- Applicable Law
This Agreement and all operations conducted on the Area of Mutual Interest and the Leases shall be subject to all valid and applicable laws, orders, rules and regulations of any governmental authority having jurisdiction over such operations.ALL QUESTIONS ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR THE VALIDITY, INTERPRETATION AND PERFORMANCE OF THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA,EXCEPT FOR ANY RULE OF LAW OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA WHICH WOULD MAKE THE LAW OF ANY OTHER JURISDICTION APPLICABLE.THE PARTIES HEREBY SPECIFICALLY AGREE THAT ANY SUIT OR PROCEEDING (INCLUDING ANY ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROCEEDING) SHALL BE HELD IN HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS.
- No Mining Partnership or Joint Venture
The obligations of the parties hereunder are intended to be separate and not joint or collective, and nothing in this Agreement nor any act by Yuma or Universal shall ever be construed or implied as creating a mining partnership, commercial partnership, or other partnership relation; it being the intention of the parties hereto not to create, and this Agreement shall never be construed to create, a mining or other partnership or joint venture.
- Separate Liability
Each party's obligations as set out in this Agreement are several and not joint and each party shall be individually responsible for its own obligations as set out in this Agreement and in the Operating Agreement.
- Successors and Assigns
This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon Yuma and Universal and their respective successors and assigns; and this Agreement shall constitute a covenant running with the Leases and the lands covered thereby.
- Assignability
This Agreement and the undivided interest in and to the Leases assigned and conveyed to Universal pursuant to the terms of this Agreement may be assigned or transferred, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of Yuma; provided, however, that any such assignment shall nevertheless be void unless it is made expressly subject to this Agreement.
- Acknowledgement and Disclaimer
UNIVERSAL represents and acknowledges that it is knowledgeable of the oil and gas business and of the usual and customary practices of producers such as YUMA and that UNIVERSAL has had access to the Leases, the offices and employees of YUMA, and the books, records and files of YUMA relating to the Leases in making the decision to enter into this Agreement and consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. UNIVERSAL has relied solely on the basis of its own independent due diligence investigation of the Leases and, accordingly, UNIVERSAL acknowledges that YUMA has not made, and YUMA hereby expressly disclaims and negates any representation or warranty, express, implied, OR ARISING AT common law, by statute or otherwise, relating to the Leases including, without limitation, any representation or warranty with respect to title to the Leases (except as to the Special Warranty of title and the other representations expressly provided FOR in paragraph 3.5 OF this Agreement) or the quality, qu antity or VALUE of the reserves of oil, gas or other hydrocarbons in or under the Leases. UNIVERSAL acknowledges that the disclaimers contained in this paragraph are "conspicuous" for purposes of any applicable state or federal law, rule, regulation or order.
- Acknowledgement and Representations of Universal
Universal represents and acknowledges that, prior to entering into this Agreement; Universal was advised by and has relied solely on its own legal, tax and other professional counsel concerning this Agreement, the Prospect Area, the Leases and the value thereof. Universal represents and acknowledges that it is able to bear the economic risk of any oil and gas investment Universal is obligated to or might choose to make in the Prospect Area, the Leases and well(s) to be drilled thereon and that Universal is capable of evaluating the merits and risks of investments in the Prospect Area, the Leases and well(s) to be drilled thereon. Universal represents and acknowledges that it is acquiring an interest in the Prospect Area and the Leases for its own account and not for distribution or resale in any manner that would violate any state or federal law, rule, regulation or order.
8.8. Alternative Dispute Resolution
All controversies, claims and disputes arising under or relating to this Agreement, including tort claims and including the issue of arbitrability shall be first submitted to mediation and if that is unsuccessful then to binding arbitration under the procedures hereafter detailed.
8.9. Mediation
(i) Initiation of Mediation
Mediation, as defined in Section 154-023 of the Texas Civil Practices and Remedies Code, shall be initiated by written notice from one party to the other. The notice shall reasonably describe and identify the issues or claims to be mediated.
(ii) Mediation in Thirty Days
Within thirty (30) days from the receipt of the written notice of mediation, the parties will attempt in good faith to mediate the issues or claims identified in the notice, or any additional issues or claims identified in writing to the other party by the party receiving the notice within seven (7) days after receipt of the original mediation notice.
8.10. Arbitration
(i) Initiation of Arbitration
If, after a good faith attempt to mediate, the parties are unable to resolve their controversies, claims or disputes, then either party may initiate arbitration by filing in writing a notice of demand for arbitration with the other party and with the American Arbitration Association. The notice shall reasonably describe and identify the issues or claims to be arbitrated, the relief requested with a maximum stated for any actual damages requested, and attached to the notice shall be a true and correct copy of this Agreement and all amendments or supplements thereto.
(ii) Selecting Arbitrators
It is the intent of the parties that, to the extent practicable, the binding arbitration shall be conducted by a person mutually agreeable to the parties and knowledgeable and experienced in the type of matter that is the subject of the dispute. In the event that the parties are unable to agree upon such person within fifteen (15) days after arbitration has been initiated by the filing of the notice, then each party shall within fifteen (15) days thereafter select a person that it believes has the qualifications set forth above as its designated arbitrator (which selection shall be accomplished by notifying the other party of the identity of such person), and such arbitrators so designated shall mutually agree upon a similarly qualified third person to complete the arbitration panel. In the event that the persons selected by the parties are unable to agree upon a third member of the arbitration panel within ten (10) days after the selection of the latter of the two arbitrators, the A merican Arbitration Association shall select such person. Neither the parties nor the American Arbitration Association can select as arbitrators former employees or former attorneys of the parties.
(iii) Commencement of Arbitration
If reasonably possible, arbitration shall be commenced within thirty (30) days after the selection of the last arbitrator. The arbitration panel shall render its award no later than thirty (30) days after the last hearing date.
(iv) Arbitration is Binding
The decision of the arbitrator(s) shall be final and binding upon both parties, and no party shall seek to have the applicable issues litigated rather than arbitrated (except as may be otherwise required by law).
(v) Costs of Arbitration
The arbitrator(s) shall bill its/their fees and costs attributable to such binding arbitration in equal shares to the parties and each party shall bear its own attorneys' fees and other out-of-pocket costs expended by it. If any party seeks to modify or overturn all or a portion of the arbitrators' award and is unsuccessful, then the opposing party shall be awarded all its reasonable attorneys' fees incurred in the arbitration. If it becomes necessary for a prevailing party to secure judicial confirmation of the award and to otherwise undertake legal action to collect an award, then such party shall be entitled to its reasonable attorneys' fees and all costs for such actions.
(vi) No Punitive Damages
No punitive damages are recoverable in the arbitration. The arbitration panel is not empowered to award damages in excess of compensatory damages, and each party irrevocably waives any right to recover punitive damages.
(vii) Arbitration Rules and Location
Except as otherwise modified herein, the arbitration shall be conducted in accordance with the Rules of Commercial Arbitration of the American Arbitration Association. All arbitrations shall occur in Houston, Texas.
- Paragraph Headings
The paragraph headings used in this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall be disregarded in construing this Agreement.
- Invalidity of a Provision
If any one or more of the provisions of this Agreement shall be determined to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained herein shall not in any way be affected or impaired, and the offending provision or provisions shall be reformed and the remaining provisions interpreted so as to give effect, to the maximum extent permissible, to the agreement of the parties as set out herein.
- Waiver of Defaults and Breaches
No waiver by either party of any one or more defaults or breach by the other party in the performance of this Agreement shall operate or be construed as a waiver of any future default or breach by the same party, whether of a like or different character.
- Entirety Clause