Exhibit 5.1
 |  |
August 15, 2022
Sandridge Energy, Inc.
1 E. Sheridan Ave.
Suite 500
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73104
| Re: | Form S-3 Registration Statement |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as special counsel to Sandridge Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the Company’s registration statement on Form S-3 to be filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on or about the date hereof (the “Registration Statement”), in connection with the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), and proposed offer, issuance and sale from time to time on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Act, as set forth in the Registration Statement, the prospectus contained therein and any supplement to the prospectus, of the following securities of the Company:
(i) shares of common stock of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”);
(ii) shares of preferred stock of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Preferred Stock”);
(iii) depositary shares of the Company representing a fractional interest in a share of Preferred Stock (the “Depositary Shares”);
(iv) debt securities, which may be senior or subordinated, and which may be guaranteed by certain of the Company’s subsidiaries, including Sandridge Exploration and Production, LLC, SandRidge Holdings, Inc., SandRidge Midstream, Inc., SandRidge Operating Company, and Sandridge Realty, LLC (the “Debt Securities”), which will be issued under separate Senior or Subordinated Indentures, the forms of which are filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (as amended or supplemented, the “Indentures”), to be entered into by and between the Company and the trustee named therein (the “Indenture Trustee”);
(v) warrants to purchase the Common Stock, the Preferred Stock or the Debt Securities (the “Warrants”), which will be issued pursuant to a warrant agreement, which will be filed at a later date by amendment or as an exhibit to a document incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement, to be entered into by and between the Company and a bank or trust company as warrant agent;
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(vi) subscription rights to purchase the Common Stock, the Preferred Stock, the Debt Securities or other securities (the “Subscription Rights”);
(vii) stock purchase contracts for the purchase of shares of the Common Stock (the “Stock Purchase Contracts”); and
(viii) stock purchase units consisting of a Stock Purchase Contract and either Debt Securities or debt obligations of third parties, including U.S. Treasury securities (the “Stock Purchase Units” and, together with the Common Stock, the Preferred Stock, the Depositary Shares, the Debt Securities, the Warrants, the Subscription Rights, the Stock Purchase Contracts and the Stock Purchase Units, the “Securities”).
It is understood that the opinions set forth below are to be used only in connection with the offer, issuance and sale of the Securities while the Registration Statement is in effect. The Registration Statement provides that the Securities may be offered in amounts, at prices and on terms to be set forth in one or more prospectus supplements or free writing prospectuses.
This opinion letter is being delivered in accordance with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K promulgated under the Act.
In rendering the opinions set forth below, we have examined and are familiar with originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of (i) the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, as amended, as in effect on the date hereof (the “Certificate of Incorporation”), (ii) the Amended & Restated By-laws of the Company, as amended, as in effect on the date hereof (the “By-laws” and, together with the Certificate of Incorporation, the “Organizational Documents”), (iii) the Registration Statement, (iv) the Indentures and (v) resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) relating to, among other matters, the filing of the Registration Statement. We are familiar with the various corporate proceedings heretofore taken and additional proceedings proposed to be taken by the Company in connection with the authorization, registration, issuance and sale of the Securities. We have also examined originals, or copies certified to our satisfaction, of such corporate records of the Company and other instruments, certificates of public officials and representatives of the Company and other documents as we have deemed necessary as a basis for the opinions hereinafter expressed. In such examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals and the conformity with the originals of all documents submitted to us as copies. We have also assumed that the Company will remain duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware. As to certain facts material to this opinion letter, we have relied without independent verification upon oral and written statements and representations of officers and other representatives of the Company.
On the basis of the foregoing, and subject to (i) the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto being effective under the Act, (ii) the applicable Indenture under which Debt Securities are issued having been duly authorized, validly executed and delivered by the Company and the other parties thereto, (iii) the applicable Trustee being qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, (iv) the applicable warranty agreement pursuant to which the Warrants will be issues having been duly authorized, validly executed and delivered by the Company and
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the other parties thereto, (v) a prospectus supplement having been filed with the Commission describing the Securities being offered thereby and (vi) all Securities being issued and sold in the manner stated in the Registration Statement and the applicable prospectus supplement and in accordance with a duly executed and delivered purchase, underwriting or similar agreement with respect to the Securities, we are of the opinion that:
1. With respect to the Common Stock, when (i) the Board, or a committee thereof, has taken all corporate action necessary to approve the final terms of the issuance and sale of the shares of the Common Stock, and (ii) the Company has received the consideration therefor (and such consideration per share is not less than the par value per share of the Common Stock), the Common Stock will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
2. With respect to any series of Preferred Stock, when (i) the Board, or a committee thereof, has taken all corporate action necessary to approve the final terms of the issuance and sale of such Preferred Stock, (ii) the terms of the series of the Preferred Stock have been duly established in conformity with the applicable Organizational Documents and (iii) the Company has received the consideration therefor (and such consideration per share is not less than the par value per share of the Preferred Stock), the Preferred Stock will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
3. With respect to the Depositary Shares, when (i) the Board, or a committee thereof, has taken all corporate action necessary to approve the final terms of the issuance and sale of such Depositary Shares, and (ii) the Company has received the consideration therefor, the Depositary Shares will entitle the holders thereof to the rights specified therein and in the deposit agreement relating to the Depositary Shares pursuant to which they are issued, subject to subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles.
4. With respect to the Debt Securities, when (i) the Board, or a committee thereof, has taken all necessary corporate action to approve the final terms of the issuance and sale of the Debt Securities, (ii) the terms of the Debt Securities have been duly established in conformity with the applicable Indenture and do not violate any applicable law or result in a default under, or breach of, an agreement or instrument binding upon the Company and comply with any requirement or restriction imposed by any court or governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company, (iii) such Debt Securities have been duly executed and delivered by the Company and authenticated by the applicable Trustee in accordance with the applicable Indenture and (iv) the Company has received the consideration therefor, such Debt Securities will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles.
5. With respect to the Warrants, when (i) the Board, or a committee thereof, has taken all necessary corporate action to approve the final terms of the issuance and sale of the Warrants, (ii) the terms of the Warrants have been duly established in conformity with the applicable warrant agreement and do not violate any applicable law or result in a default under, or breach of, an agreement or instrument binding upon the Company and comply with any requirement or restriction imposed by any court or governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company, (iii) the applicable warrant agreement relating to the Warrants has been duly authorized, executed and
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delivered, (iv) the Warrants are executed, countersigned and delivered in accordance with the applicable warrant agreement against payment therefor and (v) the Company has received the consideration therefor, the Warrants will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles.
6. With respect to the Subscription Rights, when (i) the Board, or a committee thereof, has taken all necessary corporate action to approve the final terms of the issuance and sale of the Subscription Rights, (ii) the subscription rights agreement relating to the Subscription Rights has been duly authorized, executed and delivered, (iii) the certificates representing the Subscription Rights have been executed, countersigned and delivered in accordance with the applicable subscription rights agreement against payment therefor and (iv) the Company has received the consideration therefor, the Subscription Rights will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles.
7. With respect to the Stock Purchase Contracts, when (i) the Board, or a committee thereof, has taken all necessary corporate action to approve the final terms of the issuance and sale of the Stock Purchase Contracts, (ii) the purchase agreement relating to the Stock Purchase Contracts has been duly authorized, executed and delivered, (iii) the Stock Purchase Contracts have been executed, countersigned and delivered in accordance with the applicable purchase agreement against payment therefor and (iv) the Company has received the consideration therefor, the Stock Purchase Contracts will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles.
8. With respect to the Stock Purchase Units, when (i) the Board, or a committee thereof, has taken all necessary corporate action to approve the final terms of the issuance and sale of the Stock Purchase Units, (ii) the purchase agreement relating to the Stock Purchase Units has been duly authorized, executed and delivered, (iii) the Stock Purchase Units have been executed, countersigned and delivered in accordance with the applicable purchase agreement against payment therefor and (iv) the Company has received the consideration therefor, the Stock Purchase Units will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles.
The opinions expressed herein are based upon and limited to the laws of the State of New York and the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (including the statutory provisions, all applicable provisions of the Delaware Constitution and reported judicial decisions interpreting the foregoing). We express no opinion herein as to any other laws, statutes, regulations or ordinances. The opinions expressed herein that are based on the laws of the State of New York are limited to the laws generally applicable in transactions of the type covered by the Registration Statement.
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We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement and to the reference to our firm under the caption “Validity of the Securities” in the prospectus included in the Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are experts within the meaning of the Act or that our firm is within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Winston & Strawn LLP