the amended or supplemented Prospectus to the Participating Broker-Dealer or (2) Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation has given notice that the sale of the New Notes may be resumed, as the case may be. If Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation gives notice to suspend the sale of the New Notes as provided above, it will extend the period referred to above during which Participating Broker-Dealers are entitled to use the Prospectus in connection with the resale of New Notes by the number of days during the period from and including the date of the giving of such notice to and including the date when Participating Broker-Dealers receive copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus necessary to permit resales of the New Notes or to and including the date on which Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation has given notice that the sale of New Notes may be resumed, as the case may be. 8 As a result, a Participating Broker-Dealer who intends to use the Prospectus in connection with resales of New Notes received in exchange for Old Notes in the Exchange Offer must notify Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation, on or prior to the expiration of the Exchange Offer, that it is a Participating Broker-Dealer. Participating Broker-Dealers must send the required written notice to Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation's executive offices located at 2800 Post Oak Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77056, Attention: Treasurer, and this notice must be received by Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation at or prior to the expiration of the Exchange Offer. Interest on the New Notes will accrue (1) from the later of (a) the last date to which interest was paid on the Old Notes surrendered in exchange for the New Notes or (b) if the Old Notes are surrendered for exchange on a date in a period which includes the record date for an interest payment date to occur on or after the date of the exchange and as to which interest will be paid, the date to which interest will be paid on such interest payment date or (2) if no interest has been paid on the Old Notes, from July 3, 2002. All authority conferred in or agreed to be conferred in this Letter of Transmittal will survive my death or incapacity, and any obligation of mine under this Letter of Transmittal will be binding upon my heirs, executors, administrators, personal representatives, trustees in bankruptcy, legal representatives, successors and assigns. Except as stated in the Prospectus, this tender is irrevocable. 9 SIGN HERE (SEE INSTRUCTIONS 2, 5 AND 6) (PLEASE COMPLETE SUBSTITUTE FORM W-9 BELOW) (NOTE: SIGNATURE(S) MUST BE GUARANTEED IF REQUIRED BY INSTRUCTION 2) This Letter of Transmittal must be signed by (1) the registered holder(s) -- which term, for purposes of this Letter of Transmittal, includes any participant in The Depository Trust Company's system whose name appears on a security position listing as the holder of the Old Notes -- exactly as the name(s) of the registered holder(s) appear(s) on the certificate(s) for the Old Notes tendered or on the register of holders maintained by Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation, or (2) by any person(s) authorized to become the registered holder(s) by endorsements and documents transmitted with this Letter of Transmittal -- including any opinions of counsel, certifications and other information as may be required by Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation for the Old Notes to comply with the restrictions on transfer applicable to the Old Notes. If the signature below is by a trustee, executor, administrator, guardian, attorney-in-fact, officer of a corporation or another acting in a similar fiduciary or representative capacity, please set forth the signer's full title. See Instruction 5. X ----------------------------------------------------------------------- X ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SIGNATURE(S) OF NOTEHOLDER(S) Dated: ----------------------------------------------------------- , 200 ------- Name(s) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- (PLEASE PRINT) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Capacity ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Address ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- (ZIP CODE) Tax Identification or Social Security No. -------------------------------------- (SEE INSTRUCTION 9) Area Code and Telephone No. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- SIGNATURE(S) GUARANTEED (SEE INSTRUCTION 2, IF REQUIRED) Eligible Guarantor Institution ------------------------------------------------- Official Signature ------------------------------------------------------------- Dated: ----------------------------------------------------------- , 200 ------- 10 TO BE COMPLETED BY ALL TENDERING HOLDERS OF SECURITIES PAYOR'S NAME: WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A. PART 1 -- PLEASE PROVIDE YOUR TIN IN SUBSTITUTE THE BOX AT RIGHT AND CERTIFY BY TIN ----------------------------- FORM W-9 SIGNING AND DATING BELOW (Social Security Number or Employer Identification Number) DEPARTMENT OF THE PART 2 -- FOR PAYEES EXEMPT FROM BACKUP WITHHOLDING (SEE INSTRUCTIONS) TREASURY INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE PAYOR'S REQUEST FOR PART 3 -- CERTIFICATION -- UNDER PENALTIES OF PERJURY, I CERTIFY THAT (1) TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION The number shown on this form is my correct TIN (or I am waiting for a NUMBER ("TIN") AND number to be issued to me), and (2) I am not subject to backup withholding CERTIFICATION because: (a) I am exempt from backup withholding, or (b) I have not been notified by the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") that I am subject to backup withholding as a result of a failure to report all interest or dividends or (c) the IRS has notified me that I am no longer subject to backup withholding, and (3) I am a U.S. person (including a U.S. resident alien). SIGNATURE ------------------------------------------ DATE ---------------
You must cross out item (2) in Part 3 above if you have been notified by the IRS that you are currently subject to backup withholding because of underreporting interest or dividends on your tax return. YOU MUST COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING CERTIFICATE IF YOU WROTE "APPLIED FOR" IN PART 1 OF THE SUBSTITUTE FORM W-9 CERTIFICATE OF AWAITING TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER I certify under penalties of perjury that a taxpayer identification number has not been issued to me, and that I mailed or delivered an application to receive a taxpayer identification number to the appropriate Internal Revenue Service Center or Social Security Administration Office (or I intend to mail or deliver an application in the near future). I understand that if I do not provide a taxpayer identification number to the payor within 60 days, the payor will be required to withhold 30% (which rate is subject to periodic reduction on payments made subsequent to December 31, 2002) of all reportable payments made to me thereafter until I provide a taxpayer identification number. - ----------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------- SIGNATURE DATE
NOTE: FAILURE TO COMPLETE AND RETURN THIS FORM MAY RESULT IN BACKUP WITHHOLDING OF ANY REPORTABLE PAYMENTS MADE TO YOU. PLEASE REVIEW THE ENCLOSED INSTRUCTIONS AND GUIDELINES FOR CERTIFICATION OF TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER ON SUBSTITUTE FORM W-9 FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS. 11 INSTRUCTIONS FORMING PART OF THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE EXCHANGE OFFER 1. DELIVERY OF LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL AND CERTIFICATES; GUARANTEED DELIVERY PROCEDURES. You must complete this Letter of Transmittal if you are a holder of Old Notes -- which term, for purposes of this Letter of Transmittal, includes any participant in The Depository Trust Company's system whose name appears on a security position listing as the holder of the Old Notes -- and either (1) you wish to tender the certificates representing your Old Notes to the Exchange Agent together with this Letter of Transmittal or (2) you wish to tender your Old Notes by book-entry transfer to the Exchange Agent's account at The Depository Trust Company and you elect to submit this Letter of Transmittal to the Exchange Agent instead of an Agent's Message. In order to constitute a valid tender of your Old Notes, unless you comply with the procedures for Guaranteed Delivery described below, the Exchange Agent must receive the following documents at one of the addresses listed above on or prior to the expiration of the Exchange Offer: (1) certificates for the Old Notes, in proper form for transfer, or Book-Entry Confirmation of transfer of the Old Notes into the Exchange Agent's account at The Depository Trust Company, (2) a properly completed and duly executed Letter of Transmittal, with any required signature guarantees, or, in the case of a Book-Entry Confirmation, an Agent's Message instead of this Letter of Transmittal, and (3) all other documents required by this Letter of Transmittal. Old Notes tendered in the Exchange Offer must be in denominations of $1,000 principal amount and any integral multiple thereof. If you are a holder of the Old Notes and wish to tender your Old Notes, but (1) the certificates for Old Notes are not immediately available, (2) time will not permit your certificates for Old Notes or other required documents to reach the Exchange Agent before the expiration of the Exchange Offer, or (3) the procedure for book-entry transfer cannot be completed prior to the expiration of the Exchange Offer, you may effect a tender if: (1) the tender is made through an Eligible Guarantor Institution (as defined below); (2) prior to the expiration of the Exchange Offer, the Exchange Agent receives from an Eligible Guarantor Institution a properly completed and duly executed Notice of Guaranteed Delivery, substantially in the form we have provided, setting forth your name and address and the amount of Old Notes you are tendering and stating that the tender is being made by Notice of Guaranteed Delivery; and (3) the Exchange Agent receives within three New York Stock Exchange, Inc. ("NYSE") trading days after the date of execution of the Notice of Guaranteed Delivery: (a) the certificates for all physically tendered Old Notes, in proper form for transfer, or a Book-Entry Confirmation of transfer of the Old Notes into the Exchange Agent's account at The Depository Trust Company, as the case may be, (b) a properly completed and duly executed Letter of Transmittal, with any required signature guarantees, or, in the case of a Book-Entry Confirmation, an Agent's Message instead of the Letter of Transmittal, and (c) all other documents required by the Letter of Transmittal. The Notice of Guaranteed Delivery may be sent by overnight courier, hand delivery, registered or certified mail or facsimile transmission and must include a guarantee by an Eligible Guarantor Institution in the form set forth in the Notice. THE METHOD OF DELIVERY OF CERTIFICATES FOR OLD NOTES, LETTERS OF TRANSMITTAL, AGENT'S MESSAGES AND ALL OTHER REQUIRED DOCUMENTS IS AT YOUR ELECTION. IF YOU DELIVER YOUR OLD NOTES BY MAIL, WE RECOMMEND REGISTERED MAIL, PROPERLY INSURED, WITH RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED. IN ALL CASES, YOU SHOULD ALLOW SUFFICIENT TIME TO ASSURE TIMELY DELIVERY. DO NOT SEND CERTIFICATES FOR OLD NOTES, LETTERS OF TRANSMITTAL, AGENT'S MESSAGES OR OTHER REQUIRED DOCUMENTS TO TRANSCONTINENTAL GAS PIPE LINE CORPORATION. Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation will not accept any alternative, conditional or contingent tenders. Each tendering holder, by execution of this Letter of Transmittal or delivery of an Agent's Message instead of the Letter of Transmittal, waives any right to receive any notice of the acceptance of such tender. 2. GUARANTEE OF SIGNATURES. No signature guarantee on this Letter of Transmittal is required if: (a) this Letter of Transmittal is signed by the registered holder -- which term, for purposes of this Letter of Transmittal, includes any participant in The Depository Trust Company's system whose name appears on a security position listing as the owner of the Old Notes -- of Old Notes tendered with this 12 Letter of Transmittal, unless such holder(s) has completed either the box entitled "Special Issuance Instructions" or the box entitled "Special Delivery Instructions" above, or (b) the Old Notes are tendered for the account of a firm that is an Eligible Guarantor Institution. In all other cases, an Eligible Guarantor Institution must guarantee the signature(s) on this Letter of Transmittal. See Instruction 5. An "Eligible Guarantor Institution" (as defined in Rule 17Ad-15 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act")) means: - Banks (as defined in Section 3(a) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act); - Brokers, dealers, municipal securities dealers, municipal securities brokers, government securities dealers and government securities brokers (as defined in the Exchange Act); - Credit unions (as defined in Section 19B(1)(A) of the Federal Reserve Act); - National securities exchanges, registered securities associations and clearing agencies (as these terms are defined in the Exchange Act); and - Savings associations (as defined in Section 3(b) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act). 3. INADEQUATE SPACE. If the space provided in the box captioned "Description of Old Notes Tendered" is inadequate, the certificate number(s) and/or the principal amount of Old Notes and any other required information should be listed on a separate signed schedule which is attached to this Letter of Transmittal. 4. PARTIAL TENDERS AND WITHDRAWAL RIGHTS. Tenders of Old Notes will be accepted only in denominations of $1,000 principal amount and integral multiples thereof. If you are tendering less than all of the Old Notes evidenced by any certificate you are submitting, please fill in the principal amount of Old Notes which are to be tendered in column 3 ("Principal Amount of Old Notes Tendered") of the box entitled "Description of Old Notes Tendered." In that case, unless you have otherwise indicated by completing the boxes entitled "Special Issuance Instructions" or "Special Delivery Instructions", new certificate(s) for the remainder of the Old Notes that were evidenced by your old certificate(s) will be sent to the registered holder of the Old Notes, promptly after the expiration of the Exchange Offer. All Old Notes represented by certificates delivered to the Exchange Agent will be deemed to have been tendered unless otherwise indicated. Except as otherwise provided in this Letter of Transmittal, tenders of Old Notes may be withdrawn at any time on or prior to the expiration of the Exchange Offer. For a withdrawal to be effective, a written notice of withdrawal must be received by the Exchange Agent prior to the expiration of the Exchange Offer at one of the addresses listed above. Any notice of withdrawal must specify the name of the person who tendered the Old Notes to be withdrawn, identify the Old Notes to be withdrawn, including the principal amount of the Old Notes, and, where certificates for Old Notes have been transmitted, specify the name in which the Old Notes are registered, if different from that of the withdrawing holder. If certificates for Old Notes have been delivered or otherwise identified to the Exchange Agent, then, prior to the release of the certificates, the withdrawing holder must also submit the serial numbers of the particular certificates to be withdrawn and a signed notice of withdrawal with signatures guaranteed by an Eligible Guarantor Institution unless the holder is an Eligible Guarantor Institution. If Old Notes have been tendered using the procedure for book-entry transfer described in the Prospectus under the caption "The Exchange Offer -- Book-Entry Transfer," any notice of withdrawal must specify the name and number of the account at The Depository Trust Company to be credited with the withdrawn Old Notes and otherwise comply with the procedures of the book-entry transfer facility. All questions as to the validity, form and eligibility -- including time of receipt -- of these notices will be determined by Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation. Any such determination will be final and binding. Any Old Notes so withdrawn will be deemed not to have been validly tendered for exchange for purposes of the Exchange Offer. Any Old Notes which have been tendered for exchange but which are not exchanged for any reason will be returned to the registered holder without cost to that holder as soon as practicable after withdrawal, non-acceptance of tender or termination of the Exchange Offer. In the case of 13 Old Notes tendered using the procedure for book-entry transfer described in the Prospectus under the caption "The Exchange Offer -- Book-Entry Transfer," the Old Notes will be credited to the tendering holder's account with The Depository Trust Company. Properly withdrawn Old Notes may be retendered at any time on or prior to the expiration of the Exchange Offer by following one of the procedures described in the Prospectus under the caption "The Exchange Offer -- Procedures for Tendering Old Notes." 5. SIGNATURES ON LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL, ASSIGNMENTS AND ENDORSEMENTS. If this Letter of Transmittal is signed by the registered holder(s) of the Old Notes tendered hereby, the signature(s) must correspond exactly with the name(s) as written on the face of the certificate(s) without alteration, enlargement or any change whatsoever. If any of the Old Notes tendered hereby are registered in the name of two or more joint owners, all such owners must sign this Letter of Transmittal. If any tendered Old Notes are registered in different name(s) on several certificates, it will be necessary to complete, sign and submit as many separate Letters of Transmittal as there are different registered holders. When this Letter of Transmittal is signed by the registered holder(s) of the Old Notes listed and transmitted by this Letter of Transmittal, no endorsement(s) of certificate(s) or separate bond power(s) are required unless New Notes are to be issued in the name of a person other than the registered holder(s). Signature(s) on the certificate(s) or bond power(s) must be guaranteed by an Eligible Guarantor Institution. If a person or persons other than the registered holder(s) of Old Notes signs the Letter of Transmittal, certificates for the Old Notes must be endorsed or accompanied by appropriate bond powers, signed exactly as the name or names of the registered holder(s) that appears on the certificates for the Old Notes and also must be accompanied by any opinions of counsel, certifications and other information as Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation may require in accordance with the restrictions on transfer applicable to the Old Notes. Signatures on certificates or bond powers must be guaranteed by an Eligible Guarantor Institution. If you are a trustee, executor, administrator, guardian, attorney-in-fact, officer of a corporation, or act in a similar fiduciary or representative capacity, and wish to sign this Letter of Transmittal or any certificates for Old Notes or bond powers, you must indicate your status when signing. If you are acting in any of these capacities, you must submit proper evidence satisfactory to us of your authority to so act unless we waive this requirement. 6. SPECIAL ISSUANCE AND DELIVERY INSTRUCTIONS. If New Notes are to be issued in the name of a person other than the signer of this Letter of Transmittal, or if New Notes are to be delivered to someone other than the signer of this Letter of Transmittal or to an address other than that shown above, the appropriate boxes on this Letter of Transmittal should be completed. Certificates for Old Notes not exchanged will be returned by mail or, if tendered by book-entry transfer, by crediting the account indicated above maintained with The Depository Trust Company. See Instruction 4. 7. IRREGULARITIES. All questions as to the validity, form, eligibility -- including time of receipt -- and acceptance of Old Notes tendered for exchange will be determined by Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation in its sole discretion. Our determination will be final and binding. We reserve the absolute right to reject any and all tenders of Old Notes improperly tendered or to not accept any Old Notes, the acceptance of which might be unlawful as determined by us or our counsel. We also reserve the absolute right to waive any defects or irregularities or conditions of the Exchange Offer as to any Old Notes either before or after the expiration of the Exchange Offer -- including the right to waive the ineligibility of any holder who seeks to tender Old Notes in the Exchange Offer. Our interpretation of the terms and conditions of the Exchange Offer as to any particular Old Notes either before or after the expiration of the Exchange Offer -- including the terms and conditions of the Letter of Transmittal and the accompanying instructions -- will be final and binding. Unless waived, any defects or irregularities in connection with tenders of Old Notes for exchange must be cured within a reasonable period of time, as determined by us. Neither we, the Exchange Agent nor any other person has any duty to give notification of any defect or irregularity with respect to any tender of Old Notes for exchange, nor will we have any liability for failure to give such notification. 14 8. QUESTIONS, REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE AND ADDITIONAL COPIES. Questions and requests for assistance may be directed to the Exchange Agent at the addresses and telephone number listed on the front of this Letter of Transmittal. Additional copies of the Prospectus, this Letter of Transmittal or the Notice of Guaranteed Delivery may be obtained from the Exchange Agent or from your broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee. 9. TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER AND BACKUP WITHHOLDING. Federal income tax law generally requires that a tendering holder whose Old Notes are accepted for exchange must provide the Exchange Agent (as payor) with the holder's correct Taxpayer Identification Number (a "TIN"), which, in the case of a holder who is an individual, is the holder's social security number. Please consult the enclosed "Guidelines for Certification of Taxpayer Identification Number on Substitute Form W-9" (the "W-9 Guidelines") for additional guidance on which TIN to report. If the Exchange Agent is not provided with the correct TIN or an adequate basis for an exemption, a holder may be subject to a $50 penalty imposed by the Internal Revenue Service and backup withholding in an amount equal to 30% (which rate is subject to periodic reduction on payments made subsequent to December 31, 2002) of any reportable payments made after the exchange to the tendering holder. If withholding results in an overpayment of taxes, a refund may be obtained. To prevent backup withholding, each tendering holder must provide the holder's correct TIN by completing the "Substitute Form W-9" included in this Letter of Transmittal, certifying that the TIN provided is correct (or that the Holder is awaiting a TIN) and that (i) the holder is exempt from backup withholding, (ii) the holder has not been notified by the Internal Revenue Service that the holder is subject to backup withholding as a result of a failure to report all interest or dividends or (iii) the Internal Revenue Service has notified the holder that the holder is no longer subject to backup withholding and that the holder is a U.S. person (including a U.S. resident alien). Exempt holders (including, among others, all corporations and certain foreign individuals) are not subject to these backup withholding and reporting requirements. To prevent possible erroneous backup withholding, an exempt holder should write "Exempt" in Part 2 of Substitute Form W-9. Please read the W-9 Guidelines for additional instructions. In order for a nonresident alien or foreign entity to qualify as exempt, that person must submit a completed applicable Form W-8, signed under penalty of perjury attesting to such exempt status. The applicable Form W-8 may be obtained from the Exchange Agent. If the Old Notes are held in more than one name or are not in the name of the actual owner, consult the W-9 Guidelines for information on which TIN to report. If the holder does not have a TIN, the holder should consult the W-9 Guidelines for instructions on applying for a TIN, write "Applied For" in the space for the TIN in Part 1 of the Substitute Form W-9, and sign and date the Substitute Form W-9 and the Certificate of Awaiting Taxpayer Identification Number included in this Letter of Transmittal. If a holder does not provide the holder's TIN to the Exchange Agent within 60 days, backup withholding will begin and continue until the holder furnishes the holder's TIN to the Exchange Agent. NOTE: WRITING "APPLIED FOR" ON THE SUBSTITUTE FORM W-9 MEANS THAT THE HOLDER HAS ALREADY APPLIED FOR A TIN OR THAT THE HOLDER INTENDS TO APPLY FOR ONE IN THE NEAR FUTURE. 10. WAIVER OF CONDITIONS. Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation's obligation to complete the Exchange Offer is subject to the conditions described in the Prospectus under the caption "The Exchange Offer -- Conditions to the Exchange Offer." These conditions are for our benefit only and we may assert them regardless of the circumstances giving rise to any condition. We may also waive any condition in whole or in part at any time in our sole discretion. Our failure at any time to exercise any of the foregoing rights will not constitute a waiver of that right and each right is an ongoing right that we may assert at any time. 11. NO CONDITIONAL TENDERS. No alternative, conditional or contingent tenders will be accepted. All tendering holders of Old Notes, by execution of this Letter of Transmittal, waive any right to receive notice of the acceptance of Old Notes for exchange. 15 12. LOST, DESTROYED OR STOLEN CERTIFICATES. If any certificate(s) representing Old Notes have been lost, destroyed or stolen, the holder should check the box above regarding lost, destroyed or stolen certificates and promptly notify the Exchange Agent. The holder will then be instructed as to the steps that must be taken in order to replace the certificate(s). This Letter of Transmittal and related documents cannot be processed until the procedures for replacing lost, destroyed or stolen certificate(s) have been followed. 13. TRANSFER TAXES. Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation will pay all transfer taxes, if any, applicable to the transfer of Old Notes to it or its order pursuant to the Exchange Offer. If, however, New Notes and/or substitute Old Notes not exchanged are to be delivered to, or are to be registered or issued in the name of, any person other than the registered holder of the Old Notes tendered hereby, or if tendered Old Notes are registered in the name of any person other than the person signing this Letter, or if a transfer tax is imposed for any reason other than the transfer of Old Notes to Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation or its order pursuant to the Exchange Offer, the amount of any such transfer taxes (whether imposed on the registered holder or any other persons) will be payable by the tendering holder. If satisfactory evidence of payment of such taxes or exemption therefrom is not submitted herewith, the amount of such transfer taxes will be billed directly to such tendering holder. EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN THIS INSTRUCTION 13, IT WILL NOT BE NECESSARY FOR TRANSFER TAX STAMPS TO BE AFFIXED TO THE OLD NOTES SPECIFIED IN THIS LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. IMPORTANT: UNLESS YOU COMPLY WITH THE GUARANTEED DELIVERY PROCEDURES DESCRIBED ABOVE, THIS LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL (OR A FACSIMILE OF THIS LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL), OR, IN THE CASE OF OLD NOTES TENDERED BY BOOK-ENTRY TRANSFER TO THE EXCHANGE AGENT'S ACCOUNT AT THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, AN AGENT'S MESSAGE INSTEAD OF THIS LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL, AND ALL OTHER REQUIRED DOCUMENTS MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE EXCHANGE AGENT ON OR PRIOR TO THE EXPIRATION OF THE EXCHANGE OFFER. 16 GUIDELINES FOR CERTIFICATION OF TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER ON SUBSTITUTE FORM W-9 GUIDELINES FOR DETERMINING THE PROPER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER TO GIVE THE PAYER. - -- Social Security numbers have nine digits separated by two hyphens: i.e. 000-00-0000. Employer identification numbers have nine digits separated by only one hyphen: i.e. 00-0000000. The table below will help determine the number to give the payer.
- ------------------------------------------------------------ GIVE THE SOCIAL SECURITY FOR THIS TYPE OF ACCOUNT: NUMBER OF-- - ------------------------------------------------------------ 1. An individual's account The individual 2. Two or more individuals (joint The actual owner of account) the account or, if combined funds, any one of the individuals(1) 3. Husband and wife (joint account) The actual owner of the account or, if joint funds, either person(1) 4. Custodian account of a minor The minor(2) (Uniform Gift to Minors Act) 5. Adult and minor (joint account) The adult or, if the minor is the only contributor, the minor(1) 6. Account in the name of guardian or The ward, minor, or committee for a designated ward, incompetent minor, or incompetent person person(3) 7. a. The usual revocable savings The grantor- trust account (grantor is also trustee(1) trustee) b. So-called trust account that is The actual owner(1) not a legal or valid trust under State law 8. Sole proprietorship account The owner(4) - ------------------------------------------------------------
- ------------------------------------------------------------ GIVE THE EMPLOYER IDENTIFICATION FOR THIS TYPE OF ACCOUNT: NUMBER OF-- - ------------------------------------------------------------ 9. A valid trust, estate, or pension Legal entity (Do trust not furnish the identifying number of the personal representative or trustee unless the legal entity itself is not designated in the account title.)(5) 10. Corporate account The corporation 11. Religious, charitable, or The organization educational organization account 12. Partnership account held in the The partnership name of the business 13. Association, club, or other tax- The organization exempt organization 14. A broker or registered nominee The broker or nominee 15. Account with the Department of The public entity Agriculture in the name of a public entity (such as a State or local government, school district, or prison) that receives agricultural program payments - ------------------------------------------------------------
(1) List first and circle the name of the person whose number you furnish. (2) Circle the minor's name and furnish the minor's social security number. (3) Circle the ward's, minor's or incompetent person's name and furnish such person's social security number. (4) Show the owner's name and furnish the owner's social security number or the employer identification number of the business. (5) List first and circle the name of the legal trust, estate, or pension trust. NOTE: If no name is circled when there is more than one name, the number will be considered to be that of the first name listed. GUIDELINES FOR CERTIFICATION OF TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER ON SUBSTITUTE FORM W-9 PAGE 2 OBTAINING A NUMBER If you don't have a taxpayer identification number (TIN) or you don't know your number, obtain Form SS-5, Application for a Social Security Number Card, or Form SS-4, Application for Employer Identification Number, at the local office of the Social Security Administration or the Internal Revenue Service and immediately apply for a number. If you do not have a TIN, write "Applied For" in Part 1 of the Substitute Form W-9, sign and date the form in Part 3 and the Certificate of Awaiting Taxpayer Identification Number and return the form to the payer. PAYEES EXEMPT FROM BACKUP WITHHOLDING Payees specifically exempted from backup withholding on ALL payments include the following: - A corporation. - A financial institution. - An organization exempt from tax under section 501(a), or an individual retirement plan. - The United States or any agency or instrumentality thereof. - A state, the District of Columbia, a possession of the United States, or any political subdivision or instrumentality thereof. - A foreign government, a political subdivision of a foreign government, or any agency or instrumentality thereof. - An international organization or any agency, or instrumentality thereof. - A registered dealer in securities or commodities registered in the U.S. or a possession of the U.S. - A real estate investment trust. - A common trust fund operated by a bank under section 584(a). - An exempt charitable remainder trust, or a non-exempt trust described in section 4947(a)(1). - An entity registered at all times during the year under the Investment Company Act of 1940. - A foreign central bank of issue. - A middleman known in the investment community as a nominee or custodian. Payments of dividends and patronage dividends not generally subject to backup withholding include the following: - Payments to nonresident aliens subject to withholding under section 1441. - Payments to partnerships not engaged in a trade or business in the U.S. and that have at least one nonresident partner. - Payments of patronage dividends not paid in money. - Payments made by certain foreign organizations. Payments of interest not generally subject to backup withholding include the following: - Payments of interest on obligations issued by individuals. Note: You may be subject to backup withholding if this interest is $600 or more and is paid in the course of the payer's trade or business and you have not provided your correct taxpayer identification number to the payer. - Payments of tax-exempt interest (including exempt-interest dividends under section 852). - Payments described in section 6049(b)(5) to non-resident aliens. - Payments on tax-free covenant bonds under section 1451. - Payments made by certain foreign organizations. If you are exempt from backup withholding, you should still complete Substitute Form W-9 to avoid possible erroneous backup withholding. ENTER YOUR CORRECT TIN IN PART 1 OF THE FORM, WRITE "EXEMPT" IN PART 2 OF THE FORM, AND RETURN IT TO THE PAYER. IF THE PAYMENTS ARE INTEREST, DIVIDENDS, OR PATRONAGE DIVIDENDS, ALSO SIGN AND DATE THE FORM. Certain payments other than interest, dividends, and patronage dividends, that are not subject to information reporting are also not subject to backup withholding. For details, see the regulations under sections 6041, 6041A(a), 6042, 6044, 6045, 6049, 6050A, and 6050N. PRIVACY ACT NOTICE. -- Section 6109 requires most recipients of dividends, interest, or other payments to give a correct TIN to payers who must report the payments to IRS. IRS uses the TIN for identification purposes. Payers must be given the TIN whether or not recipients are required to file tax returns. Payers must generally withhold from taxable interest, dividend, and certain other payments to a payee who does not furnish a TIN to a payer. Certain penalties may also apply. PENALTIES (1) PENALTY FOR FAILURE TO FURNISH TIN. -- If you fail to furnish your TIN to a payer, you are subject to a penalty of $50 for each such failure unless your failure is due to reasonable cause and not to willful neglect. (2) CIVIL PENALTY FOR FALSE INFORMATION WITH RESPECT TO WITHHOLDING. -- If you make a false statement with no reasonable basis that results in no imposition of backup withholding, you are subject to a penalty of $500. (3) CRIMINAL PENALTY FOR FALSIFYING INFORMATION. -- Willfully falsifying certifications or affirmations may subject you to criminal penalties including fines and/or imprisonment. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT YOUR TAX CONSULTANT OR THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE EX-99.2 10 d99347exv99w2.txt FORM OF NOTICE OF GUARANTEED DELIVERY EXHIBIT 99.2 TRANSCONTINENTAL GAS PIPE LINE CORPORATION NOTICE OF GUARANTEED DELIVERY This form or one substantially equivalent to this form must be used to accept the offer (the "Exchange Offer") of Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation to exchange an aggregate principal amount of up to $325,000,000 of its 8 7/8% Series B Senior Notes due July 15, 2012 (the "New Notes"), the issuance of which has been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), for a like principal amount of its issued and outstanding 8 7/8% Series A Senior Notes due July 15, 2012 (the "Old Notes"), which were issued in offerings under Rule 144A and Regulation S of the Securities Act that were not registered under the Securities Act. The Exchange Offer will expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on , 2002, unless extended (as it may be extended, the "Expiration Date"). As described in the enclosed Prospectus, dated , 2002 (the "Prospectus"), if you are a registered holder of Old Notes and wish to tender your Old Notes, but (1) the certificates for Old Notes are not immediately available, (2) time will not permit your certificates for Old Notes or other required documents to reach Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as exchange agent (the "Exchange Agent"), before the Expiration Date or (3) the procedure for book-entry transfer cannot be completed before the Expiration Date, you may effect a tender of your Old Notes if (1) the tender is made through an Eligible Guarantor Institution (as defined in the Prospectus under the caption "The Exchange Offer -- Procedures for Tendering Old Notes"); (2) prior to the Expiration Date, the Exchange Agent receives from an Eligible Guarantor Institution a properly completed and duly executed Notice of Guaranteed Delivery, substantially in this form, setting forth your name and address, and the amount of Old Notes you are tendering and stating that the tender is being made by Notice of Guaranteed Delivery. These documents may be sent by overnight courier, registered or certified mail or facsimile transmission. If you elect to use this procedure, you must also guarantee that within three New York Stock Exchange, Inc. ("NYSE") trading days after the date of execution of the Notice of Guaranteed Delivery, the certificates for all physically tendered Old Notes, in proper form for transfer, or a Book-Entry Confirmation (as defined in the Prospectus under the caption "The Exchange Offer -- Procedures for Tendering Old Notes") of transfer of the Old Notes into the Exchange Agent's account at The Depository Trust Company (including the Agent's Message (as defined in the Prospectus under the caption "The Exchange Offer -- Procedures for Tendering Old Notes") that forms a part of the Book-Entry Confirmation), as the case may be, a properly completed and duly executed Letter of Transmittal, with any required signature guarantees, and all other documents required by the Letter of Transmittal, will be deposited by the Eligible Guarantor Institution with the Exchange Agent; and (3) the Exchange Agent receives the certificates for all physically tendered Old Notes, in proper form for transfer, or a Book-Entry Confirmation of transfer of the Old Notes into the Exchange Agent's account at The Depository Trust Company, as the case may be, a properly completed and duly executed Letter of Transmittal, with any required signature guarantees, and all other required documents or, in the case of a Book-Entry Confirmation, a properly completed and duly executed Letter of Transmittal, with any required signature guarantees, or an Agent's Message instead of the Letter of Transmittal, in each case, within three NYSE trading days after the date of execution of this Notice of Guaranteed Delivery. Delivery to: WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., Exchange Agent BY HAND DELIVERY: BY OVERNIGHT COURIER: Wells Fargo Bank Minnesota, N.A. Wells Fargo Bank Minnesota, N.A. Corporate Trust Operations Corporate Trust Operations MAC N9303-121 MAC N9303-121 Sixth and Marquette Sixth and Marquette Minneapolis, MN 55479 Minneapolis, MN 55479 BY REGISTERED OR CERTIFIED MAIL: BY FACSIMILE TRANSMISSION Wells Fargo Bank Minnesota, N.A. (FOR ELIGIBLE INSTITUTIONS ONLY): Corporate Trust Operations Wells Fargo Bank Minnesota, N.A. MAC N9303-121 (612) 667-4927 P.O. Box 1517 Confirm: (800) 344-5128 Minneapolis, MN 55480-1517 For Information (800) 344-5128
DELIVERY OF A LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL OR AGENT'S MESSAGE TO AN ADDRESS OTHER THAN THE ADDRESS LISTED ABOVE OR TRANSMISSION OF INSTRUCTIONS BY FACSIMILE OTHER THAN AS SET FORTH ABOVE IS NOT VALID DELIVERY OF THE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL OR AGENT'S MESSAGE. Ladies and Gentlemen: Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus and the accompanying Letter of Transmittal, the undersigned hereby tenders to Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation the principal amount of Old Notes set forth below pursuant to the guaranteed delivery procedure described in the Prospectus under the caption "The Exchange Offer -- Guaranteed Delivery Procedures."
CERTIFICATE NOS. (IF KNOWN) OF OLD NOTES OR ACCOUNT NO. AT AGGREGATE PRINCIPAL AGGREGATE PRINCIPAL THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY AMOUNT REPRESENTED AMOUNT TENDERED*
* Must be in denominations of principal amount of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof. - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ALL AUTHORITY HEREIN CONFERRED OR AGREED TO BE CONFERRED SHALL SURVIVE THE DEATH OR INCAPACITY OF THE UNDERSIGNED AND EVERY OBLIGATION OF THE UNDERSIGNED HEREUNDER SHALL BE BINDING UPON THE HEIRS, PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES, SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS OF THE UNDERSIGNED. - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PLEASE SIGN HERE X ------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------- X ------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------- Signature(s) of Owner(s) Date or Authorized Signatory
Area Code and Telephone Number: ( ) -------------------------------------------------------------------- Must be signed by the holder(s) of Old Notes as their name(s) appear(s) on certificates for Old Notes or on a security position listing, or by person(s) authorized to become registered holder(s) by endorsement and documents transmitted with this Notice of Guaranteed Delivery. If signature is by a trustee, executor, administrator, guardian, attorney-in-fact, officer or other person acting in a fiduciary or representative capacity, such person must set forth his or her full title below. 2 PLEASE PRINT NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) Name(s): - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Capacity: - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Address(es): - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GUARANTEE (Not to be used for signature guarantee) The undersigned, an Eligible Guarantor Institution, hereby guarantees that the certificates representing the principal amount of Old Notes tendered hereby in proper form for transfer, or timely confirmation of the book-entry transfer of such Old Notes into the Exchange Agent's account at The Depository Trust Company pursuant to the procedures set forth in the Prospectus under the caption "The Exchange Offer -- Guaranteed Delivery Procedures," together with any required signature guarantee and any other documents required by the Letter of Transmittal, will be received by the Exchange Agent at the address set forth above, no later than three NYSE trading days after the Expiration Date. - ------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------ Name of Firm Authorized Signature - ------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------ Address Title Name: - ------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------- Zip Code (Please Type or Print) Area Code and Tel. No. Dated: -------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------
NOTE: DO NOT SEND CERTIFICATES FOR OLD NOTES WITH THIS FORM. CERTIFICATES FOR OLD NOTES SHOULD BE SENT ONLY WITH A COPY OF YOUR PREVIOUSLY EXECUTED LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 3 -----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----