SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY
AGREEMENT OF LINN ENERGY, LLC
This SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT OF LINN ENERGY, LLC, dated as of January 19, 2006 is entered into by Quantum, Clark Partners, Kings Highway Investment, Wauwinet Energy Partners, Michael C. Linn, Gerald W. Merriam and Roland P. Keddie, together with any other Persons who hereafter become Members in Linn Energy, LLC or parties hereto as provided herein. In consideration of the covenants, conditions and agreements contained herein, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
Section 1.1 Definitions.
The following definitions shall be for all purposes, unless otherwise clearly indicated to the contrary, applied to the terms used in this Agreement.
“Acquisition” means any transaction in which any Group Member acquires (through an asset acquisition, merger, stock acquisition or other form of investment) control over all or a portion of the assets, properties or business of another Person for the purpose of increasing the operating capacity or revenue of the Company Group from the operating capacity or revenue of the Company Group existing immediately prior to such transaction.
“Additional Book Basis” means the portion of any remaining Carrying Value of an Adjusted Property that is attributable to positive adjustments made to such Carrying Value as a result of Book-Up Events. For purposes of determining the extent that Carrying Value constitutes Additional Book Basis:
(a) Any negative adjustment made to the Carrying Value of an Adjusted Property as a result of either a Book-Down Event or a Book-Up Event shall first be deemed to offset or decrease that portion of the Carrying Value of such Adjusted Property that is attributable to any prior positive adjustments made thereto pursuant to a Book-Up Event or Book-Down Event.
(b) If Carrying Value that constitutes Additional Book Basis is reduced as a result of a Book-Down Event and the Carrying Value of other property is increased as a result of such Book-Down Event, an allocable portion of any such increase in Carrying Value shall be treated as Additional Book Basis; provided that the amount treated as Additional Book Basis as a result of such Book-Down Event shall not exceed the amount by which the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments after such Book-Down Event exceed the remaining Additional Book Basis attributable to all of the Company’s Adjusted Property after such Book-Down Event (determined without regard to the application of this clause (ii) to such Book-Down Event).
“Additional Book Basis Derivative Items” means any Book Basis Derivative Items that are computed with reference to Additional Book Basis. To the extent that the Additional Book
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Basis attributable to all of the Company’s Adjusted Property as of the beginning of any taxable period exceeds the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments as of the beginning of such period (the “Excess Additional Book Basis”), the Additional Book Basis Derivative Items for such period shall be reduced by the amount that bears the same ratio to the amount of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items determined without regard to this sentence as the Excess Additional Book Basis bears to the Additional Book Basis as of the beginning of such period.
“Additional Member” means a Member admitted as a Member of the Company pursuant to Section 4.5 and who is shown as such on the books and records of the Company.
“Adjusted Capital Account” means the Capital Account maintained for each Member as of the end of each fiscal year of the Company, (a) increased by any amounts that such Member is obligated to restore under the standards set by Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(c) (or is deemed obligated to restore under Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(g) and 1.704-2(i)(5)) and (b) decreased by (i) the amount of all deductions in respect of depletion that, as of the end of such fiscal year are expected to be made to such Member’s Capital Account in respect of the oil and gas properties of the Company, (ii) the amount of all losses and deductions that, as of the end of such fiscal year, are reasonably expected to be allocated to such Member in subsequent years under Sections 704(e)(2) and 706(d) of the Code and Treasury Regulation Section 1.751-1(b)(2)(ii), and (iii) the amount of all distributions that, as of the end of such fiscal year, are reasonably expected to be made to such Member in subsequent years in accordance with the terms of this Agreement or otherwise to the extent they exceed offsetting increases to such Member’s Capital Account that are reasonably expected to occur during (or prior to) the year in which such distributions are reasonably expected to be made (other than increases as a result of a minimum gain chargeback pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(i) or Section 6.1(d)(ii)). The foregoing definition of Adjusted Capital Account is intended to comply with the provisions of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d) and shall be interpreted consistently therewith. The “Adjusted Capital Account” of a Member in respect of a Unit or any other Interest shall be the amount that such Adjusted Capital Account would be if such Unit or other Interest were the only interest in the Company held by such Member from and after the date on which such Unit or other Interest was first issued.
“Adjusted Property” means any property the Carrying Value of which has been adjusted pursuant to Section 5.4(c)(i) or Section 5.4(c)(ii).
“Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries controls, is controlled by or is under common control with the Person in question. As used herein, the term “control” means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.
“Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments” means, as of the end of any taxable period, the sum of the Remaining Net Positive Adjustments of all Members.
“Agreed Allocation” means any allocation, other than a Required Allocation, of an item of income, gain, loss or deduction pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.1, including, without
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limitation, a Curative Allocation (if appropriate to the context in which the term “Agreed Allocation” is used).
“Agreed Value” of any Contributed Property means the fair market value of such property or other consideration at the time of contribution as determined by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors shall use such method as it determines to be appropriate to allocate the aggregate Agreed Value of Contributed Properties contributed to the Company in a single or integrated transaction among each separate property on a basis proportional to the fair market value of each Contributed Property.
“Agreement” means this Second Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of Linn Energy, LLC, as it may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.
“Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement” means the Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of Linn Energy, LLC, dated as of April 6, 2005, as amended through the date of this Agreement.
“Anniversary” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 11.13(b).
“Applicable Quarter” means a Quarter other than the first Quarter following the Closing Date.
“Associate” means, when used to indicate a relationship with any Person, (a) any corporation or organization of which such Person is a director, officer or partner or is, directly or indirectly, the owner of 20% or more of any class of voting stock or other voting interest; (b) any trust or other estate in which such Person has at least a 20% beneficial interest or as to which such Person serves as trustee or in a similar fiduciary capacity; and (c) any relative or spouse of such Person, or any relative of such spouse, who has the same principal residence as such Person.
“Available Cash” means, with respect to any Quarter ending prior to the Liquidation Date:
(a) the sum of:
(i) all cash and cash equivalents of the Company Group on hand at the end of such Quarter; and
(ii) all additional cash and cash equivalents of the Company Group on hand on the date of determination of Available Cash for such Quarter resulting from Working Capital Borrowings made subsequent to the end of such Quarter,
(b) less the amount of any cash reserves established by the Board of Directors to:
(i) provide for the proper conduct of the business of the Company Group (including reserves for future capital expenditures including drilling and acquisitions and for anticipated future credit needs of the Company Group),
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(ii) comply with applicable law or any loan agreement, security agreement, mortgage, debt instrument or other agreement or obligation to which any Group Member is a party or by which it is bound or its assets are subject; or
(iii) provide funds for distributions under Section 6.4 with respect to any one or more of the next four Quarters;
provided that disbursements made by a Group Member or cash reserves established, increased or reduced after the end of such Quarter but on or before the date of determination of Available Cash with respect to such Quarter shall be deemed to have been made, established, increased or reduced, for purposes of determining Available Cash, within such Quarter if the Board of Directors so determines.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, “Available Cash” with respect to the Quarter in which the Liquidation Date occurs and any subsequent Quarter shall equal zero.
“Board of Directors” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 7.1(a).
“Book Basis Derivative Items” means any item of income, deduction, gain, loss, Simulated Depletion, Simulated Gain or Simulated Loss included in the determination of Net Income or Net Loss that is computed with reference to the Carrying Value of an Adjusted Property (e.g., depreciation, Simulated Depletion, or gain, loss, Simulated Gain or Simulated Loss with respect to an Adjusted Property).
“Book-Down Event” means an event that triggers a negative adjustment to the Capital Accounts of the Members pursuant to Section 5.4(c).
“Book-Tax Disparity” means, with respect to any item of Contributed Property or Adjusted Property, as of the date of any determination, the difference between the Carrying Value of such Contributed Property or Adjusted Property and the adjusted basis thereof for federal income tax purposes as of such date. A Member’s share of the Company’s Book-Tax Disparities in all of its Contributed Property and Adjusted Property will be reflected by the difference between such Member’s Capital Account balance as maintained pursuant to Section 5.4 and the hypothetical balance of such Member’s Capital Account computed as if it had been maintained strictly in accordance with federal income tax accounting principles.
“Book-Up Event” means an event that triggers a positive adjustment to the Capital Accounts of the Members pursuant to Section 5.4(c).
“Business Day” means Monday through Friday of each week, except that a legal holiday recognized as such by the government of the United States of America or the State of Texas shall not be regarded as a Business Day.
“Capital Account” means the capital account maintained for a Member pursuant to Section 5.4. The “Capital Account” of a Member in respect of a Unit or any other Interest shall be the amount that such Capital Account would be if such Unit or other Interest were the only interest in the Company held by such Member from and after the date on which such Unit or other Interest was first issued.
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“Capital Contribution” means any cash, cash equivalents or the Net Agreed Value of Contributed Property that a Member contributes to the Company pursuant to this Agreement.
“Carrying Value” means (a) with respect to a Contributed Property, the Agreed Value of such property reduced (but not below zero) by all depreciation, depletion (including Simulated Depletion), amortization and cost recovery deductions charged to the Members’ Capital Accounts in respect of such Contributed Property, and (b) with respect to any other Company property, the adjusted basis of such property for federal income tax purposes, all as of the time of determination. The Carrying Value of any property shall be adjusted from time to time in accordance with Section 5.4(c)(i) and Section 5.4(c)(ii) and to reflect changes, additions or other adjustments to the Carrying Value for dispositions and acquisitions of Company properties, as deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors.
“Certificate” means a certificate (i) substantially in the form of Exhibit A to this Agreement, (ii) issued in global form in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Depositary or (iii) in such other form as may be adopted by the Board of Directors, issued by the Company evidencing ownership of one or more Units or a certificate, in such form as may be adopted by the Board of Directors, issued by the Company evidencing ownership of one or more other Company Securities.
“Certificate of Formation” means the Certificate of Formation of the Company filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware as referenced in Section 7.2, as such Certificate of Formation may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.
“Chairman of the Board” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 7.1.
“Citizenship Certification” means a properly completed certificate in such form as may be specified by the Board of Directors by which a Member certifies that he (and if he is a nominee holding for the account of another Person, that to the best of his knowledge such other Person) is an Eligible Citizen.
“Clark Partners” means Clark Partners I, L.P., a New York limited partnership.
“Closing Date” means the first date on which Units are sold by the Company to the Underwriters pursuant to the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement.
“Closing Price” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 13.1(a).
“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and in effect from time to time. Any reference herein to a specific section or sections of the Code shall be deemed to include a reference to any corresponding provision of any successor law.
“Commission” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Company” means Linn Energy, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and any successors thereto.
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“Company Group” means the Company and any Subsidiary of the Company, treated as a single consolidated entity.
“Company Minimum Gain” means that amount determined in accordance with the principles of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(d).
“Company Security” means any class or series of equity interest in the Company (but excluding any options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to an equity interest in the Company), including without limitation, Units.
“Conflicts Committee” means a committee of the Board of Directors composed entirely of two or more Independent Directors who are not (a) Officers or employees of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, (b) directors or employees of any Affiliate of the Company or (c) holders of any ownership interest in the Company Group other than Units.
“Contributed Property” means each property or other asset, in such form as may be permitted by the Delaware Act, but excluding cash, contributed to the Company. Once the Carrying Value of a Contributed Property is adjusted pursuant to Section 5.4(c), such property shall no longer constitute a Contributed Property, but shall be deemed an Adjusted Property.
“Curative Allocation” means any allocation of an item of income, gain, deduction, loss or credit pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.1(d)(x).
“Current Market Price” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 13.1(a).
“Delaware Act” means the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act, 6 Del. C. Section 18-101, et seq., as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time, and any successor to such statute.
“Depositary” means, with respect to any Units issued in global form, The Depository Trust Company and its successors and permitted assigns.
“DGCL” means the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, 8 Del. C. Section 101, et seq., as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time, and any successor to such statute.
“Director” means a member of the Board of Directors of the Company.
“Economic Risk of Loss” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-2(a).
“Eligible Citizen” means a Person qualified to own interests in real property in jurisdictions in which any Group Member does business or proposes to do business from time to time, and whose status as a Member does not or would not subject such Group Member to a significant risk of cancellation or forfeiture of any of its properties or any interest therein.
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
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“Existing Investors” means (i) Quantum, (ii) Clark Partners, (iii) Kings Highway Investment, (iv) Wauwinet Energy Partners, (v) Michael C. Linn, (vi) Gerald W. Merriam and (vii) Roland P. Keddie.
“Final Adjudication” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 7.7(e).
“Fully Diluted Basis” means, when calculating the number of Outstanding Units for any period, a basis that includes, in addition to the Outstanding Units, all Company Securities and options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to an equity interest in the Company (a) that are convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Company Securities that are senior to or pari passu with the Units, (b) whose conversion, exercise or exchange price is less than the Current Market Price on the date of such calculation, (c) that may be converted into or exercised or exchanged for such Units prior to or during the Quarter immediately following the end of the period for which the calculation is being made without the satisfaction of any contingency beyond the control of the holder other than the payment of consideration and the compliance with administrative mechanics applicable to such conversion, exercise or exchange and (d) that were not converted into or exercised or exchanged for such Units during the period for which the calculation is being made; provided, that if consideration will be paid to any Group Member in connection with such conversion, exercise or exchange, the number of Units to be included in such calculation shall be that number equal to the difference between (i) the number of Units issuable upon such conversion, exercise or exchange and (ii) the number of Units that such consideration would purchase at the Current Market Price.
“Group” means a Person that with or through any of its Affiliates or Associates has any agreement, arrangement or understanding for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except voting pursuant to a revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in response to a proxy or consent solicitation made to 10 or more Persons) or disposing of any Company Securities with any other Person that beneficially owns, or whose Affiliates or Associates beneficially own, directly or indirectly, Company Securities.
“Group Member” means a member of the Company Group.
“Group Member Agreement” means the partnership agreement of any Group Member that is a limited or general partnership, the limited liability company agreement of any Group Member, other than the Company, that is a limited liability company, the certificate of incorporation and bylaws or similar organizational documents of any Group Member that is a corporation, the joint venture agreement or similar governing document of any Group Member that is a joint venture and the governing or organizational or similar documents of any other Group Member that is a Person other than a limited or general partnership, limited liability company, corporation or joint venture, as such may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.
“Indemnitee” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 7.7(a).
“Independent Director” means a Director who meets the then current independence and other standards required of audit committee members by the Commission and the National Securities Exchange on which the Units are listed for trading.
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“Initial Units” means the Units sold in the Initial Offering.
“Initial Members” means the holders of the Pre-Initial Offering Interests (with respect to the Units received by them pursuant to Section 5.1) and the Underwriters upon the issuance by the Company of Units to the Underwriters as described in Section 5.2 in connection with the Initial Offering.
“Initial Offering” means the initial offering and sale of Units to the public, as described in the Registration Statement.
“Initial Unit Price” means (a) with respect to the Units, the initial public offering price per Unit at which the Underwriters offered the Units to the public for sale as set forth on the cover page of the prospectus included as part of the Registration Statement and first issued at or after the time the Registration Statement first became effective or (b) with respect to any other class or series of Company Securities, the price per Unit at which such class or series of Company Securities is initially sold by the Company, as determined by the Board of Directors, in each case adjusted as the Board of Directors determines to be appropriate to give effect to any distribution, subdivision or combination of Company Securities.
“Interest” means the ownership interest of a Member in the Company, which may be evidenced by Units or other Company Securities or a combination thereof or interest therein, and includes any and all benefits to which such Member is entitled as provided in this Agreement, together with all obligations of such Member to comply with the terms and provisions of this Agreement.
“Interim Capital Transactions” means the following transactions if they occur prior to the Liquidation Date: (a) borrowings, refinancings or refundings of indebtedness (other than Working Capital Borrowings and other than for items purchased on open account in the ordinary course of business) by any Group Member and sales of debt securities of any Group Member; (b) sales of equity interests of any Group Member (including the Units sold to the Underwriters pursuant to the exercise of the Over-Allotment Option); and (c) sales or other voluntary or involuntary dispositions of any assets of any Group Member other than (i) sales or other dispositions of inventory, accounts receivable and other assets in the ordinary course of business and (ii) sales or other dispositions of assets as part of normal retirements or replacements.
“Issue Price” means the price at which a Unit is purchased from the Company, after taking into account any sales commission or underwriting discount charged to the Company.
“Kings Highway Investment” means Kings Highway Investment, LLC, a Connecticut limited liability company.
“Liquidation Date” means the date on which an event giving rise to the dissolution of the Company occurs.
“Liquidator” means one or more Persons selected by the Board of Directors to perform the functions described in Section 10.2 as liquidating trustee of the Company within the meaning of the Delaware Act.
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“Member” means, unless the context otherwise requires, each Initial Member, each Substituted Member, and each Additional Member.
“Member Nonrecourse Debt” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(b)(4).
“Member Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i)(2).
“Member Nonrecourse Deductions” means any and all items of loss, deduction, expenditure (including, without limitation, any expenditure described in Section 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code), Simulated Depletion or Simulated Loss that, in accordance with the principles of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i), are attributable to a Member Nonrecourse Debt.
“Merger Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 12.1.
“National Securities Exchange” means an exchange registered with the Commission under Section 6(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time, and any successor to such statute, or the Nasdaq National Market or any successor thereto.
“Net Agreed Value” means, (a) in the case of any Contributed Property, the Agreed Value of such property reduced by any liabilities either assumed by the Company upon such contribution or to which such property is subject when contributed, and (b) in the case of any property distributed to a Member by the Company, the Company’s Carrying Value of such property (as adjusted pursuant to Section 5.4(c)(ii)) at the time such property is distributed, reduced by any indebtedness either assumed by such Member upon such distribution or to which such property is subject at the time of distribution, in either case, as determined under Section 752 of the Code.
“Net Income” means, for any taxable year, the excess, if any, of the Company’s items of income and gain (other than those items taken into account in the computation of Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable year over the Company’s items of loss and deduction (other than those items taken into account in the computation of Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable year. The items included in the calculation of Net Income shall be determined in accordance with Section 5.4(b) and shall include Simulated Gains, Simulated Losses, and Simulated Depletion, but shall not include any items specially allocated under Section 6.1(d); provided that the determination of the items that have been specially allocated under Section 6.1(d) shall be made as if Section 6.1(d)(xi) were not in this Agreement.
“Net Loss” means, for any taxable year, the excess, if any, of the Company’s items of loss and deduction (other than those items taken into account in the computation of Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable year over the Company’s items of income and gain (other than those items taken into account in the computation of Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable year. The items included in the calculation of Net Loss shall be determined in accordance with Section 5.4(b) and shall include Simulated Gains, Simulated Losses, and Simulated Depletion, but shall not include any items
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specially allocated under Section 6.1(d); provided that the determination of the items that have been specially allocated under Section 6.1(d) shall be made as if Section 6.1(d)(xi) were not in this Agreement.
“Net Positive Adjustments” means, with respect to any Member, the excess, if any, of the total positive adjustments over the total negative adjustments made to the Capital Account of such Member pursuant to Book-Up Events and Book-Down Events.
“Net Termination Gain” means, for any taxable year, the sum, if positive, of all items of income, gain, loss or deduction recognized by the Company after the Liquidation Date. The items included in the determination of Net Termination Gain shall be determined in accordance with Section 5.4(b) and shall include Simulated Gains, Simulated Losses and Simulated Depletion, but shall not include any items of income, gain or loss specially allocated under Section 6.1(d).
“Net Termination Loss” means, for any taxable year, the sum, if negative, of all items of income, gain, loss or deduction recognized by the Company after the Liquidation Date. The items included in the determination of Net Termination Loss shall be determined in accordance with Section 5.4(b) and shall include Simulated Gains, Simulated Losses and Simulated Depletion, but shall not include any items of income, gain or loss specially allocated under Section 6.1(d).
“Non-citizen Assignee” means a Person whom the Board of Directors has determined does not constitute an Eligible Citizen and as to whose Interest the Board of Directors has become the Substituted Member, pursuant to Section 4.7.
“Nonrecourse Built-in Gain” means with respect to any Contributed Properties or Adjusted Properties that are subject to a mortgage or pledge securing a Nonrecourse Liability, the amount of any taxable gain that would be allocated to the Members pursuant to Section 6.2(c)(iii), Section 6.2(d)(i)(A), Section 6.2(d)(ii)(A) and Section 6.2(d)(iii) if such properties were disposed of in a taxable transaction in full satisfaction of such liabilities and for no other consideration.
“Nonrecourse Deductions” means any and all items of loss, deduction, expenditure (including, without limitation, any expenditure described in Section 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code), Simulated Depletion or Simulated Loss that, in accordance with the principles of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(b), are attributable to a Nonrecourse Liability.
“Nonrecourse Liability” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-1(a)(2).
“Notice of Election to Purchase” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 13.1(b).
“Officer” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 7.4(a).
“Operating Companies” means (i) Linn Operating, Inc., a Delaware corporation, (ii) Linn Energy Holdings, LLC, a Delaware
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limited liability company, (iii) Chipperco, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, (iv) Mid-Atlantic Well Services, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and (v) any other operating Subsidiaries of the Company and any successors thereto.
“Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion of counsel (who may be regular counsel to the Company or any of its Affiliates) acceptable to the Board of Directors.
“Option Closing Date” means the date or dates on which any Units are sold by the Company to the Underwriters upon exercise of the Over-Allotment Option.
“Outstanding” means, with respect to Company Securities, all Company Securities that are issued by the Company and reflected as outstanding on the Company’s books and records as of the date of determination; provided, however, that no Company Securities held by the Company (other than Company Securities representing Interests held by the Company on behalf of Non-Citizen Assignees) or any other Group Member shall be considered Outstanding.
“Over-Allotment Option” means the over-allotment option granted to the Underwriters by the Company pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement.
“Parity Units” means Units and all other Company Securities of any other class or series that have the right (i) to receive distributions of Available Cash pursuant to Section 6.4 in the same order of priority with respect to the participation of Units in such distributions or (ii) to participate in allocations of Net Termination Gain pursuant to Section 6.1(c)(i)(B) in the same order of priority with the Units, in each case regardless of whether the amounts or value so distributed or allocated on each Parity Unit equals the amount or value so distributed or allocated on each Unit. Company Securities whose participation in such (i) distributions of Available Cash and (ii) allocations of Net Termination Gain are subordinate in order of priority to such distributions and allocations on Units shall not constitute Parity Units even if such Company Securities are convertible under certain circumstances into Units or Parity Units.
“Per Unit Capital Amount” means, as of any date of determination, the Capital Account, stated on a per Unit basis, underlying any Unit held by a Person.
“Percentage Interest” means, as of any date of determination (a) as to any Unitholder holding Units, the product obtained by multiplying (i) 100% less the percentage applicable to paragraph (b) by (ii) the quotient obtained by dividing (A) the number of Units held by such Unitholder by (B) the total number of all Outstanding Units, and (b) as to the holders of other Company Securities issued by the Company in accordance with Section 5.5, the percentage established as a part of such issuance.
“Person” means an individual or a corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, unincorporated organization or other enterprise (including an employee benefit plan), association, government agency or political subdivision thereof or other entity.
“Pre-Initial Offering Interests” means the membership interests in the Company outstanding prior to the Initial Offering.
“Prime Rate” means the prime rate of interest as quoted from time to time by the Wall Street Journal or another source reasonably selected by the Company.
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“Pro Rata” means (a) when modifying Units or any class thereof, apportioned equally among all designated Units in accordance with their relative Percentage Interests, and (b) when modifying Members, apportioned among all designated Members in accordance with their relative Percentage Interest.
“Purchase Date” means the date determined by the Board of Directors as the date for purchase of all Outstanding Units of a certain class pursuant to Article XIII.
“Quantum” means Quantum Energy Partners II, LP, a Delaware limited partnership.
“Quarter” means, unless the context requires otherwise, a fiscal quarter, or, with respect to the first fiscal quarter after the Closing Date, the portion of such fiscal quarter after the Closing Date, of the Company.
“Recapture Income” means any gain recognized by the Company (computed without regard to any adjustment required by Section 734 or Section 743 of the Code) upon the disposition of any property or asset of the Company, which gain is characterized as ordinary income because it represents the recapture of deductions previously taken with respect to such property or asset.
“Record Date” means the date established by the Company for determining (a) the identity of the Record Holders entitled to notice of, or to vote at, any meeting of Members or entitled to exercise rights in respect of any lawful action of Members or (b) the identity of Record Holders entitled to receive any report or distribution or to participate in any offer.
“Record Holder” means the Person in whose name a Unit is registered on the books of the Transfer Agent as of the opening of business on a particular Business Day, or with respect to other Company Securities, the Person in whose name any such other Company Security is registered on the books that the Company has caused to be kept as of the opening of business on such Business Day.
“Redeemable Interests” means any Interests for which a redemption notice has been given, and has not been withdrawn, pursuant to Section 4.8.
“Registration Statement” means the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (Registration No. 333-125501) as it has been or as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, filed by the Company with the Commission under the Securities Act to register the offering and sale of the Units in the Initial Offering.
“Remaining Net Positive Adjustments” means as of the end of any taxable period, with respect to the Unitholders, the excess of (i) the Net Positive Adjustments of the Unitholders as of the end of such period over (ii) the sum of those Members’ Share of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items for each prior taxable period.
“Required Allocations” means (a) any limitation imposed on any allocation of Net Losses or Net Termination Losses under Section 6.1(b) and (b) any allocation of an item of income, gain, loss, deduction, Simulated Depletion or Simulated Loss pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(i), 6.1(d)(ii), 6.1(d)(iv), 6.1(d)(vii) or 6.1(d)(ix).
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“Residual Gain” or “Residual Loss” means any item of gain or loss or Simulated Gain or Simulated Loss, as the case may be, of the Company recognized for federal income tax purposes resulting from a sale, exchange or other disposition of a Contributed Property or Adjusted Property, to the extent such item of gain or loss or Simulated Gain or Simulated Loss is not allocated pursuant to Section 6.2(d)(i)(A) or 6.2(d)(ii)(A), respectively, to eliminate Book-Tax Disparities.
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time and any successor to such statute.
“Share of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items” means in connection with any allocation of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items for any taxable period, with respect to the Unitholders, the amount that bears the same ratio to such Additional Book Basis Derivative Items as the Unitholders’ Remaining Net Positive Adjustments as of the end of such period bears to the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments as of that time.
“Simulated Basis” means the Carrying Value of any oil and gas property (as defined in Section 614 of the Code).
“Simulated Depletion” means, with respect to an oil and gas property (as defined in Section 614 of the Code), a depletion allowance computed in accordance with federal income tax principles (as if the Simulated Basis of the property were its adjusted tax basis) and in the manner specified in Treasury Regulation §1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(k)(2). For purposes of computing Simulated Depletion with respect to any property, the Simulated Basis of such property shall be deemed to be the Carrying Value of such property, and in no event shall such allowance for Simulated Depletion, in the aggregate, exceed such Simulated Basis.
“Simulated Gain” means the excess of the amount realized from the sale or other disposition of an oil or gas property over the Carrying Value of such property.
“Simulated Loss” means the excess of the Carrying Value of an oil or gas property over the amount realized from the sale or other disposition of such property.
“Solicitation Notice” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 11.13(c).
“Special Approval” means approval by a majority of the members of the Conflicts Committee.
“Stakeholders’ Agreement” means the Stakeholders’ Agreement dated as of June 2, 2005, by and among the Company and the Existing Investors.
“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, (a) a corporation of which more than 50% of the voting power of shares entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors or other governing body of such corporation is owned, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination, by such Person, by one or more Subsidiaries of such Person or a combination thereof, (b) a partnership (whether general or limited) in which such Person or a Subsidiary of such Person is, at the date of determination, a general or limited partner of such partnership, but only if more than 50% of the partnership interests of such partnership
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(considering all of the partnership interests of the partnership as a single class) is owned, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination, by such Person, by one or more Subsidiaries of such Person, or a combination thereof, or (c) any other Person (other than a corporation or a partnership) in which such Person, one or more Subsidiaries of such Person, or a combination thereof, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination, has (i) at least a majority ownership interest or (ii) the power to elect or direct the election of a majority of the directors or other governing body of such Person.
“Substituted Member” means a Person who is admitted as a Member of the Company pursuant to Sections 4.5 or 4.7 in place of and with all rights of a Member and who is shown as a Member on the books and records of the Company.
“Surviving Business Entity” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 12.2(b).
“Tax Matters Partner” means the Tax Matters Partner as defined in the Code.
“Trading Day” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 13.1(a).
“Transfer” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.4.
“Transfer Agent” means such bank, trust company or other Person (including the Company or one of its Affiliates) as shall be appointed from time to time by the Company to act as registrar and transfer agent for the Units; provided that if no Transfer Agent is specifically designated for any other Company Securities, the Company shall act in such capacity.
“Underwriter” means each Person named as an underwriter in the Underwriting Agreement who purchases Units pursuant thereto.
“Underwriting Agreement” means that certain Underwriting Agreement, dated , 2005, among the Underwriters, the Company and certain other parties, providing for the purchase of Units by the Underwriters.
“Unit” means a Company Security representing a fractional part of the Interests of all Members, and having the rights and obligations specified with respect to Units in this Agreement.
“Unit Majority” means at least a majority of the Outstanding Units.
“Unitholders” means the holders of Units.
“Unrealized Gain” attributable to any item of Company property means, as of any date of determination, the excess, if any, of (a) the fair market value of such property as of such date (as determined under Section 5.4(c)) over (b) the Carrying Value of such property as of such date (prior to any adjustment to be made pursuant to Section 5.4(c) as of such date).
“Unrealized Loss” attributable to any item of Company property means, as of any date of determination, the excess, if any, of (a) the Carrying Value of such property as of such date
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(prior to any adjustment to be made pursuant to Section 5.4(c) as of such date) over (b) the fair market value of such property as of such date (as determined under Section 5.4(c)).
“U.S. GAAP” means United States generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied.
“Wauwinet Energy Partners” means Wauwinet Energy Partners, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.
“Working Capital Borrowings” means borrowings used solely for working capital purposes or to pay distributions to Members made pursuant to a credit facility or other arrangement to the extent such borrowings are required to be reduced to a relatively small amount each year (or for the year in which the Initial Offering is consummated, the 12-month period beginning on the Closing Date) for an economically meaningful period of time.
Section 1.2 Construction.
Unless the context requires otherwise: (a) any pronoun used in this Agreement shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine or neuter forms, and the singular form of nouns, pronouns and verbs shall include the plural and vice versa; (b) references to Articles and Sections refer to Articles and Sections of this Agreement; and (c) the term “include” or “includes” means includes, without limitation, and “including” means including, without limitation.
ARTICLE II
ORGANIZATION
Section 2.1 Formation. The Members have previously formed the Company as a limited liability company pursuant to the provisions of the Delaware Act and hereby amend and restate the Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement in its entirety. This amendment and restatement shall become effective on the date of this Agreement. Except as expressly provided to the contrary in this Agreement, the rights, duties (including fiduciary duties), liabilities and obligations of the Members and the administration, dissolution and termination of the Company shall be governed by the Delaware Act. All Interests shall constitute personal property of the owner thereof for all purposes and a Member has no interest in specific Company property.
Section 2.2 Name. The name of the Company shall be Linn Energy, LLC. The Company’s business may be conducted under any other name or names, as determined by the Board of Directors. The words “Limited Liability Company,” “LLC,” or similar words or letters shall be included in the Company’s name where necessary for the purpose of complying with the laws of any jurisdiction that so requires. The Board of Directors may change the name of the Company at any time and from time to time and shall notify the Members of such change in the next regular communication to the Members.
Section 2.3 Registered Office; Registered Agent; Principal Office; Other Offices. Unless and until changed by the Board of Directors, the registered office of the Company in the State of Delaware shall be located at 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801, and the
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registered agent for service of process on the Company in the State of Delaware at such registered office shall be The Corporation Trust Company. The principal office of the Company shall be located at 650 Washington Road, 8th Floor, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15228 or such other place as the Board of Directors may from time to time designate by notice to the Members. The Company may maintain offices at such other place or places within or outside the State of Delaware as the Board of Directors determines to be necessary or appropriate.
Section 2.4 Purposes and Business. The purpose and nature of the business to be conducted by the Company shall be to (a) serve as a member or stockholder, as the case may be, of the Operating Companies and, in connection therewith, to exercise all the rights and powers conferred upon the Company as a member or stockholder, as the case may be, of such entities, (b) engage directly in, or enter into or form any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other arrangement to engage indirectly in, any business activity that the Operating Companies are permitted to engage in or that their subsidiaries are permitted to engage in by their organizational documents or agreements and, in connection therewith, to exercise all of the rights and powers conferred upon the Company pursuant to the agreements relating to such business activity, (c) engage directly in, or enter into or form any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other arrangement to engage indirectly in, any business activity that is approved by the Board of Directors and that lawfully may be conducted by a limited liability company organized pursuant to the Delaware Act and, in connection therewith, to exercise all of the rights and powers conferred upon the Company pursuant to the agreements relating to such business activity; and (d) do anything necessary or appropriate to the foregoing, including the making of capital contributions or loans to a Group Member; provided, however, that the Company shall not engage, directly or indirectly, in any business activity that the Board of Directors determines would cause the Company to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise taxable as an entity for federal income tax purposes. The Board of Directors has no obligation or duty to the Company or the Members to propose or approve, and may decline to propose or approve, the conduct by the Company of any business.
Section 2.5 Powers. The Company shall be empowered to do any and all acts and things necessary and appropriate for the furtherance and accomplishment of the purposes and business described in Section 2.4 and for the protection and benefit of the Company.
Section 2.6 Power of Attorney. Each Member hereby constitutes and appoints each of the Chief Executive Officer, the President and the Secretary and, if a Liquidator shall have been selected pursuant to Section 10.2, the Liquidator (and any successor to the Liquidator by merger, transfer, assignment, election or otherwise) and each of their authorized officers and attorneys-in-fact, as the case may be, with full power of substitution, as his true and lawful agent and attorney-in-fact, with full power and authority in his name, place and stead, to:
(a) execute, swear to, acknowledge, deliver, file and record in the appropriate public offices:
(i) all certificates, documents and other instruments (including this Agreement and the Certificate of Formation and all amendments or restatements hereof or thereof) that the Chief Executive Officer, President or Secretary, or the Liquidator, determines to be necessary or appropriate to form, qualify or continue
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the existence or qualification of the Company as a limited liability company in the State of Delaware and in all other jurisdictions in which the Company may conduct business or own property;
(ii) all certificates, documents and other instruments that the Chief Executive Officer, President or Secretary, or the Liquidator, determines to be necessary or appropriate to reflect, in accordance with its terms, any amendment, change, modification or restatement of this Agreement;
(iii) all certificates, documents and other instruments (including conveyances and a certificate of cancellation) that the Board of Directors or the Liquidator determines to be necessary or appropriate to reflect the dissolution and liquidation of the Company pursuant to the terms of this Agreement;
(iv) all certificates, documents and other instruments relating to the admission, withdrawal, removal or substitution of any Member pursuant to, or other events described in, Articles IV or X;
(v) all certificates, documents and other instruments relating to the determination of the rights, preferences and privileges of any class or series of Company Securities issued pursuant to Section 5.5; and
(vi) all certificates, documents and other instruments (including agreements and a certificate of merger) relating to a merger, consolidation or conversion of the Company pursuant to Article XII.
(b) execute, swear to, acknowledge, deliver, file and record all ballots, consents, approvals, waivers, certificates, documents and other instruments that the Board of Directors or the Liquidator determines to be necessary or appropriate to (i) make, evidence, give, confirm or ratify any vote, consent, approval, agreement or other action that is made or given by the Members hereunder or is consistent with the terms of this Agreement or (ii) effectuate the terms or intent of this Agreement; provided, that when required by Section 11.2 or any other provision of this Agreement that establishes a percentage of the Members or of the Members of any class or series required to take any action, the Chief Executive Officer, President or Secretary, or the Liquidator, may exercise the power of attorney made in this Section 2.6(b) only after the necessary vote, consent or approval of the Members or of the Members of such class or series, as applicable.
Nothing contained in this Section 2.6 shall be construed as authorizing the Chief Executive Officer, President or Secretary, or the Liquidator, to amend this Agreement except in accordance with Article XI or as may be otherwise expressly provided for in this Agreement.
(c) The foregoing power of attorney is hereby declared to be irrevocable and a power coupled with an interest, and it shall survive and, to the maximum extent permitted by law, not be affected by the subsequent death, incompetency, disability, incapacity, dissolution, bankruptcy or termination of any Member and the transfer of all or any portion of such Member’s Interest and shall extend to such Member’s heirs, successors,
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assigns and personal representatives. Each such Member hereby agrees to be bound by any representation made by the Chief Executive Officer, President or Secretary, or the Liquidator, acting in good faith pursuant to such power of attorney; and each such Member, to the maximum extent permitted by law, hereby waives any and all defenses that may be available to contest, negate or disaffirm the action of the Chief Executive Officer, President or Secretary, or the Liquidator, taken in good faith under such power of attorney. Each Member shall execute and deliver to the Chief Executive Officer, President or Secretary, or the Liquidator, within 15 days after receipt of the request therefor, such further designation, powers of attorney and other instruments as any of such Officers or the Liquidator, determines to be necessary or appropriate to effectuate this Agreement and the purposes of the Company.
Section 2.7 Term. The Company’s existence shall be perpetual, unless and until it is dissolved in accordance with the provisions of Article X. The existence of the Company as a separate legal entity shall continue until the cancellation of the Certificate of Formation as provided in the Delaware Act.
Section 2.8 Title to Company Assets. Title to Company assets, whether real, personal or mixed and whether tangible or intangible, shall be deemed to be owned by the Company as an entity, and no Member, Director or Officer, individually or collectively, shall have any ownership interest in such Company assets or any portion thereof. Title to any or all of the Company assets may be held in the name of the Company or one or more nominees, as the Board of Directors may determine. The Company hereby declares and warrants that any Company assets for which record title is held in the name of one or more of its Affiliates or one or more nominees shall be held by such Affiliates or nominees for the use and benefit of the Company in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement; provided, however, that the Board of Directors shall use reasonable efforts to cause record title to such assets (other than those assets in respect of which the Board of Directors determines that the expense and difficulty of conveyancing makes transfer of record title to the Company impracticable) to be vested in the Company as soon as reasonably practicable. All Company assets shall be recorded as the property of the Company in its books and records, irrespective of the name in which record title to such Company assets is held.
ARTICLE III
RIGHTS OF MEMBERS
Section 3.1 Members.
(a) A Person shall be admitted as a Member and shall become bound by the terms of this Agreement if such Person purchases or otherwise lawfully acquires any Interest and becomes the Record Holder of such Interests in accordance with the provisions of Article IV hereof. A Person may become a Record Holder without the consent or approval of any of the Members. A Person may not become a Member without acquiring an Interest. The rights and obligations of a Person who is a Non-citizen Assignee shall be determined in accordance with Section 4.7 hereof.
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(b) The name and mailing address of each Member shall be listed on the books and records of the Company maintained for such purpose by the Company or the Transfer Agent. The Secretary of the Company shall update the books and records of the Company from time to time as necessary to reflect accurately the information therein (or shall cause the Transfer Agent to do so, as applicable). A Member’s Interest shall be represented by a Certificate, as provided in Section 4.1 hereof.
(c) As provided in Section 18-303 of the Delaware Act, the debts, obligations and liabilities of the Company, whether arising in contract, tort or otherwise, shall be solely the debts, obligations and liabilities of the Company. The Members shall have no liability under this Agreement, or for any such debt, obligation or liability of the Company, in their capacity as a Member, except as expressly required in this Agreement or the Delaware Act.
(d) Members may not be expelled from or removed as Members of the Company. Members shall not have any right to withdraw from the Company; provided, that when a transferee of a Member’s Interest becomes a Record Holder of such Interest, such transferring Member shall cease to be a Member with respect to the Interest so transferred.
Section 3.2 Management of Business. No Member, in its capacity as such, shall participate in the operation or management of the Company’s business, transact any business in the Company’s name or have the power to sign documents for or otherwise bind the Company by reason of being a Member.
Section 3.3 Outside Activities of the Members. Any Member shall be entitled to and may have business interests and engage in business activities in addition to those relating to the Company, including business interests and activities in direct competition with the Company Group. Neither the Company nor any of the other Members shall have any rights by virtue of this Agreement in any business ventures of any Member.
Section 3.4 Rights of Members.
(a) In addition to other rights provided by this Agreement or by applicable law, and except as limited by Section 3.4(b), each Member shall have the right, for a lawful purpose reasonably related to such Member’s Interest as a Member in the Company, upon reasonable written demand containing a concise statement of such purposes and at such Member’s own expense:
(i) to obtain true and full information regarding the status of the business and financial condition of the Company;
(ii) promptly after becoming available, to obtain a copy of the Company’s federal, state and local income tax returns for each year;
(iii) to have furnished to him a current list of the name and last known business, residence or mailing address of each Member;
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(iv) to have furnished to him a copy of this Agreement and the Certificate of Formation and all amendments thereto, together with copies of the executed copies of all powers of attorney pursuant to which this Agreement, the Certificate of Formation and all amendments thereto have been executed;
(v) to obtain true and full information regarding the amount of cash and a description and statement of the Net Agreed Value of any other Capital Contribution by each Member and that each Member has agreed to contribute in the future, and the date on which each became a Member; and
(vi) to obtain such other information regarding the affairs of the Company as is just and reasonable and consistent with the stated purposes of the written demand.
(b) The Board of Directors may keep confidential from the Members, for such period of time as the Board of Directors determines, (i) any information that the Board of Directors determines to be in the nature of trade secrets or (ii) other information the disclosure of which the Board of Directors determines (A) is not in the best interests of the Company Group, (B) could damage the Company Group or (C) that any Group Member is required by law, by the rules of any National Securities Exchange on which any Company Security is listed for trading, or by agreement with any third party to keep confidential (other than agreements with Affiliates of the Company the primary purpose of which is to circumvent the obligations set forth in this Section 3.4).
ARTICLE IV
CERTIFICATES; RECORD HOLDERS;
TRANSFER OF INTERESTS; REDEMPTION OF INTERESTS
Section 4.1 Certificates. Upon the Company’s issuance of Units to any Person, the Company may issue one or more Certificates in the name of such Person evidencing the number of such Units being so issued. In addition, upon the request of any Person owning any other Company Securities other than Units, the Company shall issue to such Person one or more Certificates evidencing such other Company Securities. Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by the Chairman of the Board, President or any Vice President and the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary. No Unit Certificate shall be valid for any purpose until it has been countersigned by the Transfer Agent; provided, however, that if the Board of Directors elects to issue Units in global form, the Unit Certificates shall be valid upon receipt of a certificate from the Transfer Agent certifying that the Units have been duly registered in accordance with the directions of the Company. Any or all of the signatures required on the Certificate may be by facsimile. If any Officer or Transfer Agent who shall have signed or whose facsimile signature shall have been placed upon any such Certificate shall have ceased to be such Officer or Transfer Agent before such Certificate is issued by the Company, such Certificate may nevertheless be issued by the Company with the same effect as if such Person were such Officer or Transfer Agent at the date of issue. Certificates shall be consecutively numbered and shall be entered on the books and records of the Transfer Agent as they are issued and shall exhibit the holder’s name and number of Units.
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