Warrant Certificate No. A-001
THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE AND THE SECURITIES ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE HEREOF HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS. SUCH SECURITIES MAY NOT BE SOLD, OFFERED FOR SALE, PLEDGED OR HYPOTHECATED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED IN THE ABSENCE OF A REGISTRATION STATEMENT IN EFFECT WITH RESPECT TO SUCH SECURITIES UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR AN AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT. ANY SUCH TRANSFER MAY ALSO BE SUBJECT TO COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS.
THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE AND THE SECURITIES ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE HEREOF MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD, CONTRACTED FOR SALE, SUBJECTED TO ANY OPTION TO PURCHASE, HYPOTHECATED, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF, NOR MAY TITLE THERETO BE TRANSFERRED, UNTIL SEPTEMBER 2, 2012, EXCEPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS OF THE STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT DATED AS OF MARCH 2, 2010 (THE “SPA”) BY AND BETWEEN LA CORTEZ ENERGY, INC. AND AVANTE PETROLEUM S.A. A COPY OF THE SPA IS AVAILABLE FROM THE SECRETARY OF THE COMPANY UPON REQUEST.
| Effective Date: March 2, 2010 | Void After: March 1, 2013 |
LA CORTEZ ENERGY, INC.
WARRANT TO PURCHASE COMMON STOCK
La Cortez Energy, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), for value received on March 2, 2010 (the “Effective Date”), hereby issues to AVANTE PETROLEUM S.A. (the “Holder”) this Warrant (the “Warrant”) to purchase TWO MILLION, EIGHT HUNDRED FIFTY-SEVEN THOUSAND, ONE HUNDRED FORTY-THREE (2,857,143) shares (each such share as from time to time adjusted as hereinafter provided being a “Warrant Share” and all such shares being the “Warrant Shares”) of the Company’s Common Stock (as defined below), at the Exercise Price (as defined below), as adjusted from time to time as provided herein, on or before March 1, 2013, subject to the extension described herein (the “Expiration Date”), all subject to the following terms and conditions. Unless otherwise defined in this Warrant, terms appearing in initial capitalized form shall have the meaning ascribed to them in that certain Subscription Agreement between the Company and the Holder pursuant to which this Warrant was issued (the “Subscription Agreement”). This Warrant is one of a series of Warrants (collectively, the “Warrants”) issued to the Holder in accordance with the terms of the Subscription Agreement.
As used in this Warrant, (i) “Business Day” means any day other than Saturday, Sunday or any other day on which commercial banks in the City of New York, New York, are authorized or required by law or executive order to close; (ii) “Common Stock” means the common stock of the Company, par value $0.001 per share, including any securities issued or issuable with respect thereto or into which or for which such shares may be exchanged for, or converted into, pursuant to any stock dividend, stock split, stock combination, recapitalization, reclassification, reorganization or other similar event; (iii) “Exercise Price” means $3.00 per share of Common Stock, subject to adjustment as provided herein; (iv) “Trading Day” means any day on which the Common Stock is traded on the primary national or regional stock exchange on which the Common Stock is listed, or if not so listed, the OTC Bulletin Board, if quoted thereon, is open for the transaction of business; and (v) “Affiliate” means any person that, directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, a person, as such terms are used and construed in Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).
| 1. | DURATION AND EXERCISE OF WARRANTS |
(a) Exercise Period. The Holder may exercise this Warrant in whole or in part on any Business Day on or before 5:00 P.M., Eastern Time, on the Expiration Date, at which time this Warrant shall become void and of no value.
The Expiration Date will be March 1, 2013, except that in the event that the securities sold in any Covered Offering include warrants to purchase the Common Stock (the “Other Warrants”) and the period provided to exercise the Other Warrants is greater than three (3) years, then the exercise period of this Warrant will be extended to be equal to the exercise period of the Other Warrants
| (b) | Exercise Procedures. |
(i) While this Warrant remains outstanding and exercisable in accordance with Section 1(a), the Holder may exercise this Warrant in whole or in part at any time and from time to time by:
(A) delivery to the Company of a duly completed and executed copy of the notice of exercise attached as Exhibit A (the “Notice of Exercise”);
(B) surrender of this Warrant to the Secretary of the Company at its principal offices or at such other office or agency as the Company may specify in writing to the Holder; and
(C) payment of the then-applicable Exercise Price per share multiplied by the number of Warrant Shares being purchased upon exercise of the Warrant (such amount, the “Aggregate Exercise Price”) made in the form of cash, or by certified check, wire transfer, bank draft or money order payable in lawful money of the United States of America.
(ii) Upon the exercise of this Warrant in compliance with the provisions of this Section 1(b), the Company shall promptly issue and cause to be delivered to the Holder a certificate for the Warrant Shares purchased by the Holder. Each exercise of this Warrant shall be effective immediately prior to the close of business on the date (the “Date of Exercise”) that the conditions set forth in Section 1(b) have been satisfied, as the case may be. On the first Business Day following the date on which the Company has received each of this original Warrant, the Notice of Exercise and the Aggregate Exercise Price (the “Exercise Delivery Documents”), the Company shall transmit an acknowledgment of receipt of the Exercise Delivery Documents to the Company’s transfer agent (the “Transfer Agent”). On or before the fifth Business Day following the date on which the Company has received all of the Exercise Delivery Documents (the “Share Delivery Date”), the Company shall (X) provided that the Transfer Agent is participating in The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) Fast Automated Securities Transfer Program, upon the request of the Holder, credit such aggregate number of shares of Common Stock to which the Holder is entitled pursuant to such exercise to the Holder’s or its designee’s balance account with DTC through its Deposit Withdrawal Agent Commission system, or (Y) if the Transfer Agent is not particip ating in the DTC Fast Automated Securities Transfer Program, issue and dispatch by overnight courier to the address as specified in the Notice of Exercise, a certificate, registered in the Company’s share register in the name of the Holder or its designee, for the number of shares of Common Stock to which the Holder is entitled pursuant to such exercise. Upon delivery of the Exercise Delivery Documents, the Holder shall be deemed for all corporate purposes to have become the holder of record of the Warrant Shares with respect to which this Warrant has been exercised, irrespective of the date of delivery of the certificates evidencing such Warrant Shares.
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(iii) If the Company shall fail for any reason or for no reason to issue to the Holder, within five (5) Business Days of receipt of the Exercise Delivery Documents, a certificate for the number of shares of Common Stock to which the Holder is entitled and register such shares of Common Stock on the Company’s share register or to credit the Holder’s balance account with DTC for such number of shares of Common Stock to which the Holder is entitled upon the Holder’s exercise of this Warrant, and if on or after such Business Day the Holder purchases (in an open market transaction or otherwise) shares of Common Stock to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Holder of shares of Common Stock issuable upon such exercise that the Holder anticipated receiving from the Company (a “Buy-In”), then the Company shall, within five (5) Business Days after the Holder’s request and in the Holder’s discretion, either (X) pay cash to the Holder in an amount equal to the Holder’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions, if any) for the shares of Common Stock so purchased (the “Buy-In Price”), at which point the Company’s obligation to deliver such certificate (and to issue such shares of Common Stock) shall terminate, or (Y) promptly honor its obligation to deliver to the Holder a certificate or certificates representing such shares of Common Stock and pay cash to the Holder in an amount equal to the excess (if any) of the Buy-In Price over the product of (A) such number of shares of Common Stock, times (B) the closing bid price on the date of exercise.
(c) Partial Exercise. This Warrant shall be exercisable, either in its entirety or, from time to time, for part only of the number of Warrant Shares referenced by this Warrant; provided, that any such partial exercise must be for an integral number of Warrant Shares. If this Warrant is exercised in part, the Company shall issue, at its expense, a new Warrant, in substantially the form of this Warrant, referencing such reduced number of Warrant Shares that remain subject to this Warrant.
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(d) Disputes. In the case of a dispute as to the determination of the Exercise Price or the arithmetic calculation of the Warrant Shares, the Company shall promptly issue to the Holder the number of Warrant Shares that are not disputed and resolve such dispute in accordance with Section 15.
| 2. | ISSUANCE OF WARRANT SHARES |
(a) The Company covenants that all Warrant Shares will, upon issuance in accordance with the terms of this Warrant, be (i) duly authorized, fully paid and non-assessable, and (ii) free from all liens, charges and security interests, with the exception of claims arising through the acts or omissions of any Holder and except as arising from applicable federal and state securities laws.
(b) The Company shall register this Warrant upon records to be maintained by the Company for that purpose in the name of the record holder of such Warrant from time to time. The Company may deem and treat the registered Holder of this Warrant as the absolute owner thereof for the purpose of any exercise thereof, any distribution to the Holder thereof and for all other purposes.
(c) The Company will not, by amendment of its articles of incorporation, by-laws or through any reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, dissolution, issue or sale of securities or any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms to be observed or performed hereunder by the Company, but will at all times in good faith assist in the carrying out of all the provisions of this Warrant and in the taking of all action necessary or appropriate in order to protect the rights of the Holder to exercise this Warrant, or against impairment of such rights.
| 3. | ADJUSTMENTS OF EXERCISE PRICE, NUMBER AND TYPE OF WARRANT SHARES |
(a) The Exercise Price and the number of shares purchasable upon the exercise of this Warrant shall be subject to adjustment from time to time upon the occurrence of certain events described in this Section 3(a); provided, that notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 3, the Company shall not be required to make any adjustment if and to the extent that such adjustment would require the Company to issue a number of shares of Common Stock in excess of its authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock, less all amounts of Common Stock that have been reserved for issue upon the conversion of all outstanding securities convertible into shares of Common Stock and the exercise of all outstanding options, wa rrants and other rights exercisable for shares of Common Stock. If the Company does not have the requisite number of authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock to make any adjustment, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the necessary stockholder consent to increase the authorized number of shares of Common Stock to make such an adjustment pursuant to this Section 3(a).
(i) Subdivision or Combination of Stock. In case the Company shall at any time subdivide (whether by way of stock dividend, stock split or otherwise) its outstanding shares of Common Stock into a greater number of shares, the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such subdivision shall be proportionately reduced and the number of Warrant Shares shall be proportionately increased, and conversely, in case the outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company shall be combined (whether by way of stock combination, reverse stock split or otherwise) into a smaller number of shares, the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such combination shall be proportionately increased and the number of War rant Shares shall be proportionately decreased. The Exercise Price and the Warrant Shares, as so adjusted, shall be readjusted in the same manner upon the happening of any successive event or events described in this Section 3(a)(i).
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(ii) Dividends in Stock, Property, Reclassification. If at any time, or from time to time, the holders of Common Stock (or any shares of stock or other securities at the time receivable upon the exercise of this Warrant) shall have received or become entitled to receive, without payment therefore:
(A) any shares of stock or other securities that are at any time directly or indirectly convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock, or any rights or options to subscribe for, purchase or otherwise acquire any of the foregoing by way of dividend or other distribution, or
(B) additional stock or other securities or property (including cash) by way of spin-off, split-up, reclassification, combination of shares or similar corporate rearrangement (other than shares of Common Stock issued as a stock split or adjustments in respect of which shall be covered by the terms of Section 3(a)(i) above),
then and in each such case, the Exercise Price and the number of Warrant Shares to be obtained upon exercise of this Warrant shall be adjusted proportionately, and the Holder hereof shall, upon the exercise of this Warrant, be entitled to receive, in addition to the number of shares of Common Stock receivable thereupon, and without payment of any additional consideration therefor, the amount of stock and other securities and property (including cash in the cases referred to above) that such Holder would hold on the date of such exercise had such Holder been the holder of record of such Common Stock as of the date on which holders of Common Stock received or became entitled to receive such shares or all other additional stock and other securities and property. The Exercise Price and the Warrant Shares, as so adjusted, shall b e readjusted in the same manner upon the happening of any successive event or events described in this Section 3(a)(ii).
(iii) Reorganization, Reclassification, Consolidation, Merger or Sale. If any recapitalization, reclassification or reorganization of the capital stock of the Company, or any consolidation or merger of the Company with another corporation, or the sale of all or substantially all of its assets or other transaction shall be effected in such a way that holders of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive stock, securities or other assets or property (an “Organic Change”), then lawful and adequate provisions shall be made by the Company whereby the Holder hereof shall thereafter have the right to purchase and receive (in lieu of the shares of t he Common Stock of the Company immediately theretofore purchasable and receivable upon the exercise of the rights represented by this Warrant) such shares of stock, securities or other assets or property as may be issued or payable with respect to or in exchange for a number of outstanding shares of such Common Stock equal to the number of shares of such stock immediately theretofore purchasable and receivable assuming the full exercise of the rights represented by this Warrant. In the event of any Organic Change, appropriate provision shall be made by the Company with respect to the rights and interests of the Holder of this Warrant to the end that the provisions hereof (including, without limitation, provisions for adjustments of the Exercise Price and of the number of shares purchasable and receivable upon the exercise of this Warrant) shall thereafter be applicable, in relation to any shares of stock, securities or assets thereafter deliverable upon the exercise hereof. To the extent necessary to effect the foregoing provisions, the successor corporation (if other than the Company) resulting from such consolidation or merger or the corporation purchasing such assets shall assume by written instrument reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Holder executed and mailed or delivered to the registered Holder hereof at the last address of such Holder appearing on the books of the Company, the obligation to deliver to such Holder such shares of stock, securities or assets as, in accordance with the foregoing provisions, such Holder may be entitled to purchase. If there is an Organic Change, then the Company shall cause to be mailed to the Holder at its last address as it shall appear on the books and records of the Company, at least 10 calendar days before the effective date of the Organic Change, a notice stating the date on which such Organic Change is expected to become effective or c lose, and the date as of which it is expected that holders of the Common Stock of record shall be entitled to exchange their shares for securities, cash, or other property delivered upon such Organic Change; provided, that the failure to mail such notice or any defect therein or in the mailing thereof shall not affect the validity of the corporate action required to be specified in such notice. The Holder is entitled to exercise this Warrant during the 10-day period commencing on the date of such notice to the effective date of the event triggering such notice. In any event, the successor corporation (if other than the Company) resulting from such consolidation or merger or the corporation purchasing such assets shall be deemed to assume such obligation to deliver to such Holder such shares of stock, securities or assets even in the absence of a written instrument assuming such obligation to the extent such assumption occu rs by operation of law.
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(b) Certificate as to Adjustments. Upon the occurrence of each adjustment or readjustment pursuant to this Section 3, the Company at its expense shall promptly compute such adjustment or readjustment in accordance with the terms hereof and furnish to each Holder of this Warrant a certificate setting forth such adjustment or readjustment and showing in detail the facts upon which such adjustment or readjustment is based. The Company shall promptly furnish or cause to be furnished to such Holder a like certificate setting forth: (i) such adjustments and readjustments; and (ii) the number of shares and the amount, if any, of other property which at the time would be received upon the exercise of the Warrant.
(c) Certain Events. If any event occurs as to which the other provisions of this Section 3 are not strictly applicable but the lack of any adjustment would not fairly protect the purchase rights of the Holder under this Warrant in accordance with the basic intent and principles of such provisions, or if strictly applicable would not fairly protect the purchase rights of the Holder under this Warrant in accordance with the basic intent and principles of such provisions, then the Company's Board of Directors will, in good faith and subject to applicable law, make an appropriate adjustment to protect the rights of the Holder; provided, that no su ch adjustment pursuant to this Section 3(c) will increase the Exercise Price or decrease the number of Warrant Shares as otherwise determined pursuant to this Section 3.
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(d) Adjustment of Exercise Price Upon Issuance of Additional Shares of Common Stock. In the event the Company shall at any time prior to the Expiration Date issue Additional Shares of Common Stock (as defined below) without consideration or for a consideration per share less than the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such issue, then the Exercise Price shall be reduced, concurrently with such issue, to a price (calculated to the nearest cent) determined by multiplying such Exercise Price by a fraction, (A) the numerator of which shall be (1) the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to such issue plus (2) the number of shares of Common Stock which the aggregat e consideration received or to be received by the Company for the total number of Additional Shares of Common Stock so issued would purchase at such Exercise Price; and (B) the denominator of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to such issue plus the number of such Additional Shares of Common Stock so issued; provided that, (i) for the purpose of this Section 3(d), all shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion or exchange of convertible securities outstanding immediately prior to such issue shall be deemed to be outstanding, and (ii) the number of shares of Common Stock deemed issuable upon conversion or exchange of such outstanding convertible securities shall be determined without giving effect to any adjustments to the conversion or exchange price or conversion or exchange rate of such convertible securities resulting from the issuance of Additional Shares of Common Stock that is the subjec t of this calculation. For purposes of this Warrant, “Additional Shares of Common Stock” shall mean all shares of Common Stock issued by the Company after the Effective Date (including without limitation any shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion or exchange of any convertible securities or upon exercise of any option or warrant, on an as-converted basis), other than: (i) shares of Common Stock issued or issuable upon conversion or exchange of any convertible securities or exercise of any options outstanding on the Effective Date; (ii) shares of Common Stock issued or issuable upon conversion of the warrants issued in connection with the Offering; (iii) shares of Common Stock issued or issuable by reason of a dividend, stock split, split-up or other distribution on shares of Common Stock that is covered by Sections 3(a)(i) through 3(a)(iii) above; (iv) shares of Common Stock issued in a registered public offering under the Securities Act; (v) shares of Common Stock i ssued or issuable pursuant to the acquisition of another corporation by the Corporation by merger, purchase of substantially all of the assets or other reorganization or to a joint venture agreement; or (vi) shares of Common Stock issued or issuable to officers, directors and employees of, or consultants to, the Company pursuant to stock grants, option plans, purchase plans or other employee stock incentive programs or arrangements approved by the Board of Directors, or upon exercise of options or warrants granted to such parties pursuant to any such plan or arrangement. The provisions of this Section 3(d) shall not operate to increase the Exercise Price. Whenever the Exercise Price is adjusted pursuant to this Section 3(d), the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of this Warrant shall be inversely proportionally adjusted such that the aggregate Exercise Price of this Warrant remains equal immediately before and after any such adjustment.
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| 4. | TRANSFERS AND EXCHANGES OF WARRANT AND WARRANT SHARES |
(a) Registration of Transfers and Exchanges. Subject to Section 4(c), upon the Holder’s surrender of this Warrant, with a duly executed copy of the Form of Assignment attached as Exhibit B, to the Secretary of the Company at its principal offices or at such other office or agency as the Company may specify in writing to the Holder, the Company shall register the transfer of all or any portion of this Warrant. Upon such registration of transfer, the Company shall issue a new Warrant, in substantially the form of this Warrant, evidencing the acquisition rights transferred to the transferee and a new Warrant, in similar form, evidencing the remainin g acquisition rights not transferred, to the Holder requesting the transfer.
(b) Warrant Exchangeable for Different Denominations. The Holder may exchange this Warrant for a new Warrant or Warrants, in substantially the form of this Warrant, evidencing in the aggregate the right to purchase the number of Warrant Shares, which may then be purchased hereunder, each of such new Warrants to be dated the date of such exchange and to represent the right to purchase such number of Warrant Shares as shall be designated by the Holder. The Holder shall surrender this Warrant with duly executed instructions regarding such re-certification of this Warrant to the Secretary of the Company at its principal offices or at such other office or agency as the Company may specify in writing to the Holde r.
(c) Restrictions on Transfers. This Warrant may not be transferred at any time without (i) registration under the Securities Act or (ii) an exemption from such registration and a written opinion of legal counsel addressed to the Company that the proposed transfer of the Warrant may be effected without registration under the Securities Act, which opinion will be in form and from counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Company.
(d) Permitted Transfers and Assignments. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in this Section 4, the Holder may transfer, with or without consideration, this Warrant or any of the Warrant Shares (or a portion thereof) to the Holder’s Affiliates (as such term is defined under Rule 144 of the Securities Act) without obtaining the opinion from counsel that may be required by Section 4(c)(ii), provided, that the Holder delivers to the Company and its counsel certification, documentation, and other assurances reasonably required by the Company’s counsel to enable the Company’s counsel to render an opinion to th e Company’s Transfer Agent that such transfer does not violate applicable securities laws.
| 5. | MUTILATED OR MISSING WARRANT CERTIFICATE |
If this Warrant is mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed, upon request by the Holder, the Company will, at its expense, issue, in exchange for and upon cancellation of the mutilated Warrant, or in substitution for the lost, stolen or destroyed Warrant, a new Warrant, in substantially the form of this Warrant, representing the right to acquire the equivalent number of Warrant Shares; provided, that, as a prerequisite to the issuance of a substitute Warrant, the Company may require satisfactory evidence of loss, theft or destruction as well as an indemnity from the Holder of a lost, stolen or destroyed Warrant.
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| 6. | PAYMENT OF TAXES |
The Company will pay all transfer and stock issuance taxes attributable to the preparation, issuance and delivery of this Warrant and the Warrant Shares (and replacement Warrants) including, without limitation, all documentary and stamp taxes; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to pay any tax in respect of the transfer of this Warrant, or the issuance or delivery of certificates for Warrant Shares or other securities in respect of the Warrant Shares to any person or entity other than to the Holder.
7. FRACTIONAL WARRANT SHARES
No fractional Warrant Shares shall be issued upon exercise of this Warrant. Upon the full exercise of this Warrant, the Company, in lieu of issuing any fractional Warrant Share, shall round up the number of Warrant Shares issuable to nearest whole share.
| 8. | NO STOCK RIGHTS AND LEGENDS |
No holder of this Warrant, as such, shall be entitled to vote or be deemed the holder of any other securities of the Company that may at any time be issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained herein be construed to confer upon the holder of this Warrant, as such, the rights of a stockholder of the Company or the right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or give or withhold consent to any corporate action or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided herein), or to receive dividends or subscription rights or otherwise (except as provide herein).
Each certificate for Warrant Shares initially issued upon the exercise of this Warrant, and each certificate for Warrant Shares issued to any subsequent transferee of any such certificate, shall be stamped or otherwise imprinted with legends in substantially the following forms:
“THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS. SUCH SECURITIES MAY NOT BE SOLD, OFFERED FOR SALE, PLEDGED OR HYPOTHECATED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED IN THE ABSENCE OF A REGISTRATION STATEMENT IN EFFECT WITH RESPECT TO SUCH SECURITIES UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR AN AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT. ANY SUCH TRANSFER MAY ALSO BE SUBJECT TO COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS.”
“THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE AND THE SECURITIES ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE HEREOF MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD, CONTRACTED FOR SALE, SUBJECTED TO ANY OPTION TO PURCHASE, HYPOTHECATED, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF, NOR MAY TITLE THERETO BE TRANSFERRED, UNTIL SEPTEMBER 2, 2012, EXCEPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS OF THE STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT DATED AS OF MARCH 2, 2010 (THE “SPA”) BY AND BETWEEN LA CORTEZ ENERGY, INC. AND AVANTE PETROLEUM S.A. A COPY OF THE SPA IS AVAILABLE FROM THE SECRETARY OF THE COMPANY UPON REQUEST.”
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| 9. | [RESERVED] |
10. NOTICES
All notices, consents, waivers, and other communications under this Warrant must be in writing and will be deemed given to a party when (a) delivered to the appropriate address by hand or by nationally recognized overnight courier service (costs prepaid); (b) sent by facsimile or e-mail with confirmation of transmission by the transmitting equipment; (c) received or rejected by the addressee, if sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, if to the registered Holder hereof; or (d) seven days after the placement of the notice into the mails (first class postage prepaid), to the Holder at the address, facsimile number, or e-mail address furnished by the registered Holder to the Company in accordance with the Subscription Agreement by and between the Company and the Holder or, if the registered Holder is not the original purchaser of this Warrant, then as provided in the Form of Assignment delivered to the Company pursuant to Section 4(a) in connection with the assignment of this Warrant to such Holder, or if to the Company, to it at Calle 67 #7-35 Oficina 409, Bogotá, Colombia, Attention: Andres Gutierrez Rivera, Chief Executive Officer (or to such other address, facsimile number, or e-mail address as the Holder or the Company as a party may designate by notice to the other party in accordance with this Section 10) with a copy to Gottbetter & Partners, LLP, 488 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10022, Attention: Adam S. Gottbetter.
| 11. | SEVERABILITY |
If a court of competent jurisdiction holds any provision of this Warrant invalid or unenforceable, the other provisions of this Warrant will remain in full force and effect. Any provision of this Warrant held invalid or unenforceable only in part or degree will remain in full force and effect to the extent not held invalid or unenforceable.
| 12. | BINDING EFFECT |
This Warrant shall be binding upon and inure to the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, its successors and assigns, the registered Holder or Holders from time to time of this Warrant and the Warrant Shares.
| 13. | SURVIVAL OF RIGHTS AND DUTIES |
This Warrant shall terminate and be of no further force and effect on the earlier of 5:00 P.M., Eastern Time, on the Expiration Date or the date on which this Warrant has been exercised in full.
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| 14. | GOVERNING LAW |
This Warrant will be governed by and construed under the laws of the State of New York without regard to conflicts of laws principles that would require the application of any other law.
| 15. | DISPUTE RESOLUTION |
In the case of a dispute as to the determination of the Exercise Price or the arithmetic calculation of the Warrant Shares, the Company shall submit the disputed determinations or arithmetic calculations via facsimile within five (5) Business Days of receipt of the Notice of Exercise giving rise to such dispute, as the case may be, to the Holder. If the Holder and the Company are unable to agree upon such determination or calculation of the Exercise Price or the Warrant Shares within three Business Days of such disputed determination or arithmetic calculation being submitted to the Holder, then the Company shall, at its sole discretion, within five (5) Business Days, submit via facsimile (a) the disputed determination of the Exercise Price to an independent, reputable investment bank selected by the Company and approved by the Holder, or (b) the disputed arithmetic calculation of the Warrant Shares to the Company’s independent, outside accountant. The Company shall cause at its expense the investment bank or the accountant, as the case may be, to perform the determinations or calculations and notify the Company and the Holder of the results no later than ten (10) Business Days from the time it receives the disputed determinations or calculations; provided that, if such disputed determination or arithmetic calculation being submitted by the Holder is determined to be incorrect, then the expense of the investment bank or the accountant shall be the responsibility of the Holder. Such investment bank’s or accountant’s determination or calculation, as the case may be, shall be final, binding and conclusive upon the parties thereto.
| 16. | NOTICES OF RECORD DATE |
Upon (a) any establishment by the Company of a record date of the holders of any class of securities for the purpose of determining the holders thereof who are entitled to receive any dividend or other distribution, or right or option to acquire securities of the Company, or any other right, or (b) any capital reorganization, reclassification, recapitalization, merger or consolidation of the Company with or into any other corporation, any transfer of all or substantially all the assets of the Company, or any voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Company, or the sale, in a single transaction, of a majority of the Company’s voting stock (whether newly issued, or from treasury, or previously issued and then outstanding, or any combination thereof), the Company shall mail to the Holder at least ten ( 10) Business Days, or such longer period as may be required by law, prior to the record date specified therein, a notice specifying (i) the date established as the record date for the purpose of such dividend, distribution, option or right and a description of such dividend, option or right, (ii) the date on which any such reorganization, reclassification, transfer, consolidation, merger, dissolution, liquidation or winding up, or sale is expected to become effective and (iii) the date, if any, fixed as to when the holders of record of Common Stock shall be entitled to exchange their shares of Common Stock for securities or other property deliverable upon such reorganization, reclassification, transfer, consolation, merger, dissolution, liquidation or winding up.
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| 17. | RESERVATION OF SHARES |
The Company shall reserve and keep available out of its authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock for issuance upon the exercise of this Warrant, free from pre-emptive rights, such number of shares of Common Stock for which this Warrant shall from time to time be exercisable. The Company will take all such reasonable action as may be necessary to assure that such Warrant Shares may be issued as provided herein without violation of any applicable law or regulation. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company covenants that it will use commercially reasonable efforts to take all such action as may be necessary or appropriate in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and non-assessable Warrant Shares upon the exercise of this Warrant and use commercially reasonable efforts to obt ain all such authorizations, exemptions or consents, including but not limited to consents from the Company’s stockholders or Board of Directors or any public regulatory body, as may be necessary to enable the Company to perform its obligations under this Warrant.
| 18. | HEADINGS |
The headings used in this Warrant are for the convenience of reference only and shall not, for any purpose, be deemed a part of this Warrant.
| 19. | AMENDMENT AND WAIVERS |
Any term of this Warrant may be amended and the observance of any term of this Agreement may be waived (either generally or in a particular instance and either retroactively or prospectively), with the written consent of the Company and the Holders of a majority of the Warrant Shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants.
| 20. | NO THIRD PARTY RIGHTS |
This Warrant is not intended, and will not be construed, to create any rights in any parties other than the Company and the Holder, and no person or entity may assert any rights as third-party beneficiary hereunder.
SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant to be duly executed as of the date first set forth above.
| LA CORTEZ ENERGY, INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ Andres Gutierrez Rivera | |
| Name: | Andres Gutierrez Rivera | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
EXHIBIT A
NOTICE OF EXERCISE
(To be executed by the Holder of Warrant if such Holder desires to exercise Warrant)
To La Cortez Energy, Inc.:
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise this Warrant and to purchase thereunder, ___________________ full shares of La Cortez Energy, Inc. common stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrant and delivery of $_________ (in cash as provided for in the foregoing Warrant) and any applicable taxes payable by the undersigned pursuant to such Warrant.
The undersigned requests that certificates for such shares be issued in the name of:
_________________________________________
(Please print name, address and social security or federal employer
identification number (if applicable))*
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
If the shares issuable upon this exercise of the Warrant are not all of the Warrant Shares which the Holder is entitled to acquire upon the exercise of the Warrant, the undersigned requests that a new Warrant evidencing the rights not so exercised be issued in the name of and delivered to:
_________________________________________
(Please print name, address and social security or federal employer
identification number (if applicable))*
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
| Name of Holder (print): | ||||
| (Signature): | ||||
| (By:) | ||||
| (Title:) | ||||
| Dated: | ||||
* If Warrant Shares are to be issued in any name other than that of the registered Holder of the Warrant, then the Holder must include an opinion of counsel, reasonably satisfactory to the Company, to the effect that such issuance complies with all applicable securities laws.
EXHIBIT B
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, ___________________________________ hereby sells, assigns and transfers to each assignee set forth below all of the rights of the undersigned under the Warrant (as defined in and evidenced by the attached Warrant) to acquire the number of Warrant Shares set opposite the name of such assignee below and in and to the foregoing Warrant with respect to said acquisition rights and the shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrant:
Name of Assignee (and social security or federal employer identification number (if applicable)) | Address | Number of Shares |
If the total of the Warrant Shares are not all of the Warrant Shares evidenced by the foregoing Warrant, the undersigned requests that a new Warrant evidencing the right to acquire the Warrant Shares not so assigned be issued in the name of and delivered to the undersigned.
| Name of Holder (print): | ||||
| (Signature): | ||||
| By: | ||||
| Title: | ||||
| Dated: | ||||
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