Epl Oil & Gas 8-K Report of Independent Auditors

Exhibit 10.1

Execution Version

AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

DATEDASOF

OCTOBER 31, 2012

AMONG

EPL OIL & GAS, INC.,

AS BORROWER,

BANKOF MONTREAL,

AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENTAND ISSUING BANK,

CAPITAL ONE, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

NATIXISAND REGIONS BANK,

AS CO-SYNDICATION AGENTS,

THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIAAND

KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

AS CO-DOCUMENTATION AGENTS,

AND

THE LENDERS PARTY HERETO

SOLE LEAD ARRANGERAND SOLE BOOKRUNNER

BMO CAPITAL MARKETS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

	Page
ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING MATTERS		1
Section 1.01 Defined Terms		1
Section 1.02 Types of Loans and Borrowings		27
Section 1.03 Terms Generally; Rules of Construction		27
Section 1.04 Accounting Terms and Determinations; GAAP		27
ARTICLE II THE CREDITS 28
Section 2.01 Commitments		28
Section 2.02 Loans and Borrowings		28
Section 2.03 Requests for Borrowings		29
Section 2.04 Interest Elections		30
Section 2.05 Funding of Borrowings		31
Section 2.06 Termination, Reduction and Increase of Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts		32
Section 2.07 Borrowing Base		34
Section 2.08 Letters of Credit		37
ARTICLE III PAYMENTS OF PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST; PREPAYMENTS; FEES		42
Section 3.01 Repayment of Loans		42
Section 3.02 Interest		42
Section 3.03 Alternate Rate of Interest		43
Section 3.04 Prepayments		43
Section 3.05 Fees		45
ARTICLE IV PAYMENTS; PRO RATA TREATMENT; SHARING OF SET-OFFS		46
Section 4.01 Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs		46
Section 4.02 Presumption of Payment by the Borrower		47
Section 4.03 Certain Deductions by the Administrative Agent; Defaulting Lenders		48
ARTICLE V INCREASED COSTS; BREAK FUNDING PAYMENTS; TAXES; ILLEGALITY		50
Section 5.01 Increased Costs		50
Section 5.02 Break Funding Payments		51
Section 5.03 Taxes		52
Section 5.04 Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders		54
Section 5.05 Illegality		55
ARTICLE VI CONDITIONS PRECEDENT		55
Section 6.01 Effective Date		55
Section 6.02 Each Credit Event		60

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ARTICLE VII REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES	60
Section 7.01 Organization; Powers	60
Section 7.02 Authority; Enforceability	61
Section 7.03 Approvals; No Conflicts	61
Section 7.04 Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change	61
Section 7.05 Litigation	62
Section 7.06 Environmental Matters	62
Section 7.07 Compliance with the Laws and Agreements; No Defaults	64
Section 7.08 Investment Company Act	64
Section 7.09 Taxes	64
Section 7.10 ERISA	64
Section 7.11 Disclosure; No Material Misstatements	65
Section 7.12 Insurance	65
Section 7.13 Restriction on Liens	66
Section 7.14 Subsidiaries; Foreign Operations	66
Section 7.15 Location of Business and Offices	66
Section 7.16 Properties; Titles, Etc.	66
Section 7.17 Maintenance of Oil and Gas Properties	67
Section 7.18 Gas Imbalances, Prepayments	68
Section 7.19 Marketing of Production	68
Section 7.20 Security Instruments	68
Section 7.21 Hedging Agreements	69
Section 7.22 Use of Loans and Letters of Credit	69
Section 7.23 Solvency	69
Section 7.24 Acquisition	69
Section 7.25 Foreign Corrupt Practices	70
Section 7.26 Anti-Terrorism Laws	70
ARTICLE VIII AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS	71
Section 8.01 Financial Statements; Other Information	71
Section 8.02 Notices of Material Events	74
Section 8.03 Existence; Conduct of Business	74
Section 8.04 Payment of Obligations	75
Section 8.05 [Reserved]	75
Section 8.06 Operation and Maintenance of Properties	75
Section 8.07 Insurance	76
Section 8.08 Books and Records; Inspection Rights	76
Section 8.09 Compliance with Laws	76
Section 8.10 Environmental Matters	76
Section 8.11 Further Assurances	77
Section 8.12 Reserve Reports	77
Section 8.13 Title Information	78
Section 8.14 Additional Collateral; Additional Guarantors	79
Section 8.15 ERISA Compliance	81
Section 8.16 Marketing Activities	81
Section 8.17 Post-Effective Date Matters	81

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ARTICLE IX NEGATIVE COVENANTS	82
Section 9.01 Financial Covenants	82
Section 9.02 Indebtedness	82
Section 9.03 Liens	83
Section 9.04 Restricted Payments; Redemption or Repayment of Senior Notes	83
Section 9.05 Investments, Loans and Advances; Permitted Acquisitions	85
Section 9.06 Nature of Business; International Operations	86
Section 9.07 Limitation on Leases	86
Section 9.08 Proceeds of Loans	86
Section 9.09 ERISA Compliance	87
Section 9.10 Sale or Discount of Receivables	87
Section 9.11 Mergers, Etc.	87
Section 9.12 Sale of Properties	88
Section 9.13 Environmental Matters	89
Section 9.14 Transactions with Affiliates	89
Section 9.15 Subsidiaries	89
Section 9.16 Negative Pledge Agreements; Dividend Restrictions	89
Section 9.17 Gas Imbalances, Take-or-Pay or Other Prepayments	90
Section 9.18 Hedging Agreements	90
Section 9.19 Sale and Leaseback	92
Section 9.20 Amendments to Organization Documents, Material Contracts, Fiscal Year End	92
Section 9.21 Anti-Terrorism Law; Anti-Money Laundering	92
Section 9.22 Embargoed Person	93
ARTICLE X EVENTS OF DEFAULT; REMEDIES	93
Section 10.01 Events of Default	93
Section 10.02 Remedies	95
ARTICLE XI THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT	97
Section 11.01 Appointment; Powers	97
Section 11.02 Duties and Obligations of Administrative Agent	97
Section 11.03 Action by Administrative Agent	97
Section 11.04 Reliance by Administrative Agent	98
Section 11.05 Sub-agents	99
Section 11.06 Resignation or Removal of Administrative Agent	99
Section 11.07 Agents as Lenders	99
Section 11.08 No Reliance	99
Section 11.09 Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim	100
Section 11.10 Authority of Administrative Agent to Release Collateral and Liens	101
Section 11.11 The Arranger, the Co-Syndication Agents and the Co-Documentation Agents	101
ARTICLE XII MISCELLANEOUS	101
Section 12.01 Notices	101

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Section 12.02 Waivers; Amendments	102
Section 12.03 Expenses, Indemnity; Damage Waiver	103
Section 12.04 Assignments and Participations	105
Section 12.05 Survival; Revival; Reinstatement	109
Section 12.06 Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness	109
Section 12.07 Severability	110
Section 12.08 Right of Setoff	110
Section 12.09 GOVERNING LAW; JURISDICTION; CONSENT TO SERVICE OF PROCESS	110
Section 12.10 Headings	111
Section 12.11 Confidentiality	111
Section 12.12 Interest Rate Limitation	112
Section 12.13 EXCULPATION PROVISIONS	113
Section 12.14 Collateral Matters; Hedging Agreements; Treasury Management Agreements	113
Section 12.15 No Third Party Beneficiaries	114
Section 12.16 USA Patriot Act Notice	114
Section 12.17 Releases	114
Section 12.18 No Fiduciary Duty	114
Section 12.19 Amendment and Restatement	115

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ANNEXES, EXHIBITS AND SCHEDULES

Annex I	List of Maximum Credit Amounts
Exhibit A	Form of Note
Exhibit B	Form of Borrowing Request
Exhibit C	Form of Interest Election Request
Exhibit D-1	Form of Compliance Certificate (Effective Date)
Exhibit D-2	Form of Compliance Certificate (Ongoing)
Exhibit D-3	Form of Hedging Agreement Certificate
Exhibit E-1	Form of Maximum Credit Amount Increase Certificate
Exhibit E-2	Form of Additional Lender Certificate
Exhibit F	Form of Guaranty and Collateral Agreement
Exhibit G	Form of Assignment and Assumption
Schedule 1.01(a)	Existing Letters of Credit
Schedule 1.01(b)	Security Instruments
Schedule 6.01(n)	Collateral Exceptions
Schedule 7.05	Litigation
Schedule 7.06	Environmental Matters
Schedule 7.14	Subsidiaries
Schedule 7.18	Gas Imbalances
Schedule 7.19	Marketing Contracts
Schedule 7.20	Jurisdictions for Security Instrument Filings
Schedule 7.21	Hedging Agreements
Schedule 8.17	Post-Effective Date Matters
Schedule 9.02	Existing Indebtedness
Schedule 9.03	Existing Liens
Schedule 9.05	Existing Investments

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THIS AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT dated as of October 31, 2012, is among: EPL OIL & GAS, INC. (f/k/a Energy Partners, Ltd.), a corporation duly formed and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Borrower”); each of the Lenders from time to time party hereto; BANK OF MONTREAL (in its individual capacity, “BMO”), as administrative agent for the Lenders (in such capacity, together with its successors in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”) and as Issuing Bank (as defined below); CAPITAL ONE, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NATIXIS and REGIONS BANK, as co-syndication agents (in such capacity, together with their successors in such capacity, the “Co-Syndication Agents”); and THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA and KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as co-documentation agents (in such capacity, together with their successors in such capacity, the “Co-Documentation Agents”).

R E C I T A L S

A. The Borrower, BMO, as administrative agent, and the lenders and other agents party thereto entered into the Credit Agreement, dated as of February 14, 2011, as amended by the First Amendment to Credit Agreement, dated as of May 7, 2012, and the Second Amendment to Credit Agreement, dated as of October 18, 2012 (the “Existing Credit Agreement”) pursuant to which the lenders thereunder provided certain loans to, and extensions of credit on behalf of, the Borrower.

B. The Borrower has requested that the Lenders and the Administrative Agent amend and restate the Existing Credit Agreement and that the Lenders provide certain loans to, and extensions of credit on behalf of, the Borrower.

C. The Lenders and the Administrative Agent have agreed to amend and restate the Existing Credit Agreement by entering into this Agreement, and the Lenders have agreed to make such loans and extensions of credit subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

D. In consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained and of the loans, extensions of credit and commitments hereinafter referred to, the parties hereto agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING MATTERS

Section 1.01Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified below:

“ABR”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing interest at a rate determined by reference to the Alternate Base Rate.

“Acquisition” means the acquisition of all of the Equity Interests in the Target.

“Acquisition Agreement” means the Purchase and Sale Agreement, dated as of September 14, 2012, between Hilcorp and the Borrower.

“Acquisition Documents” means, collectively, (a) the Acquisition Agreement, and (b) all bills of sale, assignments, agreements, instruments and documents executed and delivered in connection therewith.

“Additional Lender” has the meaning assigned to such term inSection 2.06(d)(i).

“Additional Lender Certificate” has the meaning assigned to such term inSection 2.06(d)(ii)(F).

“Additional Senior Notes Due 2018” means the Borrower’s $300,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of 8.25% Senior Notes due 2018 originally issued on October 25, 2012 pursuant to the Senior Indenture dated as of such date and any exchange notes therefor issued pursuant to the Senior Indenture dated February 14, 2011.

“Adjusted LIBO Rate” means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period, an interest rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) equal to the greater of (i) 0% and (ii) the LIBO Rate for such Interest Period multiplied by the Statutory Reserve Rate.

“Administrative Agent” has the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph hereto.

“Administrative Questionnaire” means an Administrative Questionnaire in a form supplied by the Administrative Agent.

“Affected Loans” has the meaning assigned to such term inSection 5.05.

“Affiliate” means, with respect to a specified Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified.

“Agents” means, collectively, the Administrative Agent, the Co-Syndication Agents and the Co-Documentation Agents; and “Agent” means any of the Administrative Agent, the Co-Syndication Agents or the Co-Documentation Agents, as the context requires.

“Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts” means, at any time, the sum of the Maximum Credit Amounts, as the same may be increased, reduced or terminated pursuant toSection 2.06. The initial Aggregate Maximum Credit Amount of the Lenders is $750,000,000.

“Agreement” means this Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, as the same may from time to time be amended, modified, supplemented or restated.

“Alternate Base Rate” means, for any day, a rate per annum equal to the greatest of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on such day, (b) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day plus ¹/₂ of 1%, and (c) the Adjusted LIBO Rate for a one month Interest Period at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, on such day (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the immediately preceding Business Day) plus 1%. Any change in the Alternate Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Effective Rate or the Adjusted LIBO Rate shall be effective from and including the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Effective Rate or the Adjusted LIBO Rate, respectively.

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“Anti-Terrorism Law” has the meaning assigned to such term inSection 7.26(a).

“Applicable Margin” means, for any day, with respect to any ABR Loan or Eurodollar Loan, the rate per annum set forth below based upon the Borrowing Base Utilization Percentage then in effect:

Borrowing Base Utilization Percentage	<25%			³25% and <50%			³50% and <75%			³75% and <90%			³90%
ABR Loans		0.75	%		1.00	%		1.25	%		1.50	%		1.75	%
Eurodollar Loans		1.75	%		2.00	%		2.25	%		2.50	%		2.75	%

Each change in the Applicable Margin shall apply during the period commencing on the effective date of such change and ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the next such change,provided,however, that if at any time the Borrower fails to deliver a Reserve Report as required by and within the time frames set forth inSection 8.12(a), then the “Applicable Margin”, from the applicable date of such failure until the date the applicable Reserve Report is delivered, shall be the rate per annum set forth on the grid when the Borrowing Base Utilization Percentage is at its highest level.

“Applicable Percentage” means, with respect to any Lender, the percentage of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts represented by such Lender’s Maximum Credit Amount as such percentage is set forth onAnnex I, and as such percentage may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof.

“Approved Counterparty” means any Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender.

“Approved Fund” means (a) a CLO and (b) with respect to any Lender that is a fund which invests in bank loans and similar extensions of credit, any other fund that invests in bank loans and similar extensions of credit and is managed by the same investment advisor as such Lender or by an Affiliate of such investment advisor.

“Approved Petroleum Engineers” means (a) Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc., and (b) Ryder Scott Company Petroleum Consultants, L.P. and (c) any other independent petroleum engineers reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.

“Arranger” means BMO Capital Markets, in its capacities as the sole lead arranger and sole bookrunner hereunder.

“Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required bySection 12.04(b)), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in the form ofExhibit G or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.

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“Availability Period” means the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the Termination Date.

“BMO” has the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph hereto.

“Board” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States of America or any successor Governmental Authority.

“BOEM” means the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and any successor thereto.

“Borrower” has the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph hereto.

“Borrowing” means Loans of the same Type, made, converted or continued on the same date and, in the case of Eurodollar Loans, as to which a single Interest Period is in effect.

“Borrowing Base” means at any time an amount equal to the amount determined in accordance withSection 2.07, as the same may be adjusted from time to time pursuant toSection 2.07(e) orSection 8.13(c).

“Borrowing Base Deficiency” means any period during which the total Credit Exposures exceeds the Borrowing Base then in effect.

“Borrowing Base Hedge Unwind” means any Unwind of a Borrowing Base Hedging Contract.

“Borrowing Base Hedging Contracts” means all Hedging Contracts (and related hedge positions) in respect of commodities that were in effect at the time of the most recent Borrowing Base redetermination.

“Borrowing Base Properties” means Oil and Gas Properties that were evaluated in the most recently delivered Reserve Report(s).

“Borrowing Base Property Disposition” means the sale or other disposition (including any Casualty Event) by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of (a) Borrowing Base Properties or (b) Equity Interests in Subsidiaries that own Borrowing Base Properties, other than any such sale or disposition made to the Borrower or any Subsidiary.

“Borrowing Base Utilization Percentage” means, as of any day, the fraction expressed as a percentage, the numerator of which is the sum of the Credit Exposures of the Lenders on such day, and the denominator of which is the Borrowing Base in effect on such day.

“Borrowing Request” means a request by the Borrower for a Borrowing in accordance withSection 2.03.

“Business Day” means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York City or Houston, Texas are authorized or required by law to remain closed; and if such day relates to a Borrowing or continuation of, a payment or prepayment of principal of or interest on, or a conversion of or into, or the Interest Period for, a Eurodollar Loan or a notice by the Borrower with respect to any such Borrowing or continuation, payment, prepayment, conversion or Interest Period, any day which is also a day on which dealings in dollar deposits are carried out in the London interbank market.

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“Capital Leases” means, in respect of any Person, all leases which shall have been, or should have been, in accordance with GAAP, recorded as capital leases on the balance sheet of the Person liable (whether contingent or otherwise) for the payment of rent thereunder.

“Casualty Event” means any loss, casualty or other insured damage to, or any nationalization, taking under power of eminent domain or by condemnation or similar proceeding of, any Property of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries having a fair market value in excess of $5,000,000.

“Change in Control” means (a) the acquisition of ownership, directly or indirectly, beneficially or of record, by any Person or group (within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules of the SEC thereunder as in effect on the date hereof) other than the Equity Investors of Equity Interests representing more than thirty-five percent (35%) of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of the Borrower, or (b) the occupation of a majority of the seats (other than vacant seats) on the board of directors of the Borrower by Persons who were neither (i) nominated by the board of directors of the Borrower nor (ii) appointed by directors so nominated, or (c) any change in control or similar event shall occur under the terms of any Senior Indenture (or any supplement thereto) that results in an “event of default” under any Senior Indenture (or any supplement thereto) or any of the Senior Notes, any of the Senior Notes becoming due and payable before their maturity or any of the Senior Notes being subject to a repurchase, retirement or redemption right or option (whether or not exercised).

“Change in Law” means (a) the adoption of any law, rule or regulation after the date of this Agreement, (b) any change in any law, rule or regulation or in the interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority after the date of this Agreement or (c) compliance by any Lender or any Issuing Bank (or, for purposes ofSection 5.01(b), by any lending office of such Lender or such Issuing Bank or by such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s holding company, if any) with any request, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) of any Governmental Authority made or issued after the date of this Agreement.

“CLO” means any entity (whether a corporation, partnership, trust or otherwise) that is engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in bank loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business and is administered or managed by a Lender or an Affiliate of such Lender.

“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and any successor statute.

“Collateral” means all Property of the Loan Parties which is subject to a Lien under one or more Security Instruments.

“Commitment” means, with respect to each Lender, the commitment of such Lender to make Loans and to acquire participations in Letters of Credit hereunder, expressed as an amount

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representing the maximum aggregate amount of such Lender’s Credit Exposure hereunder, as such commitment may be (a) reduced or terminated from time to time in connection with a reduction or termination of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts pursuant toSection 2.06(b), (b) increased from time to time in connection with an increase in the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts pursuant toSection 2.06(c), or (c) modified from time to time pursuant to any assignment by or to such Lender pursuant toSection 12.04(b). The amount of each Lender’s Commitment shall at any time be the lesser of (i) such Lender’s Maximum Credit Amount and (ii) such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the then effective Borrowing Base.

“Commitment Fee Rate” means the rate per annum set forth below based upon the Borrowing Base Utilization Percentage then in effect:

Borrowing Base Utilization Percentage	<25%			³25% and <50%			³50% and <75%			³75% and <90%			³90%
Commitment Fee Rate		0.375	%		0.375	%		0.50	%		0.50	%		0.50	%

Each change in the Commitment Fee Rate shall apply during the period commencing on the effective date of such change and ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the next such change,provided,however, that if at any time the Borrower fails to deliver a Reserve Report as required by and within the time frames set forth inSection 8.12(a), then the “Commitment Fee Rate”, from the applicable date of such failure until the date the applicable Reserve Report is delivered, shall be the rate per annum set forth on the grid when the Borrowing Base Utilization Percentage is at its highest level.

“Consolidated Net Income” means with respect to the Borrower and the Consolidated Subsidiaries, for any period, the aggregate of the net income (or loss) of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP;provided that there shall be excluded from such net income (to the extent otherwise included therein) the following: (a) the net income of any Person in which the Borrower or any of its Consolidated Subsidiaries has an interest (which interest does not cause the net income of such other Person to be consolidated with the net income of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP), except to the extent of the amount of dividends or distributions actually paid in cash during such period by such other Person to the Borrower or to any of its Consolidated Subsidiaries, as the case may be; (b) the net income (but not loss) during such period of any Consolidated Subsidiary to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions or transfers or loans by that Consolidated Subsidiary is not at the time permitted by operation of the terms of its charter or any agreement, instrument or Governmental Requirement applicable to such Consolidated Subsidiary or is otherwise restricted or prohibited, in each case determined in accordance with GAAP; (c) the net income (or loss) of any Person acquired in a pooling-of-interests transaction for any period prior to the date of such transaction; (d) any extraordinary or non-recurring gains or losses during such period; (e) any gains or losses attributable to writeups or writedowns of assets; and (f) any non-cash gains or losses or positive or negative adjustments under Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 133 (and any statements replacing, modifying or superseding such statement) as the result of

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changes in the fair market value of derivatives;providedfurther if the Borrower or any of its Consolidated Subsidiaries shall acquire or dispose of any material Property (including pursuant to the Acquisition) during such period, then Consolidated Net Income shall be calculated after givingpro forma effect to such acquisition or disposition, as if such acquisition or disposition had occurred on the first day of such period.

“Consolidated Subsidiaries” means each Subsidiary of the Borrower (whether now existing or hereafter created or acquired) the financial statements of which shall be (or should have been) consolidated with the financial statements of the Borrower in accordance with GAAP.

“Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. For the purposes of this definition, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any Person that owns directly or indirectly 10% or more of the Equity Interests having ordinary voting power for the election of the directors or other governing body of a Person (other than as a limited partner of such other Person) will be deemed to “control” such other Person. “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto.

“Credit Exposure” means, with respect to any Lender at any time, the sum of the outstanding principal amount of such Lender’s Loans and its LC Exposure at such time.

“Default” means any event or condition which constitutes an Event of Default or which upon notice, lapse of time or both would, unless cured or waived, become an Event of Default.

“Defaulting Lender” means, subject toSection 4.03(c)(v), any Lender, as determined by the Administrative Agent, that has (a) failed to fund any portion of its Loans or participations in Letters of Credit within three (3) Business Days of the date required to be funded by it hereunder, (b) notified the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender in writing that it does not intend to comply with any of its funding obligations under this Agreement or has made a public statement to the effect that it does not intend to comply with its funding obligations under this Agreement, (c) failed, within three (3) Business Days after request by the Administrative Agent, to confirm that it will comply with the terms of this Agreement relating to its obligations to fund prospective Loans and participations in then outstanding Letters of Credit, (d) otherwise failed to pay over to the Administrative Agent or any other Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder within three (3) Business Days of the date when due, unless the subject of a good faith dispute, or (e) (i) becomes or is insolvent or has a parent company that has become or is insolvent or (ii) becomes the subject of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding, or has had a receiver, conservator, trustee or custodian appointed for it, or has taken any action in furtherance of, or indicating its consent to, approval of or acquiescence in any such proceeding or appointment or has a parent company that has become the subject of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding, or has had a receiver, conservator, trustee or custodian appointed for it, or has taken any action in furtherance of, or indicating its consent to, approval of or acquiescence in any such proceeding or appointment;provided, that a Lender shall not become a Defaulting Lender solely as the result of the acquisition or maintenance of an ownership interest in such Lender or its parent company, or the exercise of control over such Lender or its parent company, by a Governmental Authority or an instrumentality thereof;

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providedfurther that an Undisclosed Administration shall not be deemed to be any of the events described in clause (e) above. Any determination by the Administrative Agent that a Lender is a Defaulting Lender under any one or more of clauses (a) through (e) above shall be conclusive and binding, absent manifest error, and such Lender shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender (subject toSection 4.03(c)(v)) upon delivery of written notice of such determination to the Borrower, each Issuing Bank and each Lender.

“Disqualified Capital Stock” means any Equity Interest that, by its terms (or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable) or upon the happening of any event, matures or is mandatorily redeemable for any consideration other than other Equity Interests (which would not constitute Disqualified Capital Stock), pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, or is convertible or exchangeable for Indebtedness or redeemable for any consideration other than other Equity Interests (which would not constitute Disqualified Capital Stock) at the option of the holder thereof, in whole or in part (but if in part, only with respect to such amount that meets the criteria set forth in this definition), on or prior to the date that is ninety-one (91) days after the earlier of (a) the Maturity Date and (b) the date on which there are no Loans, LC Exposure or other obligations hereunder outstanding and the termination of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts has occurred.

“dollars” or “$” refers to lawful money of the United States of America.

“Domestic Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is organized under the laws of the United States of America or any state thereof or the District of Columbia.

“EBITDAX” means, for any period, the sum of (a) Consolidated Net Income for such periodplus (b) accretion of asset retirement obligations in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 143 (and any statements replacing, modifying or superseding such statement), Accounting for Asset Retirement Obligations, and any similar accounting in prior periodsplus(c) the following expenses or charges to the extent deducted from Consolidated Net Income in such period: interest, income Taxes, depreciation, depletion, amortization (including amortization of goodwill), expenses associated with the exploration of Oil and Gas Properties, other noncash charges, and expenses incurred in connection with the consummation of the Transactions and the transactions under the Senior Indentures,minus (d) all noncash income added to Consolidated Net Income.

“Effective Date” means the date on which the conditions specified inSection 6.01 are satisfied (or waived in accordance withSection 12.02).

“Embargoed Person” has the meaning assigned to such term inSection 9.22.

“Engineering Reports” has the meaning assigned to such term inSection 2.07(c)(i).

“Environmental Laws” means any and all Governmental Requirements pertaining in any way to health, safety, the environment, the preservation or reclamation of natural resources, or the management, Release or threatened Release of any Hazardous Materials, in effect in any and all jurisdictions in which the Borrower or any Subsidiary is conducting business, or where any Property of the Borrower or any Subsidiary is located, including without limitation, the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (“OPA”), as amended, the Clean Air Act, as amended, the Comprehensive

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Environmental, Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (“CERCLA”), as amended, the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended, the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, as amended, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (“RCRA”), as amended, the Safe Drinking Water Act, as amended, the Toxic Substances Control Act, as amended, the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986, as amended, the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act, as amended, and similar state and local statutes.

“Environmental Permit” means any permit, registration, license, approval, consent, exemption, variance, or other authorization required under or issued pursuant to applicable Environmental Laws.

“Equity Interests” means shares of capital stock, partnership interests, membership interests in a limited liability company, beneficial interests in a trust or other equity ownership interests in a Person, and any warrants, options or other rights entitling the holder thereof to purchase or acquire any such Equity Interest.

“Equity Investors” means Wexford Capital LP, Carlson Capital, L.P. and their respective Affiliates.

“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and any successor statute.

“ERISA Affiliate” means each trade or business (whether or not incorporated) which together with the Borrower or a Subsidiary would be deemed to be a “single employer” within the meaning of Section 4001(b)(1) of ERISA or subsections (b), (c), (m) or (o) of Section 414 of the Code.

“Eurodollar”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing interest at a rate determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate.

“Event of Default” has the meaning assigned to such term inSection 10.01.

“Excepted Liens” means: (a) Liens for Taxes, assessments or other governmental charges or levies which are not delinquent or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate action and for which adequate reserves have been established in accordance with GAAP; (b) Liens in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance or other social security, old age pension or public liability obligations which are not delinquent or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate action and for which adequate reserves have been maintained in accordance with GAAP; (c) landlord’s liens, operators’, vendors’, carriers’, warehousemen’s, repairmen’s, mechanics’, suppliers’, workers’, materialmen’s, construction or other like Liens arising by operation of law in the ordinary course of business or incident to the exploration, development, operation and maintenance of Oil and Gas Properties each of which is in respect of obligations that are not delinquent or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate action and for which adequate reserves have been maintained in accordance with GAAP; (d) contractual Liens which arise in the ordinary course of business under operating agreements, joint venture agreements, oil and gas partnership agreements, oil and gas leases, farm-out agreements, division orders, contracts for the sale, transportation or exchange of oil and

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natural gas, unitization and pooling declarations and agreements, area of mutual interest agreements, overriding royalty agreements, marketing agreements, processing agreements, net profits agreements, development agreements, gas balancing or deferred production agreements, injection, repressuring and recycling agreements, salt water or other disposal agreements, seismic or other geophysical permits or agreements, and other agreements which are usual and customary in the oil and gas business and are for claims which are not delinquent or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate action and for which adequate reserves have been maintained in accordance with GAAP;provided that no such Lien referred to in this clause (d) materially impairs the use of the Property covered by such Lien for the purposes for which such Property is held by the Borrower or any Subsidiary or materially impairs the value of such Property subject thereto; (e) Liens arising solely by virtue of any statutory or common law provision relating to banker’s liens, rights of set-off or similar rights and remedies and burdening only deposit accounts or other funds maintained with a creditor depository institution,provided that no such deposit account is a dedicated cash collateral account or is subject to restrictions against access by the depositor in excess of those set forth by regulations promulgated by the Board and no such deposit account is intended by Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to provide collateral to the depository institution; (f) easements, restrictions, servitudes, permits, conditions, covenants, exceptions or reservations in any Property of the Borrower or any Subsidiary for the purpose of roads, pipelines, transmission lines, transportation lines, distribution lines for the removal of gas, oil, coal or other minerals or timber, and other like purposes, or for the joint or common use of real estate, rights of way, facilities and equipment, that do not secure any monetary obligations and which in the aggregate do not materially impair the use of such Property for the purposes of which such Property is held by the Borrower or any Subsidiary or materially impair the value of such Property subject thereto; (g) Liens on cash or securities pledged to secure performance of tenders, surety and appeal bonds, government contracts, performance and return of money bonds, bids, trade contracts, leases, statutory obligations, regulatory obligations and other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business; (h) judgment and attachment Liens not giving rise to an Event of Default,provided that any appropriate legal proceedings which may have been duly initiated for the review of such judgment shall not have been finally terminated or the period within which such proceeding may be initiated shall not have expired and no action to enforce such Lien has been commenced; (i) encumbrances consisting of deed restrictions, zoning restrictions, and other similar restrictions on the use of Oil and Gas Properties, none of which, in the aggregate, materially impairs the use of such property by the Borrower or any Subsidiary in the operation of its business or materially detracts from the value of such properties, and none of which, in the aggregate, is or shall be violated in any material respect by existing proposed operations; (j) purported Liens evidenced by the filing of UCC financing statements solely as a precautionary measure in connection with operating leases of personal property; (k) Liens on pipelines or pipeline facilities that arise by operation of law;provided that no such Lien referred to in this clause (k) secures Indebtedness or materially impairs the use of the Property covered by such Lien for the purposes for which such Property is held by the Borrower or any Subsidiary or materially impairs the value of such Property subject thereto; (l) minor defects and irregularities of title to any Property so long as such defects and irregularities, in the aggregate, neither secure Indebtedness nor materially impair the value of such property or the use of such property for the purposes of which the property is held; and (m) Liens on cash earnest money deposited pursuant to the terms of an agreement to acquire assets used in, or Persons engaged in, the oil and gas business, as permitted by this Agreement;provided,further that no intention to subordinate the first priority Lien granted in favor of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders is to be hereby implied or expressed by the permitted existence of such Excepted Liens.

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“Excluded Taxes” means, with respect to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, any Issuing Bank or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower or any Guarantor hereunder or under any other Loan Document, (a) any and all Taxes imposed on or measured by in whole or in part its revenue, income (however denominated), net assets, capital or net worth and franchise or similar Taxes imposed on it (in lieu of such Taxes) by the jurisdiction (or any political subdivision thereof) (i) under the laws of which such recipient is organized or incorporated, (ii) in which its principal office is located, (iii) in which it is doing business, or (iv) in the case of any Lender, in which its applicable lending office is located, (b) any and all branch profits Taxes imposed by the United States of America or any similar Taxes imposed by any other jurisdiction in which the Borrower or any Guarantor is located, (c) in the case of a Foreign Lender (other than an assignee pursuant to a request by the Borrower underSection 5.04(b)), any and all withholding Taxes that are imposed on amounts payable to such Foreign Lender at the time such Foreign Lender becomes a party to this Agreement (or designates a new lending office) or is attributable to such Foreign Lender’s failure to comply withSection 5.03(e), except to the extent that such Foreign Lender (or its assignor, if any) was entitled, at the time of designation of a new lending office (or assignment), to receive additional amounts with respect to such withholding Taxes pursuant toSection 5.03(a) orSection 5.03(c), and (d) any Taxes (including withholding of Taxes) imposed as a result of such recipient’s failure or inability to comply with the requirements of FATCA to establish an exemption from such tax pursuant to FATCA.

“Executive Order” has the meaning assigned to such term inSection 7.26(a).

“Existing Credit Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals hereto.

“Existing Letters of Credit” means, collectively, the Letters of Credit listed onSchedule 1.01(a).

“FATCA” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code as enacted on the date hereof (or any amended version that is substantively comparable) and any regulations thereunder or official interpretations thereof.

“Federal Funds Effective Rate” means, for any day, the weighted average (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers, as published on the next succeeding Business Day by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or, if such rate is not so published for any day that is a Business Day, the average (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) of the quotations for such day for such transactions received by the Administrative Agent from three Federal funds brokers of recognized standing selected by it.

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“Fee Letter” means that certain letter agreement from the Arranger and the Administrative Agent (and others) to the Borrower dated October 1, 2012, concerning certain fees in connection with this Agreement.

“Financial Officer” means, for any Person, the chief financial officer, principal accounting officer, treasurer or controller of such Person. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to a Financial Officer means a Financial Officer of the Borrower.

“Financial Statements” means the financial statement or statements of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries referred to inSection 7.04(a).

“Foreign Lender” means any Lender that is not a United States person, within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.

“Foreign Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that (a) is not a Domestic Subsidiary or (b) is disregarded for United States federal income tax purposes and all of the assets of which (other than de minimis assets) consist of Equity Interests in a Subsidiary that is not a Domestic Subsidiary.

“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America as in effect from time to time subject to the terms and conditions set forth inSection 1.04.

“Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States of America, any other nation or any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government over the Borrower, any Subsidiary, any other Loan Party, any of their Properties, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender.

“Governmental Requirement” means any applicable law, statute, code, ordinance, order, determination, rule, regulation, judgment, decree, injunction, franchise, permit, certificate, license, rules of common law, authorization or other directive or requirement, whether now or hereinafter in effect, including, without limitation, Environmental Laws, energy regulations and occupational, safety and health standards or controls, of any Governmental Authority.

“Guarantor” means any Domestic Subsidiary that guarantees the Secured Obligations pursuant toSection 8.14(b).

“Guaranty and Collateral Agreement” means an agreement executed by the Borrower and the Guarantors in substantially the form ofExhibit F granting Liens on certain Collateral and unconditionally guarantying on a joint and several basis, payment of the Secured Obligations, as the same may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time.

“Hazardous Material” means any substance regulated as hazardous or toxic or as a pollutant under any applicable Environmental Law and including: (a) any chemical, compound, material, product, byproduct, substance or waste defined as or included in the definition or meaning of “hazardous substance,” “hazardous material,” “hazardous waste,” “toxic waste,” “extremely hazardous substance,” “toxic substance,” “contaminant,” “pollutant,” or words of

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similar meaning or import found in any applicable Environmental Law; (b) petroleum hydrocarbons, petroleum products, petroleum substances, natural gas, oil, oil and gas waste, crude oil, and any components, fractions, or derivatives thereof; and (c) radioactive materials, explosives, asbestos or asbestos containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, or radon.

“Hedge Termination Value” means, in respect of any one or more Hedging Agreements (or related hedge positions), after taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating to such Hedging Agreements and any substantially contemporaneous Hedging Agreements entered into, (a) for purposes ofSection 2.07(e)(i), the value (as proposed by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion and approved by the Majority Lenders) allocated to such Hedging Agreements in connection with the then-current Borrowing Base, and (b) for any other purpose, (i) for any date on or after the date such Hedging Agreements have been closed out and termination value(s) determined in accordance therewith, such termination value(s) and (ii) for any date prior to the date referenced in clause (i), the amount(s) determined as the mark-to-market value(s) for such Hedging Agreements, as determined in accordance with GAAP.

“Hedging Agreement” means any agreement with respect to any swap, forward, future or derivative transaction or option or similar agreement, whether exchange traded, “over-the-counter” or otherwise, involving, or settled by reference to, one or more rates, currencies, commodities, equity or debt instruments or securities, or economic, financial or pricing indices or measures of economic, financial or pricing risk or value or any similar transaction or any combination of these transactions;provided, that no phantom stock or similar plan providing for payments only on account of services provided by current or former directors, officers, employees or consultants of the Borrower or the Subsidiaries shall be a Hedging Agreement.

“Highest Lawful Rate” means, with respect to each Lender, the maximum nonusurious interest rate, if any, that at any time or from time to time may be contracted for, taken, reserved, charged or received on the Loans or on other Secured Obligations under laws applicable to such Lender which are presently in effect or, to the extent allowed by law, under such applicable laws which may hereafter be in effect and which allow a higher maximum nonusurious interest rate than applicable laws allow as of the date hereof.

“Hilcorp” means Hilcorp Energy GOM Holdings, LLC, a Texas limited liability company.

“Hydrocarbon Interests” means all rights, titles, interests and estates now or hereafter acquired in and to oil and gas leases, oil, gas and mineral leases, or other liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon leases, mineral fee interests, overriding royalty and royalty interests, net profit interests and production payment interests, including any reserved or residual interests of whatever nature.

“Hydrocarbons” means oil, gas, casinghead gas, drip gasoline, natural gasoline, condensate, distillate, liquid hydrocarbons, gaseous hydrocarbons and all products refined or separated therefrom.

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“Immaterial Subsidiary” means each Subsidiary of the Borrower described on the Effective Date as an “Immaterial Subsidiary” onSchedule 7.14, so long as such Subsidiary (a) has assets of less than $500,000, (b) owns no Borrowing Base Properties and (c) is not a Guarantor.

“Indebtedness” means, for any Person, the sum of the following (without duplication): (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money or evidenced by bonds, bankers’ acceptances, debentures, notes or other similar instruments; (b) all obligations of such Person (whether contingent or otherwise) in respect of letters of credit, bonds (other than contingent obligations with respect to surety bonds required in connection with the operation of the Oil and Gas Properties) and similar instruments; (c) all accounts payable and all accrued expenses, liabilities or other obligations of such Person to pay the deferred purchase price of Property or services (other than trade accounts payable, from time to time incurred in the ordinary course of business, which are not greater than ninety (90) days past the date of invoice or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate action and for which adequate reserves have been maintained in accordance with GAAP); (d) all principal obligations under Capital Leases; (e) all obligations under Synthetic Leases; (f) all Indebtedness (as defined in the other clauses of this definition) of others secured by (or for which the holder of such Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) a Lien on any Property of such Person, whether or not such Indebtedness is assumed by such Person; (g) all Indebtedness (as defined in the other clauses of this definition) of others guaranteed by such Person or in which such Person otherwise assures a creditor against loss of the Indebtedness (howsoever such assurance shall be made) to the extent of the lesser of the amount of such Indebtedness and the maximum stated amount of such guarantee or assurance against loss; (h) all obligations or undertakings of such Person to maintain or cause to be maintained the financial position or covenants of others or to purchase the Indebtedness of others so as to assure the owner of such Indebtedness of the payment thereof; (i) obligations to deliver commodities, goods or services, including, without limitation, Hydrocarbons, in consideration of one or more advance payments, other than gas balancing arrangements in the ordinary course of business; (j) obligations to pay for goods or services even if such goods or services are not actually received or utilized by such Person; (k) any Indebtedness (as defined in the other clauses of this definition) of a partnership for which such Person is liable either by agreement, by operation of law or by a Governmental Requirement but only to the extent of such liability; (l) Disqualified Capital Stock; and (m) the undischarged balance of any production payment created by such Person or for the creation of which such Person directly or indirectly received payment;provided that “Indebtedness” shall not include (i) asset retirement obligations attributable to a period after the Maturity Date or (ii) customary contingent payment obligations (including earn- outs) and contingent liabilities in respect of indemnification obligations and adjustments of purchase price, in each case in connection with the Acquisition or any Permitted Acquisition,provided that if any of the contingent payment obligations (including earn-outs) or contingent liabilities described in this clause (ii) are listed in the Borrower’s consolidated balance sheet as Indebtedness at any time, such contingent payment obligations and contingent liabilities shall be included in calculating Total Indebtedness for the relevant period. The Indebtedness of any Person shall include all obligations of such Person of the character described above to the extent such Person remains legally liable in respect thereof notwithstanding that any such obligation is not included as a liability of such Person under GAAP.

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“Indemnified Taxes” means Taxes other than Excluded Taxes.

“Indemnitee” has the meaning assigned to such term inSection 12.03(b).

“Information” has the meaning assigned to such term inSection 12.11.

“Initial Reserve Reports” means, collectively, (a) the report of W.D. Von Gonten & Co., dated October 10, 2012, with respect to certain Oil and Gas Properties of the Target and its Subsidiaries as of July 1, 2012, and (b) the report by or under the supervision of the Vice President – Reserves of the Borrower, dated October 10, 2012, with respect to certain Oil and Gas Properties of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (other than the Target) as of July 1, 2012.

“Interest Election Request” means a request by the Borrower to convert or continue a Borrowing in accordance withSection 2.04.

“Interest Payment Date” means (a) with respect to any ABR Loan, the last day of each March, June, September and December, and (b) with respect to any Eurodollar Loan, the last day of the Interest Period applicable to the Borrowing of which such Loan is a part and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing with an Interest Period of more than three months’ duration, each day prior to the last day of such Interest Period that occurs at intervals of three months’ duration after the first day of such Interest Period.

“Interest Period” means with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing, the period commencing on the date of such Borrowing and ending on the numerically corresponding day in the calendar month that is one, two, three, six months (or, with the consent of each Lender, twelve months) thereafter, as the Borrower may elect;provided, that (a) if any Interest Period would end on a day other than a Business Day, such Interest Period shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such next succeeding Business Day would fall in the next calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day and (b) any Interest Period pertaining to a Eurodollar Borrowing that commences on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the last calendar month of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the last calendar month of such Interest Period. For purposes hereof, the date of a Borrowing initially shall be the date on which such Borrowing is made and thereafter shall be the effective date of the most recent conversion or continuation of such Borrowing.

“Interim Redetermination” has the meaning assigned to such term inSection 2.07(b).

“Interim Redetermination Date” means the date on which a Borrowing Base that has been redetermined pursuant to an Interim Redetermination becomes effective as provided inSection 2.07(d).

“Investment” means, for any Person: (a) the acquisition (whether for cash, Property, services or securities or otherwise) of Equity Interests of any other Person or any agreement to make any such acquisition (including, without limitation, any “short sale” or any sale of any securities at a time when such securities are not owned by the Person entering into such short sale); (b) the making of any deposit with, or advance, loan or capital contribution to, assumption of Indebtedness of, purchase or other acquisition of any other Indebtedness or equity

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participation or interest in, or other extension of credit to, any other Person (including the purchase of Property from another Person subject to an understanding or agreement, contingent or otherwise, to resell such Property to such Person, but excluding (i) any such advance, loan or extension of credit having a term not exceeding ninety (90) days representing the purchase price of inventory or supplies sold by such Person in the ordinary course of business and (ii) deposits with financial institutions available for withdrawal on demand); (c) the purchase or acquisition (in one or a series of transactions) of Property of another Person that constitutes a business unit; or (d) the entering into of any guarantee of, or other contingent obligation (including the deposit of any Equity Interests to be sold) with respect to, Indebtedness or other liability of any other Person and (without duplication) any amount committed to be advanced or extended to such Person.

“IRS” means the Internal Revenue Service or any successor entity.

“Issuing Bank” means (a) Bank of Montreal and (b) any other Lender agreed to by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and such Lender, as applicable, in its capacity as the issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, and its successors in such capacity as provided inSection 2.08(h). Any Issuing Bank may, in its discretion, arrange for one or more Letters of Credit to be issued by Affiliates of such Issuing Bank, in which case the term “Issuing Bank” shall include any such Affiliate with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such Affiliate.

“LC Commitment” means, at any time, $20,000,000.

“LC Disbursement” means a payment made by any Issuing Bank pursuant to a Letter of Credit.

“LC Exposure” means, at any time, the sum of (a) the aggregate undrawn amount of all outstanding Letters of Credit at such time plus (b) the aggregate amount of all LC Disbursements that have not yet been reimbursed by or on behalf of the Borrower at such time. The LC Exposure of any Lender at any time shall be its Applicable Percentage of the total LC Exposure at such time.

“Lenders” means the Persons listed onAnnex I, any Person that shall become a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption, and any Person that shall become a party hereto as an Additional Lender pursuant toSection 2.06(c), other than any such Person that ceases to be a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption.

“Letter of Credit” means any letter of credit issued pursuant to this Agreement and any Existing Letter of Credit.

“Letter of Credit Agreements” means all letter of credit applications and other agreements (including any amendments, modifications or supplements thereto) submitted by the Borrower, or entered into by the Borrower, with any Issuing Bank relating to any Letter of Credit.

“LIBO Rate” means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period, the rate appearing on Reuters Screen LIBOR01 Page (or on any successor or substitute page of such service, or any successor to or substitute for such service, providing rate quotations

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comparable to those currently provided on such page of such service, as determined by the Administrative Agent from time to time for purposes of providing quotations of interest rates applicable to dollar deposits in the London interbank market) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two (2) Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, as the rate for dollar deposits with a maturity comparable to such Interest Period. In the event that such rate is not available at such time for any reason, then the “LIBO Rate” with respect to such Eurodollar Borrowing for such Interest Period shall be the rate (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) at which dollar deposits of $5,000,000 and for a maturity comparable to such Interest Period are offered by the principal London office of the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds in the London interbank market at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two (2) Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period.

“Lien” means any interest in Property securing an obligation owed to, or a claim by, a Person other than the owner of the Property, whether such interest is based on the common law, statute or contract, and whether such obligation or claim is fixed or contingent, and including but not limited to (a) the lien or security interest arising from a mortgage, deed of trust, encumbrance, pledge, security agreement, conditional sale or trust receipt or a lease, consignment or bailment for security purposes or (b) production payments and the like payable out of Oil and Gas Properties. The term “Lien” shall include easements, restrictions, servitudes, permits, conditions, covenants, exceptions or reservations. For the purposes of this Agreement, the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall be deemed to be the owner of any Property which it has acquired or holds subject to a conditional sale agreement, or leases under a financing lease or other arrangement pursuant to which title to the Property has been retained by or vested in some other Person in a transaction intended to create a financing.

“Loan Documents” means this Agreement, the Notes, the Letter of Credit Agreements, the Letters of Credit, the Fee Letter and the Security Instruments.

“Loan Parties” means, collectively, the Borrower and the Guarantors.

“Loans” means the loans made by the Lenders to the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement.

“Majority Lenders” means, at any time while no Loans or LC Exposure is outstanding, Lenders having greater than fifty percent (50%) of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts, and at any time while any Loans or LC Exposure is outstanding, Lenders holding greater than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding aggregate principal amount of the sum of the Loans and participation interests in Letters of Credit (without regard to any sale by a Lender of a participation in any Loan underSection 12.04(c));provided, that the Maximum Credit Amounts and the principal amount of the Loans and participation interests in Letters of Credit of the Defaulting Lenders (if any) shall be excluded from the determination of Majority Lenders.

“Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse change in, or material adverse effect on (a) the business, operations, Property, or financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (b) the ability of the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries (other than Immaterial Subsidiaries) or any Guarantor to perform any of its obligations under any Loan Document to which it is a party in all material respects, (c) the validity or enforceability of any Loan Document or (d) the rights and remedies of or benefits available to the Administrative Agent, any other Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender under any Loan Document.

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“Material Indebtedness” means Indebtedness (other than the Loans and Letters of Credit), or obligations in respect of one or more Hedging Agreements of any one or more of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount exceeding $10,000,000. For purposes of determining Material Indebtedness, the “principal amount” of the obligations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof in respect of any Hedging Agreement at any time shall be the Hedge Termination Value.

“Maturity Date” means October 31, 2016.

“Maximum Credit Amount” means, as to each Lender, the amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name onAnnex I under the caption “Maximum Credit Amounts”, as the same may be (a) reduced or terminated from time to time in connection with a reduction or termination of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts pursuant toSection 2.06(b), (b) increased from time to time pursuant toSection 2.06(d) or (c) modified from time to time pursuant to any assignment by or to such Lender pursuant toSection 12.04(b).

“Maximum Credit Amount Increase Certificate” has the meaning assigned to such term inSection 2.06(d)(ii)(E).

“Merger” means the merger to occur substantially contemporaneously with the Acquisition on the Effective Date of the Target into the Borrower, with the Borrower being the surviving entity.

“Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and any successor thereto that is a nationally recognized rating agency.

“Mortgage” means each mortgage, deed of trust or any other document creating and evidencing a Lien on real Property and other Property to secure the Secured Obligations, which shall be in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, as the same may be amended, modified, supplemented or restated from time to time in accordance with the Loan Documents.

“Mortgaged Property” means any Oil and Gas Property or other Property which is subject to a Lien under any Mortgage.

“New Borrowing Base Notice” has the meaning assigned to such term inSection 2.07(d).

“Non-Defaulting Lender” means, at any time, each Lender that is not a Defaulting Lender at such time.

“Notes” means the promissory notes of the Borrower described inSection 2.02(d) and being substantially in the form ofExhibit A, together with all amendments, modifications, replacements, extensions and rearrangements thereof.

“OFAC” has the meaning assigned to such term inSection 7.26(b)(v).

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“Oil and Gas Properties” means: (a) Hydrocarbon Interests; (b) the Properties now or hereafter pooled or unitized with Hydrocarbon Interests; (c) all presently existing or future unitization, pooling agreements and declarations of pooled units and the units created thereby (including, without limitation, all units created under orders, regulations and rules of any Governmental Authority) which may affect all or any portion of the Hydrocarbon Interests; (d) all operating agreements, contracts and other agreements, including production sharing contracts and agreements, which relate to any of the Hydrocarbon Interests or the production, sale, purchase, exchange or processing of Hydrocarbons from or attributable to such Hydrocarbon Interests; (e) all Hydrocarbons in and under and which may be produced and saved or attributable to the Hydrocarbon Interests, including all oil in tanks, and all rents, issues, profits, proceeds, products, revenues and other incomes from or attributable to the Hydrocarbon Interests; (f) all tenements, hereditaments, appurtenances and Properties in any manner appertaining, belonging, affixed or incidental to the Hydrocarbon Interests; and (g) all Properties, rights, titles, interests and estates described or referred to above, including any and all Property, real or personal, now owned or hereinafter acquired and situated upon, used, held for use or useful in connection with the operating, working or development of any of such Hydrocarbon Interests or Properties (excluding drilling rigs, automotive equipment, rental equipment or other personal Property which may be on such premises for the purpose of drilling a well or for other similar temporary uses) and including any and all oil wells, gas wells, injection wells or other wells, buildings, structures, fuel separators, liquid extraction plants, plant compressors, pumps, pumping units, field gathering systems, tanks and tank batteries, fixtures, valves, fittings, machinery and parts, engines, boilers, meters, apparatus, equipment, appliances, tools, implements, cables, wires, towers, casing, tubing and rods, surface leases, rights-of-way, easements and servitudes together with all additions, substitutions, replacements, accessions and attachments to any and all of the foregoing.

“Organization Documents” means: (a) with respect to any corporation, the certificate or articles of incorporation and the bylaws (or equivalent or comparable constitutive documents with respect to any non-United States jurisdiction); (b) with respect to any limited liability company, the certificate or articles of formation or organization and operating agreement; and (c) with respect to any partnership, joint venture, trust or other form of business entity, the partnership, joint venture or other applicable agreement of formation or organization and any agreement, instrument, filing or notice with respect thereto filed in connection with its formation or organization with the applicable Governmental Authority in the jurisdiction of its formation or organization and, if applicable, any certificate or articles of formation or organization of such entity.

“Original Senior Notes Due 2018” means the Borrower’s $210,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of 8.25% Senior Notes due 2018 originally issued on February 14, 2011 pursuant to the Senior Indenture dated as of such date.

“Other Taxes” means any and all present or future stamp or documentary taxes or any other excise or Property taxes, similar charges or similar levies arising from any payment made hereunder or from the execution, delivery, registration or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement and any other Loan Document, including any and all liabilities (including interest and penalties and other additions to taxes other than any interest, penalties and additions to tax resulting from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of any Lender or the Administrative Agent) with respect to the foregoing.

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“Participant” has the meaning set forth inSection 12.04(c)(i).

“Permitted Acquisition” means any acquisition after the Effective Date (whether by purchase, merger, amalgamation, consolidation or otherwise) by the Borrower or any Guarantor in the form of acquisitions of all or substantially all of the business or a line of business (whether by the acquisition of the Equity Interests, Property or any combination thereof) of any other Person if each such acquisition meets all of the following requirements:

(a) no less than ten (10) Business Days prior to the proposed closing date of such acquisition, the Borrower shall have delivered a written notice and description of such acquisition to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, which notice shall include the proposed closing date of such acquisition;

(b) the Person or business to be acquired shall be in a substantially similar line of business as the Borrower and Subsidiaries pursuant toSection 9.06;

(c) no Change in Control shall have been effected thereby and the transaction shall comply with the requirements ofSection 9.11, to the extent applicable;

(d) no later than two (2) Business Days prior to the proposed closing date of such acquisition, the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a compliance certificate in the form ofExhibit D-2 for the most recent fiscal quarter end preceding such acquisition demonstrating, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, pro forma compliance (after giving effect to the acquisition and any Loans made or to be made in connection therewith, as if such acquisition had occurred on the first day of the applicable four (4) fiscal quarter period) with each covenant contained inSection 9.01;

(e) no later than the closing date of such acquisition, the Borrower, to the extent requested by the Administrative Agent, shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent promptly upon the finalization thereof copies of the Permitted Acquisition Documents;

(f) no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing both before and after giving effect to such acquisition;

(g) the contingent payment obligations (including earn-outs) and contingent liabilities in respect of indemnification obligations and adjustments of purchase price related to such acquisition, and the amounts thereof, shall be reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent;

(h) the applicable Equity Interests and other Property acquired in connection with any such Permitted Acquisition shall be made subject to a Lien pursuant to the Security Instruments to the extent required bySection 8.14; and

(i) the Borrower shall have provided such other documents and other information as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or the Majority Lenders (through the Administrative Agent) in connection with the acquisition.

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“Permitted Acquisition Documents” means with respect to any acquisition proposed by the Borrower or any Guarantor, final copies (or substantially final drafts if not executed at the required time of delivery) of the purchase agreement, sale agreement, merger agreement or other agreement evidencing such acquisition, including to the extent available, without limitation, all legal opinions and each other material document executed, delivered, contemplated by or prepared in connection therewith and any amendment, modification or supplement to any of the foregoing.

“Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.

“Plan” means any employee pension benefit plan, as defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA, which (a) is currently or hereafter sponsored, maintained or contributed to by the Borrower, a Subsidiary or an ERISA Affiliate or (b) was at any time during the six (6) calendar years preceding the date hereof, sponsored, maintained or contributed to by the Borrower or a Subsidiary or an ERISA Affiliate.

“Prime Rate” means the rate of interest per annum publicly announced from time to time by BMO as its prime rate in effect at its principal office in New York City; each change in the Prime Rate shall be effective from and including the date such change is publicly announced as being effective. Such rate is set by the Administrative Agent as a general reference rate of interest, taking into account such factors as the Administrative Agent may deem appropriate; it being understood that many of the Administrative Agent’s commercial or other loans are priced in relation to such rate, that it is not necessarily the lowest or best rate actually charged to any customer and that the Administrative Agent may make various commercial or other loans at rates of interest having no relationship to such rate.

“Property” means any interest in any kind of property or asset, whether real, personal or mixed, or tangible or intangible (including, without limitation, cash, securities, accounts, contract rights and Equity Interests or other ownership interests of any Person), whether now in existence or owned or hereafter acquired.

“Proposed Acquisition” has the meaning assigned to such term inSection 9.18(a)(ii).

“Proposed Borrowing Base” has the meaning assigned to such term inSection 2.07(c)(i).

“Proposed Borrowing Base Notice” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.07(c)(ii).

“Purchase Money Indebtedness” means Indebtedness, the proceeds of which are used to finance the acquisition, construction, or improvement of inventory, equipment or other property in the ordinary course of business.

“Redemption” means, with respect to any Indebtedness, the repurchase, redemption, prepayment, repayment, or defeasance or any other acquisition or retirement for value (or the segregation of funds with respect to any of the foregoing) of such Indebtedness. “Redeem” has the correlative meaning thereto.

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“Redetermination Date” means, with respect to any Scheduled Redetermination or any Interim Redetermination, the date that the redetermined Borrowing Base related thereto becomes effective pursuant toSection 2.07(d).

“Register” has the meaning assigned to such term inSection 12.04(b)(iv).

“Regulation D” means Regulation D of the Board, as the same may be amended, supplemented or replaced from time to time.

“Related Parties” means, with respect to any specified Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the respective directors, officers, employees, agents and advisors (including attorneys, accountants and experts) of such Person and such Person’s Affiliates.

“Release” (or “threatened Release”) has the meaning assigned to such terms as specified in CERCLA, as amended;provided,however, that (a) in the event that CERCLA is amended so as to broaden the meaning of the term defined thereby, such broader meaning shall apply subsequent to the effective date of such amendment and (b) to the extent the laws of the state or other jurisdiction in which any Property of the Borrower or any Subsidiary is located establish a meaning for “release” that is broader than that specified in CERCLA, such broader meaning shall apply.

“Remedial Work” has the meaning assigned to such term inSection 8.10(a).

“Required Lenders” means, at any time while no Loans or LC Exposure is outstanding, Lenders having at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66-2/3%) of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts; or at any time while any Loans or LC Exposure is outstanding, Lenders holding at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66-2/3%) of the outstanding aggregate principal amount of the sum of the Loans and participation interests in such Letters of Credit (without regard to any sale by a Lender of a participation in any Loan underSection 12.04(c));provided, that the Maximum Credit Amounts and the principal amount of the Loans and participation interests in Letters of Credit of the Defaulting Lenders (if any) shall be excluded from the determination of Required Lenders.

“Reserve Report” means the Initial Reserve Reports and each other report, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, setting forth, as of each January 1st or July 1st (or such other date in the event of an Interim Redetermination), the oil and gas reserves attributable to the Oil and Gas Properties of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries which the Borrower wishes to include in the Borrowing Base, together with a projection of the rate of production and future net income, taxes, operating expenses and capital expenditures with respect thereto as of such date, based upon the economic assumptions consistent with the Administrative Agent’s lending requirements at the time.

“Responsible Officer” means, as to any Person, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Financial Officer or any Vice President of such Person, or if such Person does not have any such officer, an individual holding such position with a Person directly or indirectly managing its business and affairs. Unless otherwise specified, all references to a Responsible Officer herein shall mean a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.

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“Restricted Payment” means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other Property) with respect to any Equity Interests in the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other Property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any such Equity Interests in the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any option, warrant or other right to acquire any such Equity Interests in the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries.

“S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., and any successor thereto that is a nationally recognized rating agency.

“Scheduled Redetermination” has the meaning assigned to such term inSection 2.07(b).

“Scheduled Redetermination Date” means the date on which a Borrowing Base that has been redetermined pursuant to a Scheduled Redetermination becomes effective as provided inSection 2.07(d).

“SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission or any successor Governmental Authority.

“Secured Hedging Agreement” means any Hedging Agreement of the Borrower or any Subsidiary (other than any Immaterial Subsidiary) if (a) on the date entering into such Hedging Agreement (or on the date on which such Hedging Agreement is novated) a party thereto was a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender or (b) on the Effective Date such Hedging Agreement exists and a party thereto is a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender on such date.

“Secured Hedging Agreement Counterparty” means each Person that is a Lender or Affiliate of a Lender (a) at the time such Person enters into a Secured Hedging Agreement or (b) on the Effective Date and is a party to a Secured Hedging Agreement on such date.

“Secured Obligations” means any and all amounts owing or to be owing (including interest accruing at any post-default or Borrowing Base Deficiency rate and interest accruing after the filing of any petition in bankruptcy, or the commencement of any insolvency, reorganization or like proceeding, relating to the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or any Guarantor, whether or not a claim for post-filing or post-petition interest is allowed in such proceeding) by the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or any Guarantor (whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assumption), absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising): (a) to the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender under any Loan Document; (b) to any Secured Hedging Agreement Counterparty under any Secured Hedging Agreement, but excluding any additional transactions or confirmations entered into thereunder after such Secured Hedging Agreement Counterparty ceases to be a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender; (c) to any Secured Treasury Management Counterparty under a Secured Treasury Management Agreement; and (d) all renewals, restatements, extensions and/or rearrangements of any of the above.

“Secured Parties” means the Administrative Agent, each Issuing Bank, each Lender, each Secured Hedging Agreement Counterparty and each Secured Treasury Management Counterparty.

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“Secured Treasury Management Agreement” means any Treasury Management Agreement between the Borrower or a Subsidiary (other than an Immaterial Subsidiary) and a Secured Treasury Management Counterparty.

“Secured Treasury Management Counterparty” means each Lender or Affiliate of a Lender that enters into a Treasury Management Agreement with the Borrower or a Subsidiary (other than an Immaterial Subsidiary);provided, that if such Person at any time ceases to be a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender, as the case may be, such Person shall no longer be a Secured Treasury Management Counterparty.

“Security Instruments” means the Guaranty and Collateral Agreement, the Mortgages, the other agreements, instruments or certificates described or referred to inSchedule 1.01(b), and any and all other agreements, instruments, consents or certificates now or hereafter executed and delivered by the Borrower or any other Loan Party (other than Secured Hedging Agreements or participation or similar agreements between any Lender and any other lender or creditor with respect to any Secured Obligations pursuant to this Agreement or any Secured Treasury Management Agreement) in connection with, or as security for the payment or performance of the Secured Obligations, the Notes, this Agreement, or reimbursement obligations under the Letters of Credit, as such agreements may be amended, modified, supplemented or restated from time to time.

“Senior Indentures” means (a) that certain Indenture, dated as of February 14, 2011, among the Borrower, certain Subsidiaries of the Borrower specified therein and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee, and (b) that certain Indenture, dated as of October 25, 2012, among the Borrower, certain Subsidiaries of the Borrower specified therein and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee.

“Senior Note Documents” means, collectively, (a) the Senior Notes, (b) the Senior Indentures and (c) all agreements and documents executed and delivered in connection therewith.

“Senior Notes” means, collectively, (a) the Original Senior Notes Due 2018, (b) the Additional Senior Notes Due 2018 and (c) other senior notes issued under a Senior Indenture.

“Solvent” means, with respect to any Person as of any date, that on such date (a) the value of the assets of such Person (both at fair value and present fair saleable value) is greater than the total amount of liabilities (including contingent and unliquidated liabilities) of such Person as of such date, (b) such Person is able to pay all liabilities of such Person as such liabilities mature, (c) such Person does not intend to, and does not believe it will, incur debts or liabilities beyond such Person’s ability to pay such debts and liabilities as they mature, and (d) such Person is not engaged in any business or transaction, and is not about to engage in any business or transaction, for which such Person’s Property would constitute unreasonably small capital. In computing the amount of contingent or unliquidated liabilities at any time, such liabilities shall be computed at the amount that, in light of all the facts and circumstances existing at such time, represents the amount that can reasonably be expected to become an actual or matured liability.

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“Specified Acquisition Agreement Representations” means such of the representations and warranties made with respect to the Target in the Acquisition Agreement as are material to the interests of the Lenders (it being understood, without limitation, that Section 4.6(i) of the Acquisition Agreement is material to the interests of the Lenders), but only to the extent that the Borrower has the right to terminate its obligations (or to refuse to consummate the Acquisition) under the Acquisition Agreement as a result of a breach of such representations and warranties in the Acquisition Agreement.

“Specified Representations” means the representations and warranties set forth inSections 7.01,7.02,7.03,7.08,7.20,7.22,7.23,7.25 and7.26.

“Statutory Reserve Rate” means a fraction (expressed as a decimal), the numerator of which is the number one and the denominator of which is the number one minus the aggregate of the maximum reserve percentages (including any marginal, special, emergency or supplemental reserves) expressed as a decimal established by the Board to which the Administrative Agent is subject with respect to the Adjusted LIBO Rate, for eurocurrency funding (currently referred to as “Eurocurrency Liabilities” in Regulation D of the Board). Such reserve percentages shall include those imposed pursuant to such Regulation D. Eurodollar Loans shall be deemed to constitute eurocurrency funding and to be subject to such reserve requirements without benefit of or credit for proration, exemptions or offsets that may be available from time to time to any Lender under such Regulation D or any comparable regulation. The Statutory Reserve Rate shall be adjusted automatically on and as of the effective date of any change in any reserve percentage.

“Subsidiary” means: (a) any Person of which at least a majority of the outstanding Equity Interests having by the terms thereof ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors, manager or other governing body of such Person (irrespective of whether or not at the time Equity Interests of any other class or classes of such Person shall have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency) is at the time directly or indirectly owned or controlled by another Person or one or more of its Subsidiaries or by such other Person and one or more of its Subsidiaries and (b) any partnership of which such other Person or any of its Subsidiaries is a general partner. Unless otherwise indicated herein, each reference to the term “Subsidiary” means a Subsidiary of the Borrower.

“Synthetic Leases” means, in respect of any Person, all leases which shall have been, or should have been, in accordance with GAAP, treated as operating leases on the financial statements of the Person liable (whether contingently or otherwise) for the payment of rent thereunder and which were properly treated as indebtedness for borrowed money for purposes of U.S. federal income taxes, if the lessee in respect thereof is obligated to either purchase for an amount in excess of, or pay upon early termination an amount in excess of, 80% of the residual value of the Property subject to such operating lease upon expiration or early termination of such lease.

“Target” means Hilcorp Energy GOM, LLC, a Texas limited liability company.

“Taxes” means any and all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, similar duties, deductions, withholdings or charges of a similar nature imposed by any Governmental Authority, including any and all liabilities (including interest and penalties and other additions to taxes) with respect to the foregoing.

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“Termination Date” means the earlier of (a) the Maturity Date and (b) the date of termination of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts.

“Total Indebtedness” means, at any date, all Indebtedness of the Borrower and the Consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis;provided that for purposes of determining Total Indebtedness, all Indebtedness that is listed on the Borrower’s consolidated balance sheet shall be deemed to equal the higher of (a) the stated balance sheet amount of such Indebtedness as of such date and (b) the par value or stated face amount of such Indebtedness.

“Transactions” means, with respect to the Borrower and the Guarantors, as applicable, the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, each other Loan Document and each Acquisition Document, the issuance of the Additional Senior Notes Due 2018, the Acquisition, the Merger, the borrowing of Loans, the use of the proceeds of the Loans and the Additional Senior Notes Due 2018, the issuance of Letters of Credit hereunder, the guaranteeing of the Secured Obligations and the other obligations under the Guaranty and Collateral Agreement, and the grant of Liens on Collateral pursuant to the Security Instruments.

“Treasury Management Agreement” means any agreements regarding bank services provided to Borrower or any Subsidiary (other than an Immaterial Subsidiary) for commercial credit cards, stored value cards and treasury management services, including, without limitation, deposit accounts, auto-borrow, zero balance accounts, returned check concentration, lockbox, controlled disbursements, automated clearinghouse transactions, return items, overdrafts, interstate depository network services and reporting and trade finance services.

“Type”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether the rate of interest on such Loan, or on the Loans comprising such Borrowing, is determined by reference to the Alternate Base Rate or the Adjusted LIBO Rate.

“Undisclosed Administration” means, with respect to any Lender, the appointment of an administrator, provisional liquidator, conservator, receiver, trustee, custodian or other similar official by a supervisory authority or regulator under the Dutch Financial Supervision Act 2007 (as amended from time to time and including any successor legislation), if such Governmental Requirement requires that such appointment is not to be publicly disclosed.

“Unwind” means to unwind, sell, terminate, restructure, modify, or otherwise affect or restructure (including to unwind or other terminate a Hedging Agreement and promptly replace it with another) any Hedging Agreement or related hedge position prior to the maturity thereof.

“USA Patriot Act” has the meaning assigned to such term inSection 12.16.

“Wholly-Owned Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of which all of the outstanding Equity Interests (other than any directors’ qualifying shares mandated by applicable law), on a fully-diluted basis, are owned by the Borrower or one or more of the Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries or are owned by the Borrower and one or more of the Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries.

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“Withholding Agent” means any Loan Party or the Administrative Agent.

“Withholding Certificate” has the meaning assigned to such term inSection 5.03(e).

Section 1.02Types of Loans and Borrowings. For purposes of this Agreement, Loans and Borrowings, respectively, may be classified and referred to by Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Loan” or a “Eurodollar Borrowing”).

Section 1.03Terms Generally; Rules of Construction. The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include”, “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation”. The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall”. Unless the context requires otherwise (a) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth in the Loan Documents), (b) any reference herein to any law shall be construed as referring to such law as amended, modified, codified or reenacted, in whole or in part, and in effect from time to time, (c) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns (subject to the restrictions contained in the Loan Documents), (d) the words “herein”, “hereof” and “hereunder”, and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof, (e) with respect to the determination of any time period, the word “from” means “from and including” and the word “to” means “to and including” and (f) unless otherwise specified, any reference herein to Articles, Sections, Annexes, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Annexes, Exhibits and Schedules to, this Agreement. No provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall be interpreted or construed against any Person solely because such Person or its legal representative drafted such provision.

Section 1.04Accounting Terms and Determinations; GAAP. Unless otherwise specified herein, all accounting terms used herein shall be interpreted, all determinations with respect to accounting matters hereunder shall be made, and all financial statements and certificates and reports as to financial matters required to be furnished to the Administrative Agent or the Lenders hereunder shall be prepared, in accordance with GAAP, applied on a basis consistent with the Financial Statements except for changes in which Borrower’s independent certified public accountants concur and which are disclosed to Administrative Agent on the next date on which financial statements are required to be delivered to the Lenders pursuant toSection 8.01(a);provided that, unless the Borrower and the Majority Lenders shall otherwise agree in writing, no such change shall modify or affect the manner in which compliance with the covenants set forth inSection 9.01 is computed such that all such computations shall be conducted utilizing financial information presented consistently with prior periods.

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ARTICLE II

THE CREDITS

Section 2.01Commitments. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender agrees to make Loans to the Borrower during the Availability Period in an aggregate principal amount that will not result in (a) such Lender’s Credit Exposure exceeding such Lender’s Commitment or (b) the total Credit Exposures exceeding the total Commitments. Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may borrow, repay and reborrow the Loans.

Section 2.02Loans and Borrowings.

(a)Borrowings; Several Obligations. Each Loan shall be made as part of a Borrowing consisting of Loans made by the Lenders ratably in accordance with their respective Commitments. The failure of any Lender to make any Loan required to be made by it shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligations hereunder;provided that the Commitments are several and no Lender shall be responsible for any other Lender’s failure to make Loans as required.

(b)Types of Loans. Subject toSection 3.03, each Borrowing shall be comprised entirely of ABR Loans or Eurodollar Loans as the Borrower may request in accordance herewith. Each Lender at its option may make any Eurodollar Loan by causing any domestic or foreign branch or Affiliate of such Lender to make such Loan;provided that any exercise of such option shall not affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay such Loan in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

(c)Minimum Amounts; Limitation on Number of Borrowings. At the commencement of each Interest Period for any Eurodollar Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $100,000 and not less than $500,000. At the time that each ABR Borrowing is made, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $100,000 and not less than $500,000;provided that an ABR Borrowing may be in an aggregate amount that is equal to the entire unused balance of the total Commitments or that is required to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated bySection 2.08(e). Borrowings of more than one Type may be outstanding at the same time,provided that there shall not at any time be more than a total of seven (7) Eurodollar Borrowings outstanding. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Borrower shall not be entitled to request, or to elect to convert or continue, any Borrowing if the Interest Period requested with respect thereto would end after the Maturity Date.

(d)Notes. The Loans made by each Lender, if requested by such Lender, shall be evidenced by a single promissory note of the Borrower in substantially the form ofExhibit A, dated, in the case of (i) any Lender party hereto as of the date of this Agreement, as of the date of this Agreement, (ii) any Lender that becomes a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption, as of the effective date of the Assignment and Assumption, or (iii) any Lender that becomes a party hereto in connection with an increase in the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts pursuant toSection 2.06(d), as of the effective date of such increase, in each case, payable to such Lender in a principal amount equal to its Maximum Credit Amount as in effect on such date, and otherwise duly completed. In the event that any Lender’s Maximum Credit Amount increases or decreases for any reason (whether pursuant toSection 2.06,Section 12.04(b) or otherwise), if requested by such Lender, the Borrower shall deliver or cause to be delivered on the effective date of such increase or decrease, a new Note payable to

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such Lender in a principal amount equal to its Maximum Credit Amount after giving effect to such increase or decrease, and otherwise duly completed. The replaced Note shall be deemed cancelled upon delivery from the Borrower to the Lender of such new Note. The date, amount, Type, interest rate and, if applicable, Interest Period of each Loan made by each Lender, and all payments made on account of the principal thereof, shall be recorded by such Lender on its books for its Note, and, prior to any transfer, may be endorsed by such Lender on a schedule attached to such Note or any continuation thereof or on any separate record maintained by such Lender. Failure to make any such notation or to attach a schedule shall not affect any Lender’s or the Borrower’s rights or obligations in respect of such Loans or affect the validity of such transfer by any Lender of its Note.

Section 2.03Requests for Borrowings To request a Borrowing, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by telephone (a) in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, three (3) Business Days before the date of the proposed Borrowing, or (b) in the case of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, one (1) Business Day before the date of the proposed Borrowing;provided that no such notice shall be required for any deemed request of an ABR Borrowing to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided inSection 2.08(e). Each such telephonic Borrowing Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery, facsimile or e-mail to the Administrative Agent of a written Borrowing Request in substantially the form ofExhibit B and signed by the Borrower. Each such telephonic and written Borrowing Request shall specify the following information in compliance withSection 2.02:

(i) the aggregate amount of the requested Borrowing;

(ii) the date of such Borrowing, which shall be a Business Day;

(iii) whether such Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a Eurodollar Borrowing;

(iv) in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, the initial Interest Period to be applicable thereto, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term “Interest Period”;

(v) the amount of the then effective Borrowing Base, the current total Credit Exposures (without regard to the requested Borrowing) and thepro forma total Credit Exposures (giving effect to the requested Borrowing); and

(vi) the location and number of the Borrower’s account to which funds are to be disbursed, which shall comply with the requirements ofSection 2.05(a).

If no election as to the Type of Borrowing is specified, then the requested Borrowing shall be an ABR Borrowing. If no Interest Period is specified with respect to any requested Eurodollar Borrowing, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one (1) month’s duration. Each Borrowing Request shall constitute a representation that the amount of the requested Borrowing shall not cause the total Credit Exposures to exceed the total Commitments (i.e., the lesser of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts and the then effective Borrowing Base).

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Promptly following receipt of a Borrowing Request in accordance with thisSection 2.03, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details thereof and of the amount of such Lender’s Loan to be made as part of the requested Borrowing.

Section 2.04Interest Elections.

(a)Conversion and Continuance. Each Borrowing initially shall be of the Type specified in the applicable Borrowing Request and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, shall have an initial Interest Period as specified in such Borrowing Request. Thereafter, the Borrower may elect to convert such Borrowing to a different Type or to continue such Borrowing and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, may elect Interest Periods therefor, all as provided in thisSection 2.04. The Borrower may elect different options with respect to different portions of the affected Borrowing, in which case each such portion shall be allocated ratably among the Lenders holding the Loans comprising such Borrowing, and the Loans comprising each such portion shall be considered a separate Borrowing.

(b)Interest Election Requests. To make an election pursuant to thisSection 2.04, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such election by telephone by the time that a Borrowing Request would be required underSection 2.03 if the Borrower were requesting a Borrowing of the Type resulting from such election to be made on the effective date of such election. Each such telephonic Interest Election Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery or facsimile to the Administrative Agent of a written Interest Election Request in substantially the form ofExhibit C and signed by the Borrower.

(c)Information in Interest Election Requests. Each telephonic and written Interest Election Request shall specify the following information in compliance withSection 2.02:

(i) the Borrowing to which such Interest Election Request applies and, if different options are being elected with respect to different portions thereof, the portions thereof to be allocated to each resulting Borrowing (in which case the information to be specified pursuant toSection 2.04(c)(iii) and(iv) shall be specified for each resulting Borrowing);

(ii) the effective date of the election made pursuant to such Interest Election Request, which shall be a Business Day;

(iii) whether the resulting Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a Eurodollar Borrowing; and

(iv) if the resulting Borrowing is a Eurodollar Borrowing, the Interest Period to be applicable thereto after giving effect to such election, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term “Interest Period”.

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If any such Interest Election Request requests a Eurodollar Borrowing but does not specify an Interest Period, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one (1) month’s duration.

(d)Notice to Lenders by the Administrative Agent. Promptly following receipt of an Interest Election Request, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details thereof and of such Lender’s portion of each resulting Borrowing.

(e)Effect of Failure to Deliver Timely Interest Election Request and Events of Default and Borrowing Base Deficiencies on Interest Election. If the Borrower fails to deliver a timely Interest Election Request with respect to a Eurodollar Borrowing prior to the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto, then, unless such Borrowing is repaid as provided herein, at the end of such Interest Period such Borrowing shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing. Notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof, if an Event of Default or a Borrowing Base Deficiency has occurred and is continuing: (i) no outstanding Borrowing may be converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Borrowing (and any Interest Election Request that requests the conversion of any Borrowing to, or continuation of any Borrowing as, a Eurodollar Borrowing shall be ineffective) and (ii) unless repaid, each Eurodollar Borrowing shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing at the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto.

Section 2.05Funding of Borrowings.

(a)Funding by Lenders. Each Lender shall make each Loan to be made by it hereunder on the proposed date thereof by wire transfer of immediately available funds by 1:00 p.m., New York City time, to the account of the Administrative Agent most recently designated by it for such purpose by notice to the Lenders. The Administrative Agent will make such Loans available to the Borrower by promptly crediting the amounts so received, in like funds, to an account of the Borrower, as designated by the Borrower in the applicable Borrowing Request;provided that ABR Loans made to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided inSection 2.08(e) shall be remitted by the Administrative Agent to the applicable Issuing Bank. Nothing herein shall be deemed to obligate any Lender to obtain the funds for its Loan in any particular place or manner or to constitute a representation by any Lender that it has obtained or will obtain the funds for its Loan in any particular place or manner.

(b)Presumption of Funding by the Lenders. Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed date of any Borrowing that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s share of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date in accordance withSection 2.05(a) and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower a corresponding amount. In such event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share of the applicable Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, then the applicable Lender and the Borrower severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is made available to the Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at (i) in the case of such Lender, the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation or (ii) in the case of the Borrower, the interest rate applicable to ABR Loans. If such Lender pays such amount to the Administrative Agent, then such amount shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in such Borrowing.

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Section 2.06Termination, Reduction and Increase of Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts.

(a)Scheduled Termination of Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts. Unless previously terminated, the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts and the Borrowing Base shall terminate on the Maturity Date. If at any time the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts or the Borrowing Base is terminated or reduced to zero (whether on or prior to the Maturity Date), then the Commitments shall terminate on the effective date of such termination or reduction.

(b)Optional Termination and Reduction of Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts.

(i) The Borrower may at any time terminate, or from time to time reduce, the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts;provided that (A) each reduction of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $5,000,000 and (B) the Borrower shall not terminate or reduce the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts if, after giving effect to any concurrent prepayment of the Loans in accordance withSection 3.04(c), the total Credit Exposures would exceed the total Commitments.

(ii) The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of any election to terminate or reduce the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts underSection 2.06(b)(i) at least three (3) Business Days prior to the effective date of such termination or reduction, specifying such election and the effective date thereof. Promptly following receipt of any notice, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each notice delivered by the Borrower pursuant to thisSection 2.06(b)(ii) shall be irrevocable;provided that a notice of termination of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts delivered by the Borrower may state that such notice is conditioned upon the effectiveness of other credit facilities, in which case such notice may be revoked by the Borrower (by notice to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the specified effective date) if such condition is not satisfied.

(c)Terminations and Reductions of Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts. Any termination or reduction of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts shall be permanent and may not be reinstated except pursuant toSection 2.06(d). Each reduction of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts shall be made ratably among the Lenders in accordance with each Lender’s Applicable Percentage.

(d)Optional Increase in Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts.

(i) Subject to the conditions set forth inSection 2.06(d)(ii), the Borrower may increase the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts then in effect with the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent by increasing the Maximum Credit Amount of a Lender or by causing a Person that at such time is not a Lender to become a Lender (an “Additional Lender”).

(ii) Any increase in the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts shall be subject to the following additional conditions:

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(A) such increase shall not be less than $5,000,000 unless the Administrative Agent otherwise consents;provided, that there shall be no more than five (5) such increases pursuant to thisSection 2.06(d) and all such increases shall not exceed $250,000,000 in the aggregate;

(B) no Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the effective date of such increase;

(C) the Borrower shall have paid all compensation required bySection 5.02 (if any);

(D) no Lender’s Maximum Credit Amount may be increased without the consent of such Lender;

(E) if the Borrower elects to increase the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts by increasing the Maximum Credit Amount of an existing Lender, the Borrower and such Lender shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent a certificate substantially in the form ofExhibit E-1 (a “Maximum Credit Amount Increase Certificate”), and if requested by such Lender, the Borrower shall deliver a new Note payable to such Lender in a principal amount equal to its Maximum Credit Amount after giving effect to such increase, and otherwise duly completed;

(F) if the Borrower elects to increase the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts by causing an Additional Lender to become a party to this Agreement, then the Borrower and such Additional Lender shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent a certificate substantially in the form ofExhibit E-2 (an “Additional Lender Certificate”), together with an Administrative Questionnaire and a processing and recordation fee of $3,500, and if requested by such Additional Lender, the Borrower shall deliver a Note payable to such Additional Lender in a principal amount equal to its Maximum Credit Amount, and otherwise duly completed; and

(G) the Borrower and its Subsidiaries shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent such legal opinions, resolutions, amendments to Security Instruments and other documents as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request.

(iii) Subject to acceptance and recording thereof pursuant toSection 2.06(d)(iv), from and after the effective date specified in the Maximum Credit Amount Increase Certificate or the Additional Lender Certificate: (A) the amount of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts shall be increased as set forth therein, and (B) in the case of an Additional Lender Certificate, any Additional Lender party thereto shall be a party to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents. In addition, the Lender or the Additional Lender, as applicable, shall purchase a pro rata portion of the outstanding Loans (and participation interests in Letters of Credit) of each of the other Lenders (and such Lenders hereby agree to sell and to take all such further

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action to effectuate such sale) such that each Lender (including any Additional Lender, if applicable) shall hold its Applicable Percentage of the outstanding Loans (and participation interests) after giving effect to the increase in the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts.

(iv) Upon its receipt of a duly completed Maximum Credit Amount Increase Certificate or an Additional Lender Certificate, executed by the Borrower and the Lender or the Borrower and the Additional Lender party thereto, as applicable, the processing and recording fee referred to inSection 2.06(d)(ii)(F), the Administrative Questionnaire referred to inSection 2.06(d)(ii), if applicable, the written consent of the Administrative Agent to such increase required bySection 2.06(d)(i), and all other documents and payments required by thisSection 2.06(d), the Administrative Agent shall accept such Maximum Credit Amount Increase Certificate or Additional Lender Certificate and record the information contained therein in the Register required to be maintained by the Administrative Agent pursuant toSection 12.04(b)(iv). No increase in the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts shall be effective for purposes of this Agreement unless and until it has been recorded in the Register as provided in thisSection 2.06(d)(iv).

Section 2.07Borrowing Base.

(a)Initial Borrowing Base. For the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the first Redetermination Date, the amount of the Borrowing Base shall be $425,000,000. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrowing Base may be subject to further adjustments from time to time pursuant toSection 2.07(e) orSection 8.13(c).

(b)Scheduled and Interim Redeterminations. The Borrowing Base shall be redetermined semi-annually in accordance with thisSection 2.07 (a “Scheduled Redetermination”), and subject toSection 2.07(d), such redetermined Borrowing Base shall become effective and applicable to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders on May 1st and November 1st of each year, commencing May 1, 2013. In addition, the Borrower may, by notifying the Administrative Agent thereof, and the Administrative Agent may, at the direction of the Required Lenders, by notifying the Borrower thereof, one time each between Scheduled Redeterminations, each elect to cause the Borrowing Base to be redetermined between Scheduled Redeterminations (an “Interim Redetermination”) in accordance with thisSection 2.07.

(c)Scheduled and Interim Redetermination Procedure.

(i) Each Scheduled Redetermination and each Interim Redetermination shall be effectuated as follows: Upon receipt by the Administrative Agent of (A) the Reserve Report and the certificate required to be delivered by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent, in the case of a Scheduled Redetermination, pursuant toSection 8.12(a) and(c), and, in the case of an Interim Redetermination, pursuant toSection 8.12(b) and(c), and (B) such other reports, data and supplemental information, including, without limitation, the information provided pursuant toSection 8.12(c), as may, from time to time, be reasonably requested by the Majority Lenders (the

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Reserve Report, such certificate and such other reports, data and supplemental information being the “Engineering Reports”), the Administrative Agent shall evaluate the information contained in the Engineering Reports and shall, in its sole discretion, propose a new Borrowing Base (such amount, the “Proposed Borrowing Base”), based upon such information and such other information (including, without limitation, the status of title information with respect to the Oil and Gas Properties as described in the Engineering Reports and the existence of any other Indebtedness) as the Administrative Agent deems appropriate in its sole discretion, but consistent with its normal oil and gas lending criteria as it exists at the particular time. In no event shall the Proposed Borrowing Base exceed the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts.

(ii) The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the Proposed Borrowing Base (the “Proposed Borrowing Base Notice”):

(A) in the case of a Scheduled Redetermination (a) if the Administrative Agent shall have received the Engineering Reports required to be delivered by the Borrower pursuant toSection 8.12(a) and(c) in a timely and complete manner, then on or before April 15th and October 15th of such year following the date of delivery or (b) if the Administrative Agent shall not have received the Engineering Reports required to be delivered by the Borrower pursuant toSection 8.12(a) and(c) in a timely and complete manner, then promptly after the Administrative Agent has received complete Engineering Reports from the Borrower and has had a reasonable opportunity to determine the Proposed Borrowing Base in accordance withSection 2.07(c)(i); and

(B) in the case of an Interim Redetermination, promptly, and in any event, within fifteen (15) days after the Administrative Agent has received the required Engineering Reports.

(iii) Any Proposed Borrowing Base that would increase the Borrowing Base then in effect must be approved or deemed to have been approved by all of the Lenders as provided in thisSection 2.07(c)(iii); and any Proposed Borrowing Base that would decrease or maintain the Borrowing Base then in effect must be approved or be deemed to have been approved by the Required Lenders as provided in thisSection 2.07(c)(iii). Upon receipt of the Proposed Borrowing Base Notice, each Lender shall have fifteen (15) days to agree with the Proposed Borrowing Base or disagree with the Proposed Borrowing Base by proposing an alternate Borrowing Base. If at the end of such fifteen (15) days, any Lender has not communicated its approval or disapproval in writing to the Administrative Agent, such silence shall be deemed to be an approval of the Proposed Borrowing Base. If, at the end of such 15-day period, all of the Lenders, in the case of a Proposed Borrowing Base that would increase the Borrowing Base then in effect, or the Required Lenders, in the case of a Proposed Borrowing Base that would decrease or maintain the Borrowing Base then in effect, have approved or are deemed to have approved, as aforesaid, then the Proposed Borrowing Base shall become the new Borrowing Base, effective on the date specified inSection 2.07(d). If, however, at the end of such 15-day period, all of the Lenders or the Required Lenders, as applicable, have not approved or deemed to have approved, as aforesaid, then the Administrative Agent shall poll the Lenders to ascertain the highest Borrowing Base then acceptable to a

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number of Lenders sufficient to constitute the Required Lenders for purposes of thisSection 2.07 and, so long as such amount does not increase the Borrowing Base then in effect, such amount shall become the new Borrowing Base, effective on the date specified inSection 2.07(d).

(d)Effectiveness of a Redetermined Borrowing Base. After a redetermined Borrowing Base is approved or is deemed to have been approved by all of the Lenders or the Required Lenders, as applicable, pursuant toSection 2.07(c)(iii), the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the amount of the redetermined Borrowing Base (the “New Borrowing Base Notice”), and such amount shall become the new Borrowing Base, effective and applicable to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders:

(i) in the case of a Scheduled Redetermination, (A) if the Administrative Agent shall have received the Engineering Reports required to be delivered by the Borrower pursuant toSection 8.12(a) and(c) in a timely and complete manner, then on May 1st or November 1st, as applicable, following such notice, or (B) if the Administrative Agent shall not have received the Engineering Reports required to be delivered by the Borrower pursuant toSection 8.12(a) and(c) in a timely and complete manner, then on the Business Day next succeeding delivery of such notice; and

(ii) in the case of an Interim Redetermination, on the Business Day next succeeding delivery of such notice.

Such amount shall then become the Borrowing Base until the next Scheduled Redetermination Date, the next Interim Redetermination Date or the next adjustment to the Borrowing Base underSection 2.07(e) orSection 8.13(c), whichever occurs first. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Scheduled Redetermination or Interim Redetermination shall become effective until the New Borrowing Base Notice related thereto is received by the Borrower.

(e)Reduction of Borrowing Base Upon Sales of Oil and Gas Properties, Unwind of Hedging Agreements and Issuances of Senior Notes. In addition to Scheduled Redeterminations and Interim Redeterminations, the Borrowing Base shall be reduced:

(i) within one (1) Business Day of (i) any Borrowing Base Property Disposition or (ii) any Borrowing Base Hedge Unwind, in each case, by an amount equal to (x) the Borrowing Base value of the Oil and Gas Properties that are subject to such Borrowing Base Property Disposition (which shall be the value proposed by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion and approved by the Majority Lenders as being allocated to such Oil and Gas Properties in the then-current Borrowing Base) or (y) the Hedge Termination Value of the Borrowing Base Contracts that are subject to such Borrowing Base Hedge Unwind, as applicable;provided,however, so long as no Borrowing Base Deficiency exists immediately prior to such Borrowing Base Property Disposition or Borrowing Base Hedge Unwind, as applicable, such reduction in the Borrowing Base shall not occur unless and until the sum of the aggregate Borrowing Base value of all Oil and Gas Properties subject to Borrowing Base Property Dispositions and the aggregate Hedge Termination Value of the Borrowing Base Contracts that are

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subject to such Borrowing Base Hedge Unwinds since the most recent Borrowing Base determination (the “Aggregate Disposition Value”) equals or exceeds five percent (5%) of the total amount of the Borrowing Base in effect at the most recent determination, and

(ii) to the extent that an issuance after the Effective Date of Indebtedness pursuant toSection 9.02(g) shall cause the aggregate amount of all Indebtedness outstanding under Section 9.02(g) to exceed $510,000,000, immediately by an amount equal to $0.25 per $1 of the aggregate amount of such excess;

Section 2.08Letters of Credit

(a)General. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may request the issuance of dollar denominated Letters of Credit for its own account or for the account of any of its Subsidiaries, in a form reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the applicable Issuing Bank, at any time and from time to time during the Availability Period;provided that the Borrower may not request the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of Letters of Credit hereunder if a Borrowing Base Deficiency exists at such time or would exist as a result thereof. In the event of any inconsistency between the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the terms and conditions of any Letter of Credit Agreement, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall control. From and after the Effective Date, the Existing Letters of Credit shall be deemed to be Letters of Credit issued pursuant to thisSection 2.08.

(b)Notice of Issuance, Amendment, Renewal, Extension; Certain Conditions. To request the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or the amendment, renewal or extension of an outstanding Letter of Credit), the Borrower shall deliver by hand delivery or facsimile (or transmit by electronic communication, if arrangements for doing so have been approved by the applicable Issuing Bank) to an Issuing Bank and the Administrative Agent (not less than three (3) Business Days in advance of the requested date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension) a notice:

(i) requesting the issuance of a Letter of Credit or identifying the Letter of Credit to be amended, renewed or extended;

(ii) specifying the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (which shall be a Business Day);

(iii) specifying the date on which such Letter of Credit is to expire (which shall comply withSection 2.08(c));

(iv) specifying the amount of such Letter of Credit;

(v) specifying the name and address of the beneficiary thereof and such other information as shall be necessary to prepare, amend, renew or extend such Letter of Credit; and

(vi) specifying the amount of the then effective Borrowing Base, whether a Borrowing Base Deficiency exists at such time, the current total Credit

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Exposures (without regard to the requested Letter of Credit or the requested amendment, renewal or extension of an outstanding Letter of Credit) and thepro forma total Credit Exposures (giving effect to the requested Letter of Credit or the requested amendment, renewal or extension of an outstanding Letter of Credit).

Each notice shall constitute a representation that after giving effect to the requested issuance, amendment, renewal or extension, as applicable, (i) the LC Exposure shall not exceed the LC Commitment and (ii) the total Credit Exposures shall not exceed the total Commitments (i.e. the lesser of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts and the then effective Borrowing Base).

If requested by an Issuing Bank, the Borrower also shall submit a letter of credit application on such Issuing Bank’s standard form in connection with any request for a Letter of Credit.

(c)Expiration Date. Each Letter of Credit shall expire at or prior to the close of business on the earlier of (i) the date one (1) year after the date of the issuance of such Letter of Credit (or, in the case of any renewal or extension thereof, one year after such renewal or extension) and (ii) the date that is five (5) Business Days prior to the Maturity Date. If the Borrower so requests in any applicable notice given pursuant toSection 2.08(b) and an Issuing Bank agrees to do so, such Issuing Bank may issue a Letter of Credit that has automatic renewal provisions;provided,however, that any Letter of Credit that has automatic renewal provisions must permit such Issuing Bank to prevent any such renewal at least once in each twelve-month period (commencing with the date of issuance of such Letter of Credit) by giving prior notice to the beneficiary thereof not later than a day in each such twelve-month period to be agreed upon by the Borrower and such Issuing Bank at the time such Letter of Credit is issued. Once any such Letter of Credit that has automatic renewal provisions has been issued, the Lenders shall be deemed to have authorized (but may not require) such Issuing Bank to permit the renewal of such Letter of Credit at any time to an expiry date not later than thirty (30) Business Days prior to the Maturity Date;provided,however, that such Issuing Bank shall not permit any such renewal if (i) such Issuing Bank has determined that it would have no obligation at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its renewed form under the terms hereof, or (ii) it has received notice (which may be by telephone or in writing) on or before the day that is two (2) Business Days before the date that such Issuing Bank is permitted to send a notice of non-renewal from the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Borrower that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Section 6.02 is not then satisfied.

(d)Participations. By the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or an amendment to a Letter of Credit increasing the amount thereof) and without any further action on the part of any Issuing Bank or the Lenders, the applicable Issuing Bank hereby grants to each Lender, and each Lender hereby acquires from such Issuing Bank, a participation in such Letter of Credit equal to such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the aggregate amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit. In consideration and in furtherance of the foregoing, each Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of such Issuing Bank, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of each LC Disbursement made by such Issuing Bank and not reimbursed by the Borrower on the date due as provided inSection 2.08(e), or of any reimbursement payment required to be refunded to the Borrower for any reason. Each Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire participations pursuant to thisSection 2.08(d) in respect of Letters of Credit is absolute and unconditional and

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shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including any amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or the occurrence and continuance of a Default, the existence of a Borrowing Base Deficiency or reduction or termination of the Commitments, and that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever.

(e)Reimbursement. If any Issuing Bank shall make any LC Disbursement in respect of a Letter of Credit, the Borrower shall reimburse such LC Disbursement by paying to the Administrative Agent an amount equal to such LC Disbursement not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the date that such LC Disbursement is made, if the Borrower shall have received notice of such LC Disbursement prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on such date, or, if such notice has not been received by the Borrower prior to such time on such date, then not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, on (i) the Business Day that the Borrower receives such notice, if such notice is received prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the day of receipt, or (ii) the Business Day immediately following the day that the Borrower receives such notice, if such notice is not received prior to such time on the day of receipt;provided that if such LC Disbursement is not less than $500,000, the Borrower shall, subject to the conditions to Borrowing set forth herein, be deemed to have requested, and the Borrower does hereby request under such circumstances, that such payment be financed with an ABR Borrowing in an equivalent amount and, to the extent so financed, the Borrower’s obligation to make such payment shall be discharged and replaced by the resulting ABR Borrowing. If the Borrower fails to make such payment when due, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the applicable LC Disbursement, the payment then due from the Borrower in respect thereof and such Lender’s Applicable Percentage thereof. Promptly following receipt of such notice, each Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent its Applicable Percentage of the payment then due from the Borrower, in the same manner as provided inSection 2.04(a) with respect to Loans made by such Lender (andSection 2.04(a) shall apply,mutatis mutandis, to the payment obligations of the Lenders), and the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay to the applicable Issuing Bank the amounts so received by it from the Lenders. Promptly following receipt by the Administrative Agent of any payment from the Borrower pursuant to thisSection 2.08(e), the Administrative Agent shall distribute such payment to the applicable Issuing Bank or, to the extent that Lenders have made payments pursuant to thisSection 2.08(e) to reimburse such Issuing Bank, then to such Lenders and such Issuing Bank as their interests may appear. Any payment made by a Lender pursuant to thisSection 2.08(e) to reimburse any Issuing Bank for any LC Disbursement (other than the funding of ABR Loans as contemplated above) shall not constitute a Loan and shall not relieve the Borrower of its obligation to reimburse such LC Disbursement.

(f)Obligations Absolute. The Borrower’s obligation to reimburse LC Disbursements as provided inSection 2.08(e) shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be performed strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under any and all circumstances whatsoever and irrespective of (i) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Letter of Credit, any Letter of Credit Agreement or this Agreement, or any term or provision therein, (ii) any draft or other document presented under a Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent or invalid in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect, (iii) payment by any Issuing Bank under a Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or other document that does not comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit or any Letter of Credit Agreement, or (iv) any other event or circumstance whatsoever, whether or not similar to

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any of the foregoing, that might, but for the provisions of thisSection 2.08(f), constitute a legal or equitable discharge of, or provide a right of setoff against, the Borrower’s obligations hereunder. Neither the Administrative Agent, the Lenders nor the Issuing Banks, nor any of their Related Parties shall have any liability or responsibility by reason of or in connection with the issuance or transfer of any Letter of Credit or any payment or failure to make any payment thereunder (irrespective of any of the circumstances referred to in the preceding sentence), or any error, omission, interruption, loss or delay in transmission or delivery of any draft, notice or other communication under or relating to any Letter of Credit (including any document required to make a drawing thereunder), any error in interpretation of technical terms or any consequence arising from causes beyond the control of any Issuing Bank;provided that the foregoing shall not be construed to excuse any Issuing Bank from liability to the Borrower to the extent of any direct damages (as opposed to consequential damages, claims in respect of which are hereby waived by the Borrower to the extent permitted by applicable law) suffered by the Borrower that are caused by such Issuing Bank’s failure to exercise care when determining whether drafts and other documents presented under a Letter of Credit comply with the terms thereof. The parties hereto expressly agree that, in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct on the part of an Issuing Bank (as finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction), such Issuing Bank shall be deemed to have exercised all requisite care in each such determination. In furtherance of the foregoing and without limiting the generality thereof, the parties agree that, with respect to documents presented which appear on their face to be in substantial compliance with the terms of a Letter of Credit, the applicable Issuing Bank may, in its sole discretion, either accept and make payment upon such documents without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, or refuse to accept and make payment upon such documents if such documents are not in strict compliance with the terms of such Letter of Credit.

(g)Disbursement Procedures. Each Issuing Bank shall, promptly following its receipt thereof, examine all documents purporting to represent a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit. Such Issuing Bank shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent and the Borrower by telephone (confirmed by facsimile) of such demand for payment and whether such Issuing Bank has made or will make an LC Disbursement thereunder;provided that any failure to give or delay in giving such notice shall not relieve the Borrower of its obligation to reimburse such Issuing Bank and the Lenders with respect to any such LC Disbursement.

(h)Interim Interest. If any Issuing Bank shall make any LC Disbursement, then, until the Borrower shall have reimbursed such Issuing Bank for such LC Disbursement (either with its own funds or a Borrowing underSection 2.08(e)), the unpaid amount thereof shall bear interest, for each day from and including the date such LC Disbursement is made to but excluding the date that the Borrower reimburses such LC Disbursement, at the rate per annum then applicable to ABR Loans. Interest accrued pursuant to thisSection 2.08(h) shall be for the account of such Issuing Bank, except that interest accrued on and after the date of payment by any Lender pursuant toSection 2.08(e) to reimburse such Issuing Bank shall be for the account of such Lender to the extent of such payment.

(i)Replacement of the Issuing Bank. Any Issuing Bank may be replaced at any time by written agreement among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the replaced Issuing Bank and the successor Issuing Bank. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Lenders of any such replacement of the replaced Issuing Bank. At the time any such replacement shall

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become effective, the Borrower shall pay all unpaid fees accrued for the account of the replaced Issuing Bank pursuant toSection 3.05(b). From and after the effective date of any such replacement, (i) the successor Issuing Bank shall have all the rights and obligations of an Issuing Bank under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit to be issued thereafter and (ii) references herein to the term “Issuing Bank” shall be deemed to refer to such successor or to any previous Issuing Bank, or to such successor and all previous Issuing Banks, as the context shall require. After the replacement of an Issuing Bank hereunder, the replaced Issuing Bank shall remain a party hereto and shall continue to have all the rights and obligations of an Issuing Bank under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit issued by it prior to such replacement, but shall not be required to issue additional Letters of Credit.

(j)Cash Collateralization. If (i) any Event of Default shall occur and be continuing and the Borrower receives notice from the Administrative Agent or the Majority Lenders demanding the deposit of cash collateral pursuant to thisSection 2.08(j), or (ii) the Borrower is required to pay to the Administrative Agent the excess attributable to an LC Exposure in connection with any prepayment pursuant toSection 3.04(c), then the Borrower shall deposit, in an account with the Administrative Agent, in the name of the Administrative Agent and for the benefit of the Lenders, an amount in cash equal to, in the case of an Event of Default, the LC Exposure, and in the case of a payment required bySection 3.04(c), the amount of such excess as provided inSection 3.04(c), as of such date plus any accrued and unpaid interest thereon;provided that the obligation to deposit such cash collateral shall become effective immediately, and such deposit shall become immediately due and payable, without demand or other notice of any kind, upon the occurrence of any Event of Default with respect to the Borrower or any Subsidiary described inSection 10.01(g) orSection 10.01(h). The Borrower hereby grants to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Issuing Banks and the Lenders, an exclusive first priority and continuing perfected security interest in and Lien on such account and all cash, checks, drafts, certificates and instruments, if any, from time to time deposited or held in such account, all deposits or wire transfers made thereto, any and all investments purchased with funds deposited in such account, all interest, dividends, cash, instruments, financial assets and other Property from time to time received, receivable or otherwise payable in respect of, or in exchange for, any or all of the foregoing, and all proceeds, products, accessions, rents, profits, income and benefits therefrom, and any substitutions and replacements therefor. The Borrower’s obligation to deposit amounts pursuant to thisSection 2.08(j) shall be absolute and unconditional, without regard to whether any beneficiary of any such Letter of Credit has attempted to draw down all or a portion of such amount under the terms of a Letter of Credit, and, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, shall not be subject to any defense or be affected by a right of set-off, counterclaim or recoupment which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries may now or hereafter have against any such beneficiary, the Issuing Banks, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders or any other Person for any reason whatsoever. Such deposit shall be held as collateral securing the payment and performance of the Borrower’s and the Guarantor’s obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents. The Administrative Agent shall have exclusive dominion and control, including the exclusive right of withdrawal, over such account. Other than any interest earned on the investment of such deposits, which investments shall be made at the option and sole discretion of the Administrative Agent and at the Borrower’s risk and expense, such deposits shall not bear interest. Interest or profits, if any, on such investments shall accumulate in such account. Moneys in such account shall be applied by the Administrative Agent to reimburse the applicable Issuing Bank for LC

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Disbursements for which it has not been reimbursed and, to the extent not so applied, shall be held for the satisfaction of the reimbursement obligations of the Borrower for the LC Exposure at such time or, if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated, be applied to satisfy other obligations of the Borrower and the Guarantors under this Agreement or the other Loan Documents. If the Borrower is required to provide an amount of cash collateral hereunder as a result of the occurrence of an Event of Default, and the Borrower is not otherwise required to pay to the Administrative Agent the excess attributable to an LC Exposure in connection with any prepayment pursuant toSection 3.04(c), then such amount (to the extent not applied as aforesaid) shall be returned to the Borrower within three (3) Business Days after all Events of Default have been cured or waived.

ARTICLE III

PAYMENTS OF PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST; PREPAYMENTS; FEES

Section 3.01Repayment of Loans. The Borrower hereby unconditionally promises to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Loan on the Termination Date.

Section 3.02Interest.

(a)ABR Loans. The Loans comprising each ABR Borrowing shall bear interest at the Alternate Base Rate plus the Applicable Margin, but in no event to exceed the Highest Lawful Rate.

(b)Eurodollar Loans. The Loans comprising each Eurodollar Borrowing shall bear interest at the Adjusted LIBO Rate for the Interest Period in effect for such Borrowing plus the Applicable Margin, but in no event to exceed the Highest Lawful Rate.

(c)Post-Default and Borrowing Base Deficiency Rate. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, or if any principal of or interest on any Loan or any fee or other amount payable by the Borrower or any Guarantor hereunder or under any other Loan Document is not paid when due, whether at stated maturity, upon acceleration or otherwise, and including any payments in respect of a Borrowing Base Deficiency when due in accordance withSection 3.04(c), then (i) in the case of an Event of Default or the failure to make payments in respect of a Borrowing Base Deficiency when due in accordance withSection 3.04(c), all Loans outstanding shall bear interest, after as well as before judgment, at a rate per annum equal to the rate then applicable to such Loans plus an additional two percent (2%), but in no event to exceed the Highest Lawful Rate, and (ii) in the case of any other overdue amount, such overdue amount shall bear interest, after as well as before judgment, at a rate per annum equal to two percent (2%) plus the rate applicable to ABR Loans as provided inSection 3.02(a), but in no event to exceed the Highest Lawful Rate.

(d)Interest Payment Dates. Accrued interest on each Loan shall be payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date for such Loan and on the Termination Date;provided, that (i) interest accrued pursuant toSection 3.02(c) shall be payable on demand, (ii) in the event of any repayment or prepayment of any Loan (other than an optional prepayment of an ABR Loan prior to the Termination Date), accrued interest on the principal amount repaid or prepaid shall be payable on the date of such repayment or prepayment, and (iii) in the event of any conversion of any Eurodollar Loan prior to the end of the current Interest Period therefor, accrued interest on such Loan shall be payable on the effective date of such conversion.

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(e)Interest Rate Computations. All interest hereunder shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days, unless such computation would exceed the Highest Lawful Rate, in which case interest shall be computed on the basis of a year of 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year), except that interest computed by reference to the Alternate Base Rate at times when the Alternate Base Rate is based on the Prime Rate shall be computed on the basis of a year of 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year), and in each case shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day). The applicable Alternate Base Rate, Adjusted LIBO Rate or LIBO Rate shall be determined by the Administrative Agent, and such determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and be binding upon the parties hereto.

Section 3.03Alternate Rate of Interest. If prior to the commencement of any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Borrowing:

(a) the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error) that adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the LIBO Rate for such Interest Period; or

(b) the Administrative Agent is advised by the Majority Lenders that the Adjusted LIBO Rate or LIBO Rate, as applicable, for such Interest Period will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of making or maintaining their Loans included in such Borrowing for such Interest Period;

then the Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the Borrower and the Lenders by telephone or facsimile as promptly as practicable thereafter and, until the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower and the Lenders that the circumstances giving rise to such notice no longer exist, (i) any Interest Election Request that requests the conversion of any Borrowing to, or continuation of any Borrowing as, a Eurodollar Borrowing shall be ineffective, and (ii) if any Borrowing Request requests a Eurodollar Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be made as an ABR Borrowing or at an alternate rate of interest determined by the Majority Lenders as their cost of funds.

Section 3.04Prepayments.

(a)Optional Prepayments. The Borrower shall have the right at any time and from time to time to prepay any Borrowing in whole or in part, subject to prior notice in accordance withSection 3.04(b).

(b)Notice and Terms of Optional Prepayment. The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent by telephone (confirmed by facsimile or other electronic transmission) of any prepayment hereunder (i) in the case of prepayment of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, three (3) Business Days before the date of prepayment, or (ii) in the case of prepayment of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, one (1) Business Day before the date of prepayment. Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the prepayment date and the principal amount of each Borrowing or portion

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thereof to be prepaid;provided that, if a notice of prepayment is given in connection with a conditional notice of termination of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts as contemplated bySection 2.06(b), then such notice of prepayment may be revoked if such notice of termination is revoked in accordance withSection 2.06(b). Promptly following receipt of any such notice relating to a Borrowing, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each partial prepayment of any Borrowing shall be in an amount that would be permitted in the case of an advance of a Borrowing of the same Type as provided inSection 2.02. Each prepayment of a Borrowing shall be applied ratably to the Loans included in the prepaid Borrowing. Prepayments shall be accompanied by accrued interest to the extent required bySection 3.02.

(c)Mandatory Prepayments.

(i) If, after giving effect to any termination or reduction of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts pursuant toSection 2.06(b), the total Credit Exposures exceeds the total Commitments, then the Borrower shall (A) prepay the Borrowings on the date of such termination or reduction in an aggregate principal amount equal to such excess, and (B) if any excess remains after prepaying all of the Borrowings as a result of an LC Exposure, pay to the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders an amount equal to such excess to be held as cash collateral as provided inSection 2.08(j).

(ii) Upon any redetermination of or adjustment to the amount of the Borrowing Base in accordance withSection 2.07 (other thanSection 2.07(e)) orSection 8.13(c), if the total Credit Exposures exceeds the redetermined or adjusted Borrowing Base, then the Borrower shall prepay the Borrowings in an aggregate principal amount equal to such excess, and if any excess remains after prepaying all of the Borrowings as a result of an LC Exposure, pay to the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders an amount equal to such excess to be held as cash collateral as provided inSection 2.08(j). The Borrower shall be obligated to (A) make half of such prepayment and/or deposit of cash collateral within forty-five (45) days and (B) make the other half of such prepayment and/or deposit of cash collateral within ninety (90) days, in each case, following its receipt of the New Borrowing Base Notice in accordance withSection 2.07(d) or the date the adjustment occurs ;provided that all payments required to be made pursuant to thisSection 3.04(c)(ii) must be made on or prior to the Termination Date.

(iii) Upon any adjustments to the Borrowing Base pursuant toSection 2.07(e), if the total Credit Exposures exceeds the Borrowing Base as adjusted, then the Borrower shall (A) prepay the Borrowings in an aggregate principal amount equal to such excess, and (B) if any excess remains after prepaying all of the Borrowings as a result of an LC Exposure, pay to the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders an amount equal to such excess to be held as cash collateral as provided inSection 2.08(j). The Borrower shall be obligated to make such prepayment and/or deposit of cash collateral within one (1) Business Day of the date of the later of (1) such adjustment and (2) the date it receives cash proceeds or other consideration as a result of such disposition;provided that all payments required to be made pursuant to thisSection 3.04(c)(iii) must be made on or prior to the Termination Date.

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(iv) If the Purchase Price (as defined in the Acquisition Agreement) is adjusted downward or any portion thereof is refunded to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates under the Acquisition Agreement after the Effective Date, then the Borrower shall (A) prepay the Borrowings in an aggregate principal amount equal to such adjustment or refund and (B) if any excess remains after prepaying all of the Borrowings as a result of an LC Exposure, pay to the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders an amount equal to such excess to be held as cash collateral as provided inSection 2.08(j). The Borrower shall be obligated to make such prepayment and/or deposit of cash collateral within one (1) Business Day of the date it receives cash proceeds or other consideration as a result thereof;provided that all payments required to be made pursuant to thisSection 3.04(c)(iv) must be made on or prior to the Termination Date.

(v) Each prepayment of Borrowings pursuant to thisSection 3.04(c) shall be applied,first, ratably to any ABR Borrowings then outstanding, and,second, to any Eurodollar Borrowings then outstanding, and if more than one Eurodollar Borrowing is then outstanding, to each such Eurodollar Borrowing in order of priority beginning with the Eurodollar Borrowing with the least number of days remaining in the Interest Period applicable thereto and ending with the Eurodollar Borrowing with the most number of days remaining in the Interest Period applicable thereto.

(vi) Each prepayment of Borrowings pursuant to thisSection 3.04(c) shall be applied ratably to the Loans included in the prepaid Borrowings. Prepayments pursuant to thisSection 3.04(c) shall be accompanied by accrued interest to the extent required bySection 3.02.

(d)No Premium or Penalty. Prepayments permitted or required under thisSection 3.04 shall be without premium or penalty, except as required underSection 5.02.

Section 3.05Fees.

(a)Commitment Fees. The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a commitment fee, which shall accrue at the applicable Commitment Fee Rate on the average daily amount of the unused amount of the Commitment of such Lender during the period from and including the date of this Agreement to but excluding the Termination Date. Accrued commitment fees shall be payable in arrears on the last day of March, June, September and December of each year and on the Termination Date, commencing on the first such date to occur after the date hereof. All commitment fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days, unless such computation would exceed the Highest Lawful Rate, in which case interest shall be computed on the basis of a year of 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year), and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).

(b)Letter of Credit Fees. The Borrower agrees to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a participation fee with respect to its participations in Letters of Credit, which shall accrue at the same Applicable Margin used to determine the interest rate applicable to Eurodollar Loans on the average daily amount of such Lender’s LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC

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Disbursements) during the period from and including the date of this Agreement to but excluding the later of the date on which such Lender’s Maximum Credit Amount terminates and the date on which such Lender ceases to have any LC Exposure, (ii) to each Issuing Bank, for its own account, a fronting fee, which shall accrue at the rate of 0.25% per annum on the average daily amount of the LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) during the period from and including the date of this Agreement to but excluding the later of the date of termination of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts and the date on which there ceases to be any LC Exposure,provided that in no event shall such fee be less than $500 during any quarter, and (iii) to each Issuing Bank, for its own account, its standard fees with respect to the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or processing of drawings thereunder. Accrued participation fees and fronting fees shall be payable in arrears on the last day of March, June, September and December of each year and on the Termination Date, commencing on the first such date to occur after the date hereof;provided that all such fees accruing after the Termination Date shall be payable on demand. Any other fees payable to an Issuing Bank pursuant to thisSection 3.05(b) shall be payable within ten (10) days after demand. All participation fees and fronting fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days, unless such computation would exceed the Highest Lawful Rate, in which case interest shall be computed on the basis of a year of 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year), and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).

(c)Administrative Agent Fees. The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for its own account, fees payable in the amounts and at the times separately agreed upon between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

ARTICLE IV

PAYMENTS; PRO RATA TREATMENT; SHARING OF SET-OFFS

Section 4.01Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs.

(a)Payments by the Borrower. The Borrower shall make each payment required to be made by it hereunder (whether of principal, interest, fees or reimbursement of LC Disbursements, or of amounts payable underSection 5.01,Section 5.02,Section 5.03 or otherwise) prior to 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the date when due, in immediately available funds, without defense, deduction, recoupment, set-off or counterclaim. Fees, once paid, shall be fully earned and shall not be refundable under any circumstances. Any amounts received after such time on any date may, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, be deemed to have been received on the next succeeding Business Day for purposes of calculating interest thereon. All such payments shall be made to the Administrative Agent at its offices at Three Times Square, 27^th Floor, New York, New York 10036, except payments to be made directly to an Issuing Bank as expressly provided herein and except that payments pursuant toSection 5.01,Section 5.02,Section 5.03 andSection 12.03 shall be made directly to the Persons entitled thereto. The Administrative Agent shall distribute any such payments received by it for the account of any other Person to the appropriate recipient promptly following receipt thereof. If any payment hereunder shall be due on a day that is not a Business Day, the date for payment shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day, and, in the case of any payment accruing interest, interest thereon shall be payable for the period of such extension. All payments hereunder shall be made in dollars.

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(b)Application of Insufficient Payments. If at any time insufficient funds are received by and available to the Administrative Agent to pay fully all amounts of principal, unreimbursed LC Disbursements, interest and fees then due hereunder, such funds shall be applied (i) first, towards payment of interest and fees then due hereunder, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of interest and fees then due to such parties, and (ii) second, towards payment of principal and unreimbursed LC Disbursements then due hereunder, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of principal and unreimbursed LC Disbursements then due to such parties.

(c)Sharing of Payments by Lenders. If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of set-off or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of its Loans or participations in LC Disbursements resulting in such Lender receiving payment of a greater proportion of the aggregate amount of its Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and accrued interest thereon than the proportion received by any other Lender, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Loans and participations in LC Disbursements of other Lenders to the extent necessary so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Loans and participations in LC Disbursements;provided that (i) if any such participations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest, and (ii) the provisions of thisSection 4.01(c) shall not be construed to apply to any payment made by the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement or any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans or participations in LC Disbursements to any assignee or participant, other than to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof (as to which the provisions of thisSection 4.01(c) shall apply). The Borrower consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so under applicable law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against the Borrower rights of set-off and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of the Borrower in the amount of such participation.

Section 4.02Presumption of Payment by the Borrower. Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders or any Issuing Bank that the Borrower will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders or the applicable Issuing Bank, as the case may be, the amount due. In such event, if the Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders or the applicable Issuing Bank, as the case may be, severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender or Issuing Bank with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.

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Section 4.03Certain Deductions by the Administrative Agent; Defaulting Lenders.

(a)Certain Deductions by the Administrative Agent. If any Lender shall fail to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to Section 2.05(b), Section 2.08(d), Section 2.08(e) or Section 4.02 then the Administrative Agent may, in its discretion (notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof), apply any amounts thereafter received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender to satisfy such Lender’s obligations under such Sections until all such unsatisfied obligations are fully paid.

(b)Payments to Defaulting Lenders. If a Defaulting Lender (or a Lender who would be a Defaulting Lender but for the expiration of the relevant grace period) as a result of the exercise of a set off shall have received a payment in respect of such Lender’s Credit Exposure and fails to purchase participations in the Loans and LC Disbursements pursuant toSection 4.01(c), which results in such Lender’s Credit Exposure being less than its Applicable Percentage of the aggregate Credit Exposure, then no payment will be made to such Defaulting Lender until all amounts due and owing to the Lenders have been equalized in accordance with each Lender’s respective pro rata share of the Secured Obligations. Further, if at any time prior to the acceleration or maturity of the Loans, the Administrative Agent shall receive any payment in respect of principal of a Loan or a reimbursement of an LC Disbursement while one or more Defaulting Lenders shall be party to this Agreement, the Administrative Agent shall apply such payment first to the Borrowing(s) for which such Defaulting Lender(s) shall have failed to fund its pro rata share until such time as such Borrowing(s) are paid in full or each Lender (including each Defaulting Lender) is owed its Applicable Percentage of all Loans then outstanding. After acceleration or maturity of the Loans, subject to the first sentence of thisSection 4.03(b), all principal will be paid ratably as provided in Section 10.02(c).

(c)Defaulting Lenders. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then the following provisions shall apply for so long as such Lender is a Defaulting Lender:

(i) fees shall cease to accrue on the unfunded portion of the Commitment of such Defaulting Lender pursuant toSection 3.05(a);

(ii) the Maximum Credit Amount and the outstanding amount of the Loans and participation interests in Letters of Credit of such Defaulting Lender shall not be included in determining whether all Lenders, the Required Lenders or the Majority Lenders have taken or may take any action hereunder (including any consent to any amendment or waiver pursuant toSection 12.02),provided, that any waiver, amendment or modification (A) that would increase the Maximum Credit Amount or Commitment of such Defaulting Lender or (B) requiring the consent of all Lenders or each adversely affected Lender, in each case which affects such Defaulting Lender differently than all other Lenders or all other adversely affected Lenders, as the case may be, shall require the consent of such Defaulting Lender;providedfurther, that any redetermination or affirmation of the Borrowing Base shall occur without the participation of a Defaulting Lender, but such Defaulting Lender’s Maximum Credit Amount and Commitment may not be increased without the consent of such Defaulting Lender;

(iii) if any LC Exposure exists at the time a Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender then:

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(A) all or any part of such LC Exposure shall be reallocated among the Non-Defaulting Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages (for the purposes of such reallocation, the Defaulting Lender’s Maximum Credit Amount shall be disregarded in determining the Non-Defaulting Lenders’ Applicable Percentages) but only to the extent (x) the sum of all Non-Defaulting Lenders’ Credit Exposures plus such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure does not exceed the total of all Non-Defaulting Lenders’ Maximum Credit Amounts, (y) the conditions set forth inSection 6.02 are satisfied at such time, and (z) the sum of each Non-Defaulting Lender’s Credit Exposure plus its reallocated share of such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure does not exceed such Non-Defaulting Lender’s Maximum Credit Amount;

(B) if the reallocation described in clause (A) above cannot, or can only partially, be effected, the Borrower shall within two (2) Business Days following notice by the Administrative Agent cash collateralize such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure (after giving effect to any partial reallocation pursuant to clause (A) above) in accordance with the procedures set forth inSection 2.08(j) for so long as such LC Exposure is outstanding and the relevant Defaulting Lender remains a Defaulting Lender;

(C) if the Borrower cash collateralizes any portion of such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure pursuant to thisSection 4.03(c)(iii), the Borrower shall not be required to pay any fees to such Defaulting Lender pursuant toSection 3.05(b) with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure during the period such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure is cash collateralized;

(D) if the LC Exposure of the non-Defaulting Lenders is reallocated pursuant to thisSection 4.03(c)(iii), then the fees payable to the Lenders pursuant toSection 3.05(a) andSection 3.05(b) shall be adjusted in accordance with such Non-Defaulting Lenders’ Maximum Credit Amounts;

(E) if any Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure is neither cash collateralized nor reallocated pursuant to thisSection 4.03(c)(iii), then, without prejudice to any rights or remedies of any Issuing Bank or any Lender hereunder, all commitment fees that otherwise would have been payable to such Defaulting Lender (solely with respect to the portion of such Defaulting Lender’s Commitment that was utilized by such LC Exposure) underSection 3.05(a) and letter of credit fees payable underSection 3.05(b) with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure shall be payable to the applicable Issuing Bank until such LC Exposure is cash collateralized and/or reallocated;

(iv) so long as any Lender is a Defaulting Lender, no Issuing Bank shall be required to issue, amend or increase any Letter of Credit, unless it is satisfied that the related exposure will be 100% covered by the Commitments of the Non-Defaulting Lenders and/or cash collateral will be provided by the Borrower in accordance withSection 4.03(c), and participating interests in any such newly issued or increased Letter of Credit shall be allocated among Non-Defaulting Lenders in a manner consistent withSection 4.03(c)(iii)(A) (and any Defaulting Lender shall not participate therein).

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(v) In the event that the Administrative Agent, the Borrower and the Issuing Banks each agrees that a Defaulting Lender has adequately remedied all matters that caused such Defaulting Lender to be a Defaulting Lender, then the LC Exposure of the Non-Defaulting Lenders shall be readjusted to reflect the inclusion of such Defaulting Lender’s Commitment and on such date such Defaulting Lender shall purchase at par such of the Loans of the other Lenders as the Administrative Agent shall determine may be necessary in order for such Defaulting Lender to hold such Loans in accordance with its Commitment.

ARTICLE V

INCREASED COSTS; BREAK FUNDING PAYMENTS; TAXES; ILLEGALITY

Section 5.01Increased Costs.

(a)Eurodollar Changes in Law. If any Change in Law shall:

(i) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, liquidity requirement, special deposit or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended by, any Lender (except any such reserve requirement reflected in the Adjusted LIBO Rate); or

(ii) impose on any Lender or the London interbank market any other condition affecting this Agreement or Eurodollar Loans made by such Lender;

and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender of making or maintaining any Eurodollar Loan (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan) or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender (whether of principal, interest or otherwise) (other than any such increase or reduction attributable to Taxes, which are governed solely and exclusively bySection 5.03), then the Borrower will pay to such Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.

(b)Capital Requirements. If any Lender or any Issuing Bank determines that any Change in Law regarding capital requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement or the Loans made by, or participations in Letters of Credit held by, such Lender, or the Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank, to a level below that which such Lender or such Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then from time to time the Borrower will pay to such Lender or such Issuing Bank, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or such Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.

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(c)Certificates. A certificate of a Lender or an Issuing Bank setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or such Issuing Bank or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified inSection 5.01(a) or(b) shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender or such Issuing Bank, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within ten (10) days after receipt thereof.

(d)Effect of Failure or Delay in Requesting Compensation. Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or any Issuing Bank to demand compensation pursuant to thisSection 5.01 shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s right to demand such compensation;provided that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender or Issuing Bank pursuant to this Section for any increased costs incurred or reductions suffered more than 365 days prior to the date that such Lender or Issuing Bank, as the case may be, notifies the Borrower of any Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions, and of such Lender’s or Issuing Bank’s intention to claim compensation therefor (except that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the 365-day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof).

Section 5.02Break Funding Payments. In the event of (a) the payment of any principal of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto (including as a result of an Event of Default), (b) the conversion of any Eurodollar Loan into an ABR Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto, (c) the failure to borrow, convert into, continue or prepay any Eurodollar Loan on the date specified in any notice delivered pursuant hereto, or (d) the assignment of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant toSection 5.04(b), then, in any such event, the Borrower shall compensate each Lender for the loss, cost and expense attributable to such event. In the case of a Eurodollar Loan, such loss, cost or expense to any Lender shall be deemed to include an amount determined by such Lender to be the excess, if any, of (i) the amount of interest which would have accrued on the principal amount of such Loan had such event not occurred, at the Adjusted LIBO Rate that would have been applicable to such Loan, for the period from the date of such event to the last day of the then current Interest Period therefor (or, in the case of a failure to borrow, convert or continue, for the period that would have been the Interest Period for such Loan), over (ii) the amount of interest which would accrue on such principal amount for such period at the interest rate which such Lender would bid were it to bid, at the commencement of such period, for dollar deposits of a comparable amount and period from other banks in the eurodollar market.

A certificate of any Lender setting forth any amount or amounts that such Lender is entitled to receive pursuant to thisSection 5.02 and reasonably detailed calculations therefor, upon request of the Borrower, shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within ten (10) days after receipt thereof.

Section 5.03Taxes.

(a)Payments Free of Taxes. Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower or any Guarantor under any Loan Document shall be made free and clear of and without deduction or withholding for any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes;provided that if the Borrower or any Guarantor shall be required to deduct or withhold any

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Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes from such payments, then (i) the sum payable shall be increased as necessary so that after making all required deductions and withholdings (including deductions and withholdings applicable to additional sums payable under thisSection 5.03(a)), the Administrative Agent, Lender, Issuing Bank or other recipient (as the case may be) receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deductions or withholdings been made, (ii) the Borrower or such Guarantor shall make such deductions or withholdings and (iii) the Borrower or such Guarantor shall pay the full amount deducted or withheld to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.

(b)Payment of Other Taxes by the Borrower. The Borrower shall pay any Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.

(c)Indemnification by the Borrower. The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Lender and each Issuing Bank, within ten (10) days after written demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes paid by the Administrative Agent, such Lender or such Issuing Bank, as the case may be, on or with respect to any payment by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder (including Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under thisSection 5.03(c)) and any and all reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate of the Administrative Agent, a Lender or an Issuing Bank as to the amount of such payment or liability under thisSection 5.03(c) shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

(d)Evidence of Payments. As soon as practicable after any payment of Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes by the Borrower or a Guarantor to a Governmental Authority, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

(e)Withholding Certificates. Any Foreign Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding Tax with respect to payments under this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall deliver to the Borrower (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), or to such Persons as the Borrower may designate, at the time or times prescribed by applicable law, such properly completed and executed documentation prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by the Borrower as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, to the extent permitted by applicable law, each Foreign Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, or to such Persons as they may designate, on or prior to the Effective Date (or, in the case of any Foreign Lender that is an assignee of a Lender, on the date such assignee becomes a party to this Agreement), two accurate and complete original signed copies of IRS Form W-BEN, W-8ECI, W-8IMY or W-8EXP, as appropriate (or any successor or other applicable form prescribed by the IRS), and any other appropriate forms and certificates certifying to such Foreign Lender’s entitlement to a complete exemption from, or a reduced rate in, United States withholding Tax on payments to be made under any Loan Document. If a Foreign Lender is claiming a complete exemption from withholding Tax on interest pursuant to

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Section 871(h) or 881(c) of the Code, such Foreign Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, or to such Persons as they may designate, on the date specified in the previous sentence (along with two accurate and complete original signed copies of IRS Form W-8BEN, or any successor form thereto, and any other appropriate forms and certificates), a certificate in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Borrower stating that (1) the Foreign Lender is not a “bank” for purposes of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code or the obligation of each of the Loan Parties hereunder is not, with respect to such Foreign Lender, a loan agreement entered into in the ordinary course of its trade or business, within the meaning of that Section, (2) the Foreign Lender is not a 10% shareholder of any Loan Party within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3) or 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, and (3) the Foreign Lender is not a controlled foreign corporation that is related to any Loan Party within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code (any such certificate, a “Withholding Certificate”). In addition, each Foreign Lender agrees that from time to time after the Effective Date (or, in the case of any Foreign Lender that is an assignee of a Lender, after the date such assignee becomes a party to this Agreement), when a form or certificate delivered by such Foreign Lender hereunder is invalid, obsolete or inaccurate in any respect, such Foreign Lender shall promptly deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, or to such Persons as they may designate, two new accurate and complete original signed copies of IRS Form W-8BEN, W-8ECI, W-8IMY or W-8EXP, as appropriate (or any successor or other applicable form prescribed by the IRS), and any other appropriate forms and certificates and, if applicable, a new Withholding Certificate, to confirm or establish the entitlement of such Foreign Lender to an exemption from, or reduction in, United States withholding Tax on payments to be made under any Loan Document.

In addition, any Lender (other than a Lender whose name includes “Incorporated,” “Inc.,” “Corporation,” “Corp.”, “P.C.”, “N.A.”, “National Association,” “Insurance Company” or “Assurance Company”) shall, if and when requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, deliver such documentation prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine that such Lender is not subject to United States backup withholding Tax or information reporting requirements. To the extent that such documentation is invalid, obsolete or inaccurate in any respect at any time, such Lender shall promptly deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, or to such Persons as they may designate, revised documentation necessary to confirm or establish the entitlement of such Lender to an exemption from United States backup withholding Tax.

(f)FATCA. If any payment made hereunder or under any other Loan Document would be subject to United States federal withholding Tax imposed pursuant to FATCA if the recipient of such payment fails to comply with applicable reporting and other requirements of FATCA (including those contained in Section 1471(b) or 1472(b) of the Code, as applicable), such recipient shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, at the time or times prescribed by applicable law or as reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, (i) two accurate, complete and signed certifications and other documentation prescribed by applicable law and reasonably satisfactory to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent that establish that such payment is exempt from United States federal withholding Tax imposed pursuant to FATCA or to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment and (ii) any other documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent sufficient for the applicable Withholding Agents to comply with their obligations under FATCA and to determine that such recipient has complied with such applicable reporting and other requirements of FATCA or to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment.

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(g)Tax Refunds and Credits. If the Administrative Agent or a Lender or an Issuing Bank determines, in its reasonable discretion, that it has received a refund or credit of any Taxes as to which it has been indemnified by any Loan Party or with respect to which any Loan Party has paid additional amounts pursuant to thisSection 5.03, it shall pay over the amount of such refund or credit to the applicable Loan Party (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by the applicable Loan Party under thisSection 5.03 with respect to the Taxes giving rise to such refund or credit), net of all out-of-pocket expenses of the Administrative Agent or such Lender or such Issuing Bank and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund or credit);provided, that the applicable Loan Party, upon the request of the Administrative Agent or such Lender or such Issuing Bank, agrees to repay the amount paid over to the applicable Loan Party (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the Administrative Agent or such Lender or such Issuing Bank in the event the Administrative Agent or such Lender or such Issuing Bank is required to repay such refund or credit to such Governmental Authority. ThisSection 5.03shall not be construed to require the Administrative Agent or any Lender to make available its tax returns (or any other information relating to its taxes which it deems confidential) to the Borrower or any other Person.

(h)Applicable Law. For purposes of this Section 5.03, the term “applicable law” includes FATCA.

Section 5.04Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.

(a)Designation of Different Lending Office. If any Lender requests compensation underSection 5.01, or if any Loan Party is required to indemnify any Lender or pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant toSection 5.03, then such Lender shall use reasonable efforts to designate a different lending office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or Affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant toSection 5.01 orSection 5.03, as the case may be, in the future and (ii) would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender. The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment.

(b)Replacement of Lenders. If (i) any Lender requests compensation underSection 5.01, (ii) any Loan Party is required to indemnify any Lender or pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant toSection 5.03, (iii) any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, (iv) any Lender declines to make a Eurodollar Loan underSection 5.05, (v) any Lender fails to approve or consent to a requested amendment, waiver or other action (including increasing the Borrowing Base) that requires the consent of all Lenders or all Lenders affected thereby when the Required Lenders have provided their approval or consent to such amendment, waiver or other action, or (vi) any Lender fails to

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approve or consent to a requested amendment, waiver or other action (including maintaining the Borrowing Base) that requires the consent of the Required Lenders when the Majority Lenders have provided their approval or consent to such amendment, waiver or other action, then the Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained inSection 12.04(b)), all its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement to an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if such other Lender accepts such assignment);provided that (i) the Borrower shall have received the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld, (ii) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans and participations in LC Disbursements, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder, from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts) and (iii) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation underSection 5.01 or payments required to be made pursuant toSection 5.03, such assignment will result in a reduction in or the elimination of such compensation or payments. A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment and delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrower to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.

Section 5.05Illegality. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, in the event that it becomes unlawful for any Lender or its applicable lending office to honor its obligation to make or maintain Eurodollar Loans either generally or having a particular Interest Period hereunder, then (a) such Lender shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent thereof and such Lender’s obligation to make such Eurodollar Loans shall be suspended (the “Affected Loans”) until such time as such Lender may again make and maintain such Eurodollar Loans and (b) all Affected Loans which would otherwise be made by such Lender shall be made instead as ABR Loans (and, if such Lender so requests by notice to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, all Affected Loans of such Lender then outstanding shall be automatically converted into ABR Loans on the date specified by such Lender in such notice) and, to the extent that Affected Loans are so made as (or converted into) ABR Loans, all payments of principal which would otherwise be applied to such Lender’s Affected Loans shall be applied instead to its ABR Loans.

ARTICLE VI

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

Section 6.01Effective Date. The obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of the Issuing Banks to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become effective until the Business Day on which each of the following conditions is satisfied (or waived in accordance withSection 12.02):

(a) The Administrative Agent, the Arranger and the Lenders shall have received all commitment, facility and agency fees and all other fees and amounts due and payable on or prior to the Effective Date, including, to the extent invoiced, reimbursement or payment of all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses required to be reimbursed or paid by the Borrower hereunder (including, without limitation, the estimated costs and expenses for recordation of certain Security Instruments and the fees and expenses of Latham & Watkins LLP, counsel to the Administrative Agent pursuant toSection 12.03(a)).

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(b) The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate of a Responsible Officer of each Loan Party setting forth (i) resolutions of its board of directors, general partner or member(s) with respect to the authorization of such Loan Party to execute and deliver the Loan Documents to which it is a party and to enter into the Transactions contemplated in those documents, (ii) the individuals (A) who are authorized to sign the Loan Documents to which such Loan Party is a party and (B) who will, until replaced by another individual or individuals duly authorized for that purpose, act as its representative for the purposes of signing documents and giving notices and other communications in connection with this Agreement and the Transactions contemplated hereby, (iii) specimen signatures of such authorized individuals, and (iv) the Organization Documents of such Loan Party, certified as being true and complete. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders may conclusively rely on such certificate until the Administrative Agent receives notice in writing from such Loan Party to the contrary.

(c) The Administrative Agent shall have received certificates of the appropriate state agencies with respect to the existence, qualification and good standing of each Loan Party from each jurisdiction in which such Loan Party is formed or authorized or qualified to do business.

(d) The Administrative Agent shall have received from each party hereto counterparts (in such number as may be requested by the Administrative Agent) of this Agreement signed on behalf of such party.

(e) The Administrative Agent shall have received duly executed Notes payable to each Lender that has requested a Note in a principal amount equal to its Maximum Credit Amount dated as of the date hereof.

(f) The Administrative Agent shall have received from each party thereto duly executed counterparts (in such number as may be requested by the Administrative Agent) of the Security Instruments. In connection with the execution and delivery of the Security Instruments, the Administrative Agent shall:

(i) be reasonably satisfied that the Security Instruments create first priority, perfected Liens (subject only to Excepted Liens) on at least 80% of the total value of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the Initial Reserve Reports; and

(ii) have received certificates, together with undated, blank stock powers for each such certificate, representing to the extent certificated (A) all of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of each Domestic Subsidiary (other than the Immaterial Subsidiaries) of any Loan Party and (B) 66 2/3% of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of each Foreign Subsidiary (other than the Immaterial Subsidiaries) of any Loan Party.

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(g) The Administrative Agent shall have received an opinion of (i) Sidley Austin LLP, counsel to the Borrower, and (ii) Slattery, Marino and Roberts, Louisiana counsel to the Borrower.

(h) The Administrative Agent shall have received certificates of insurance coverage of the Borrower evidencing that the Borrower is carrying insurance in accordance withSection 8.07.

(i) The Administrative Agent shall have received title information as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent setting forth the status of title to at least 80% of the total value of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the Initial Reserve Reports.

(j) The Administrative Agent shall have received a compliance certificate substantially in the form ofExhibit D-1, duly and properly executed by a Financial Officer of the Borrower and delivered on behalf of the Borrower and dated as of the Effective Date, certifying, among other things, that:

(i) the Borrower is in pro forma compliance with the financial covenants set forth inSection 9.01 as of the Effective Date after giving effect to the Acquisition and the initial funding of Loans on the Effective Date;provided that EBITDAX for the four (4) quarter period ending on the last day of the most recent fiscal quarter for which financial statements are available will be used for such calculations;

(ii) the Borrower has received all consents and approvals required bySection 7.03;

(iii) after giving effect to the Transactions on the Effective Date, (i) each Loan Party on a stand-alone basis, and (ii) the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, are Solvent.

(k) The Administrative Agent shall have received (i) a pro forma consolidated balance sheet and related pro forma income statement for the Borrower as of and for the twelve-month period ending on the last day of June 30, 2012, giving effect to the Transactions as if the Transactions had occurred as of such date (in the case of such balance sheet) or as of the beginning of such period (in the case of such income statement), in a form reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, (ii) the financial statements referred to inSection 7.04(a), (iii) the Borrower’s consolidated balance sheet and statements of income, stockholders equity and cash flows as of the end of and for the fiscal quarters and the portion of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2012 and June 30, 2012, and (iv) the Target’s balance sheet and statements of income, members’ equity and cash flows (A) as of and for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2009, December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2011, and (B) as of the end of and for the fiscal quarters and the portion of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2012, and June 30, 2012.

(l) The Administrative Agent shall have received the Initial Reserve Reports, accompanied by a certificate covering the matters described inSection 8.12(c).

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(m) The Administrative Agent shall have received appropriate UCC search certificates reflecting no prior Liens encumbering the Properties of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries from each jurisdiction reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent; other than those prior Liens being assigned or released on or prior to the Effective Date or Liens permitted bySection 9.03.

(n) Except as set forth onSchedule 6.01(n), all Property in which the Administrative Agent shall, at such time, be entitled to have a Lien pursuant to this Agreement or any other Security Instrument shall have been physically delivered to the possession of the Administrative Agent or any bailee accepted by the Administrative Agent to the extent that such possession is necessary for the purpose of perfecting the Administrative Agent’s Lien in such Collateral.

(o) Each document (including any Uniform Commercial Code financing statement) required by this Agreement or under law or reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to be filed, registered or recorded in order to create in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, a perfected Lien on the Collateral described therein, prior and superior in right to any other Person (other than, with respect to priority, Liens permitted on Collateral pursuant toSection 9.03), shall be in proper form for filing, registration or recordation.

(p) The Administrative Agent shall have received appropriate termination statements, mortgage releases and such other documentation as shall be necessary to terminate, release or assign to the Administrative Agent all Liens encumbering the Properties of the Borrower, the Subsidiaries and the Target, other than Liens permitted bySection 9.03, in each case, in proper form for filing, registration or recordation in the appropriate jurisdictions.

(q) The Administrative Agent (i) shall be reasonably satisfied that, after giving effect to the Transactions, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries have no preferred equity or third party Indebtedness for borrowed money, other than the Original Senior Notes Due 2018, Indebtedness under this Agreement, and the Indebtedness described in clause (r) below, and (ii) shall have received appropriate releases or other documentation releasing the Target from any guaranties issued or other Indebtedness incurred prior to the date hereof.

(r) The Borrower shall have (i) received aggregate net proceeds from the issuance of the Additional Senior Notes Due 2018 and/or the issuance of preferred or common equity of the Borrower of at least $200,000,000, and (ii) delivered to the Administrative Agent copies of the duly executed Senior Note Documents relating to the Additional Senior Notes Due 2018, and/or documents related to the issuance of such preferred or common equity, which documents shall be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

(s) The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower delivered on behalf of the Borrower certifying: (i) that the Borrower is concurrently (A) consummating the Acquisition in accordance with applicable law, the terms of the Acquisition Documents (with all of the conditions precedent thereto having been satisfied or waived in all respects by the parties thereto) and the requirements of the Second Amended and Restated Commitment Letter, dated as of October 1, 2012, among the Borrower,

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the Arranger and the other parties thereto, (B) acquiring all of the Equity Interest in the Target as contemplated by the Acquisition Documents, and (C) consummating the Merger in accordance with applicable law, and (ii) that attached thereto are correct and complete executed copies of (A) the Acquisition Documents, (B) all documentation executed in connection with the Merger and (C) the Certificate of Merger filed with the Texas Secretary of State and any related documents or certificates filed with the Delaware Secretary of State.

(t) The Administrative Agent shall be satisfied that no event, occurrence or development has occurred that is, individually or in the aggregate, materially adverse to the business, operations, assets, or financial condition of the Target, taken as a whole, but excluding any circumstance, change, or effect resulting or arising from: (i) any general change in conditions in the industries or markets in which the Target operates, (ii) seasonal reductions in revenues and/or earnings of the Target in the ordinary course of its business, (iii) any adverse change, event, or effect on the global, national, or regional energy industry as a whole, including those impacting energy prices or the value of oil and gas assets and properties or other commodities, goods, or services, or the availability or costs of hedges, (iv) changes in the prices of oil, gas, or other hydrocarbon products, (v) national or international political conditions, including any engagement in hostilities, whether or not pursuant to the declaration of a national emergency or war, or the occurrence of any military or terrorist attack, (vi) changes in law, GAAP, or the interpretation thereof, (vii) the entry into or announcement of the Acquisition Agreement, actions contemplated by the Acquisition Agreement, or the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby, (viii) any failure to meet internal or third party projections or forecasts or revenue or earnings or reserve predictions, (ix) changes or developments in financial or securities markets or the economy in general, or (x) effects of weather, meteorological events, natural disasters, or other acts of God.

(u) Immediately after giving effect to the Transactions, the Borrower shall have liquidity (cash plus unused Borrowing Base as of the Effective Date) of at least $125,000,000 and a positive working capital balance (inclusive of the unused Borrowing Base).

(v) The Borrower and its Subsidiaries shall have in place the Hedging Agreements of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries that were in place on their Oil and Gas Properties (other than the Oil and Gas Properties of the Target) on September 14, 2012, other than any such Hedging Agreements that shall have expired in accordance with their terms since such date.

(w) The Borrower shall have paid any outstanding fees owed to an Issuing Bank under the Existing Credit Agreement with respect to the Existing Letters of Credit.

(x) The Administrative Agent shall have received, at least five (5) days prior to the Effective Date, all documentation and other information about the Borrower and the other Loan Parties that the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Issuing Bank has reasonably determined as being required under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the USA Patriot Act.

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The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the Effective Date, and such notice shall be conclusive and binding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of the Issuing Banks to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become effective unless each of the foregoing conditions is satisfied (or waived pursuant toSection 12.02) at or prior to 2:00 p.m., New York City time, on December 31, 2012 (and, in the event such conditions are not so satisfied or waived, this Agreement shall be null and void and the Existing Credit Agreement shall continue in full force and effect).

Section 6.02Each Credit Event. The obligation of each Lender to make a Loan on the occasion of any Borrowing (including the initial funding), and of each Issuing Bank to issue, amend, renew or extend any Letter of Credit, is subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions, at the time of and immediately after giving effect to such Borrowing or the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable:

(a) with respect to any Borrowing or issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of a Letter of Credit after the Effective Date, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing;

(b) with respect to any Borrowing or issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of a Letter of Credit (i) on the Effective Date, the Specified Representations and the Specified Acquisition Agreement Representations shall be true and correct, except to the extent any such representations and warranties are expressly limited to an earlier date, in which case, such representations and warranties shall continue to be true and correct as of such specified earlier date, and (ii) after the Effective Date, the representations and warranties of the Loan Parties set forth in this Agreement and in the other Loan Documents shall be true and correct in all material respects (except that any such representations and warranties that are qualified by materiality shall be true and correct in all respects), except to the extent any such representations and warranties are expressly limited to an earlier date, in which case, such representations and warranties shall continue to be true and correct in all material respects (except that any such representations and warranties that are qualified by materiality shall be true and correct in all respects) as of such specified earlier date; and

(c) the receipt by the Administrative Agent of a Borrowing Request in accordance withSection 2.03 or a request for a Letter of Credit and related Letter of Credit Agreement in accordance withSection 2.08(b), as applicable.

Each request for a Borrowing and each request for the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit shall be deemed to constitute a representation and warranty by the Borrower on the date thereof as to the matters specified inSection 6.02(a) through(c).

ARTICLE VII

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

The Borrower represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders that:

Section 7.01Organization; Powers. Each Loan Party is a legal entity duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, has all requisite power and authority, and has all material governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals necessary, to own its assets and to carry on its business as now conducted, and is qualified to do business in, and is in good standing in, every jurisdiction where such qualification is required, except where failure to have such power, authority, licenses, authorizations, consents, approvals and qualifications, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

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Section 7.02Authority; Enforceability. The Transactions are within each Loan Party’s corporate, limited liability company or limited partnership powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate, limited liability company and limited partnership and, if required, stockholder, member or partner action (including, without limitation, any action required to be taken by any class of directors of the Borrower or any other Person, whether interested or disinterested, in order to ensure the due authorization of the Transactions). Each Loan Document and Acquisition Document to which a Loan Party is a party has been duly executed and delivered by such Loan Party and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of such Loan Party, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and subject to general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.

Section 7.03Approvals; No Conflicts. The Transactions (a) do not require any consent or approval of, registration or filing with, or any other action by, any Governmental Authority or any other third Person (including shareholders or any class of directors, whether interested or disinterested, of the Borrower or any other Person), nor is any such consent, approval, registration, filing or other action necessary for the validity or enforceability of any Loan Document or the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby, except such as have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect other than (i) the recording and filing of the Security Instruments as required by this Agreement and (ii) those third party approvals or consents which, if not made or obtained, would not cause a Default hereunder, could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or do not have an adverse effect on the enforceability of the Loan Documents, (b) will not violate any applicable law or regulation or any Organization Document of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary of the Borrower or any order of any Governmental Authority, (c) will not violate or result in a default under any indenture, agreement or other instrument binding upon any Loan Party or any Subsidiary of the Borrower or any Property thereof, or give rise to a right thereunder to require any payment to be made by such Loan Party or such Subsidiary and (d) will not result in the creation or imposition of any Lien on any Collateral or any other Property of the Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof (other than the Liens created by the Loan Documents).

Section 7.04Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change.

(a) The Borrower has heretofore furnished to the Lenders its consolidated balance sheet and statements of income, stockholders equity and cash flows (A) as of and for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2009, reported on by KPMG LLP, independent public accountants, and December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2011, reported on by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent public accountants, and (B) as of the end of and for the fiscal quarter and the portion of the fiscal year ended June 30, 2012, certified by its chief financial officer. The financial statements described above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position and results of operations and cash flows of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries as of such dates and for such periods in accordance with GAAP, subject to year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes in the case of the unaudited quarterly financial statements.

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(b) Since December 31, 2011, (i) there has been no event, development or circumstance that, individually or in the aggregate, has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and (ii) the business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries has been conducted only in the ordinary course consistent with past business practices (other than with respect to the Transactions).

(c) Neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary has on the date hereof any material Indebtedness (including Disqualified Capital Stock) or any contingent liabilities, off-balance sheet liabilities or partnerships, liabilities for taxes, unusual forward or long-term commitments or unrealized or anticipated losses from any unfavorable commitments, except (i) as referred to or reflected or provided for in the Financial Statements, (ii) Indebtedness owing with respect to the Senior Notes, (ii) Secured Obligations, and (iii) contingent payment obligations owing under the Acquisition Documents.

Section 7.05Litigation.

(a) Except as set forth onSchedule 7.05, there are no (i) actions, suits, investigations or proceedings by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority pending against or, to the knowledge of any Loan Party, threatened against or affecting any Loan Party, any Subsidiary or their respective Properties as to which there is a reasonable possibility of an adverse determination that, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) material actions, suits, investigations or proceedings by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority pending against or, to the knowledge of any Loan Party, threatened against or affecting any Loan Party or any Subsidiary that involve any Acquisition Document or the Acquisition, or (iii) actions, suits, investigations or proceedings by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority pending against or, to the knowledge of any Loan Party, threatened against or affecting any Loan Party or any Subsidiary that involve any Loan Document or the Transactions (other than the Acquisition and the Acquisition Documents).

(b) Since the date of this Agreement, there has been no change in the status of the matters disclosed onSchedule 7.05 that, individually or in the aggregate, has resulted in, or materially increased the likelihood of, a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 7.06Environmental Matters. Except for such matters as set forth onSchedule 7.06 or that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect:

(a) the Properties are in compliance with all applicable Environmental Laws, the Borrower and the Subsidiaries have operated the Properties in compliance with all applicable Environmental Laws, and to the knowledge of the Borrower, the Properties were operated in compliance with applicable Environmental Laws prior to the acquisition by the Borrower;

(b) the Borrower and the Subsidiaries have obtained all Environmental Permits required for their respective operations and each of their Properties, with all such Environmental Permits being currently in full force and effect, and none of Borrower or the Subsidiaries has received any written notice or otherwise has knowledge that any such existing Environmental Permit will be revoked or that any application for any new Environmental Permit or renewal of any existing Environmental Permit will be protested or denied;

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(c) there are no claims, written demands, suits, orders, investigations, requests for information by a Governmental Authority or proceedings concerning any violation of, or any liability (including as a potentially responsible party) under, any applicable Environmental Law that is pending or, to the Borrower’s knowledge, threatened against the Borrower or any Subsidiary arising from the ownership or operation of their respective Properties, and to the Borrower’s knowledge, there are no conditions or circumstances that are reasonably expected to result in the receipt of such claims, written demands, suits, orders, investigations, requests for information or proceedings;

(d) to the Borrower’s knowledge, none of the Properties of the Borrower or any Subsidiary contain any: (i) regulated underground storage tanks; (ii) friable asbestos-containing materials; (iii) landfills or dumps; (iv) hazardous waste management units as defined pursuant to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 or any comparable state law; or (v) sites on or, to Borrower’s knowledge, nominated for the National Priority List promulgated pursuant to CERCLA or any state remedial priority list promulgated or published pursuant to any comparable state law;

(e) since the Borrower’s acquisition of any Property, or to the Borrower’s knowledge prior to such acquisition, there has been no Release or threatened Release at any of the Borrower’s or any Subsidiary’s Properties that would reasonably be expected to result in liability to, or require Remedial Work by, the Borrower or any Subsidiary at their respective Properties pursuant to applicable Environmental Law; and there is no on-going Remedial Work at any of the Borrower’s or any Subsidiary’s Properties;

(f) neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary has received any written notice asserting the alleged liability or obligation of such Borrower or other Loan Party under any applicable Environmental Laws with respect to the presence of Hazardous Materials at, under or Released or threatened to be Released from any real properties offsite the Borrower’s or any Subsidiary’s Properties;

(g) to the Borrower’s knowledge, there has been no exposure of any Person or property to any Hazardous Materials as a result of the operations of any of the Borrower’s or the Subsidiaries’ Properties that would reasonably be expected to result in damages or compensation against the Borrower or any Subsidiary; and

(h) the Borrower and the Subsidiaries have provided to the Lenders complete and correct copies of all environmental site assessment reports, investigations, studies, and analyses addressing potentially material environmental matters (including matters relating to any alleged non-compliance with or liability under Environmental Laws) that are in any of the Borrower’s or the Subsidiaries’ possession or control and relating to their respective Properties or operations thereon.

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Section 7.07Compliance with the Laws and Agreements; No Defaults.

(a) Each of the Borrower and each Subsidiary is in compliance with all Governmental Requirements applicable to it or its Property and all agreements and other instruments binding upon it or its Property, and possesses all licenses, permits, franchises, exemptions, approvals and other governmental authorizations necessary for the ownership of its Property and the conduct of its business, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(b) Neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary is in default nor has any event or circumstance occurred which, but for the expiration of any applicable grace period or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute a default or would require the Borrower or a Subsidiary to Redeem or make any offer to Redeem (except as permitted bySection 9.04(b)(i)) under any indenture, note, credit agreement or instrument pursuant to which any Material Indebtedness is outstanding or by which the Borrower or any Subsidiary or any of their Properties is bound.

(c) No Default has occurred and is continuing.

Section 7.08Investment Company Act. Neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary is an “investment company” or a company “controlled” by an “investment company,” within the meaning of, or subject to regulation under, the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

Section 7.09Taxes. The Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries has timely filed or caused to be filed all Tax returns and reports required to have been filed by it and has paid or caused to be paid all Taxes required to have been paid by it, except (a) Taxes that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which the Borrower or such Subsidiary, as applicable, has established on its books adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP or (b) to the extent that the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The reserves on the books of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in respect of Taxes and other governmental charges have been established in accordance with GAAP. No Tax Lien (other than an Excepted Lien) has been filed and, to the knowledge of the Borrower, no claim is being asserted in writing with respect to any such Tax.

Section 7.10ERISA.

(a) The Borrower, the Subsidiaries and each ERISA Affiliate have complied in all material respects with ERISA and, where applicable, the Code regarding each Plan.

(b) Each Plan is, and has been, established and maintained in substantial compliance with its terms, ERISA and, where applicable, the Code.

(c) No act, omission or transaction has occurred in respect of a Plan which could result in imposition on the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate (whether directly or indirectly) of (i) either a material civil penalty assessed pursuant to subsections (c), (i), (l) or (m) of Section 502 of ERISA or a material tax imposed pursuant to Chapter 43 of Subtitle D of the Code or (ii) material breach of fiduciary duty liability damages under Section 409 of ERISA.

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(d) Full payment when due has been made of all material amounts which the Borrower, the Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate is required under the terms of each Plan or applicable law to have paid as contributions to such Plan as of the date hereof.

(e) Neither the Borrower, the Subsidiaries nor any ERISA Affiliate sponsors, maintains, or contributes to an employee welfare benefit plan, as defined in Section 3(1) of ERISA, including, without limitation, any such plan maintained to provide benefits to former employees of such entities, that may not be terminated by the Borrower, a Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate in its sole discretion at any time without any material liability.

(f) Neither the Borrower, the Subsidiaries nor any ERISA Affiliate sponsors, maintains or contributes to, or has at any time in the six-year period preceding the date hereof sponsored, maintained or contributed to, any employee pension benefit plan, as defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA, that is subject to Title IV of ERISA, Section 302 of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code.

Section 7.11Disclosure; No Material Misstatements. The Borrower and each Subsidiary has disclosed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders all agreements, instruments and corporate or other restrictions to which it is subject, and all other matters known to it with respect to the Borrower and the Subsidiaries, that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. None of the reports, financial statements, certificates or other information furnished in writing by or on behalf of the Borrower or any Subsidiary to the Administrative Agent or any Lender or any of their Affiliates in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or delivered hereunder or under any other Loan Document (as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished), taken as a whole, contains any material misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not materially misleading;provided that (a) to the extent any such report, financial statement, certificate or other information was based upon or constitutes a forecast or projection, the Borrower represents only that it acted in good faith and utilized reasonable assumptions and due care in the preparation of such forecast or projection (it being recognized by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, however, that projections as to future events are not to be viewed as facts, that results during the period(s) covered by such projections may differ from the projected results, that such differences may be material and that the Borrower makes no representation that such projections will be realized) and (ii) as to statements, information and reports supplied by third parties after the Effective Date, the Borrower represents only that it is not aware of any material misstatement or omission therein.

Section 7.12Insurance. The Borrower has, and has caused all of its Subsidiaries to have, (a) all insurance policies sufficient for the compliance by each of them with all material Governmental Requirements and all material agreements and (b) insurance coverage in at least amounts and against such risk (including, without limitation, public liability) that are usually insured against by companies similarly situated and engaged in the same or a similar business for the assets and operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders have been named as additional insureds in respect of such liability insurance policies and the Administrative Agent has been named as loss payee with respect to Property loss insurance.

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Section 7.13Restriction on Liens. Neither the Borrower nor any other Loan Party is a party to any material agreement or arrangement (other than such agreements or arrangements permitted bySection 9.16), or subject to any order, judgment, writ or decree, which either restricts or purports to restrict its ability to grant Liens to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders on or in respect of their Properties to secure the Secured Obligations and the Loan Documents.

Section 7.14Subsidiaries; Foreign Operations. Except as set forth onSchedule 7.14 or as disclosed in writing to the Administrative Agent (which shall promptly furnish a copy to the Lenders) after the Effective Date, which shall be a supplement toSchedule 7.14, the Borrower has no Subsidiaries. The Borrower has no Immaterial Subsidiaries or Foreign Subsidiaries other than the Subsidiaries designated as such onSchedule 7.14 (as in effect on the Effective Date).

Section 7.15Location of Business and Offices. The Borrower’s jurisdiction of organization is Delaware; the name of the Borrower as listed in the public records of its jurisdiction of organization is EPL Oil & Gas, Inc.; and the organizational identification number of the Borrower in its jurisdiction of organization is 2863545 (or, in each case, as set forth in a notice delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant toSection 8.01(m) in accordance withSection 12.01). The Borrower’s principal place of business and chief executive office are located at the address specified inSection 12.01 (or as set forth in a notice delivered pursuant toSection 8.01(m) andSection 12.01(c)). Each Subsidiary’s (other than Immaterial Subsidiaries) jurisdiction of organization, name as listed in the public records of its jurisdiction of organization, organizational identification number in its jurisdiction of organization, and the location of its principal place of business and chief executive office is stated onSchedule 7.14 (or as set forth in a notice delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant toSection 8.01(m) in accordance withSection 12.01).

Section 7.16Properties; Titles, Etc.

(a) Each of the Borrower and the other Loan Parties has good and defensible title to, or valid leasehold interests in, the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the most recently delivered Reserve Report(s) (except for those Properties that have been disposed of since the date of such Reserve Report(s) in accordance with this Agreement or leases which have expired in accordance with their terms) and good title to, or valid leasehold interests in, licenses of, or rights to use, all its material personal Properties, in each case, free and clear of all Liens except Liens permitted bySection 9.03. After giving full effect to the Excepted Liens, the Borrower or the Loan Party specified as the owner owns the net interests in production attributable to the Hydrocarbon Interests as reflected in the most recently delivered Reserve Report(s) (except for those Properties that have been disposed of since the date of such Reserve Report(s) in accordance with this Agreement or leases which have expired in accordance with their terms), and the ownership of such Oil and Gas Properties shall not in the aggregate in any material respect obligate the Borrower or such Loan Property to bear the costs and expenses relating to the maintenance, development and operations of any such Oil and Gas Property in an amount in excess of the working interest of such Oil and Gas Property set forth in the most recently delivered Reserve Report(s) that is not offset by a corresponding proportionate increase in the Borrower’s or such Loan Party’s net revenue interest in such Oil and Gas Property.

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(b) All leases and agreements necessary to conduct the business of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries are valid and subsisting, in full force and effect, and there exists no default by the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or to the knowledge of the Borrower, no default by any other party thereto or any event or circumstance which with the giving of notice or the passage of time or both would give rise to a default under any such lease or leases, which, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(c) The rights and Properties presently owned, leased or licensed by the Borrower and the Subsidiaries including, without limitation, all easements and rights of way, include all rights and Properties necessary to permit the Borrower and the Subsidiaries to conduct their businesses in all material respects in the manner as their respective businesses have been conducted prior to the date hereof.

(d) The Borrower and each Subsidiary owns, or is licensed to use, all trademarks, tradenames, copyrights, patents and other intellectual Property material to its business, and the use thereof by the Borrower and such Subsidiary does not infringe upon the rights of any other Person, except for any such infringements that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Borrower and its Subsidiaries either own or have valid licenses or other rights to use all databases, geological data, geophysical data, engineering data, seismic data, maps, interpretations and other technical information used in their businesses as presently conducted, subject to the limitations contained in the agreements governing the use of the same, which limitations are customary for companies engaged in the business of the exploration and production of Hydrocarbons, with such exceptions as, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 7.17Maintenance of Oil and Gas Properties. Except for such acts or failures to act as, individually or in the aggregate, could not be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Oil and Gas Properties of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (and Oil and Gas Properties unitized therewith) have been maintained, operated and developed in a good and workmanlike manner and in conformity with all Governmental Requirements and in conformity with the provisions of all leases, subleases or other contracts comprising a part of the Hydrocarbon Interests and other contracts and agreements forming a part of such Oil and Gas Properties. Specifically in connection with the foregoing, except for those as, individually or in the aggregate, could not be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) no Oil and Gas Property of the Borrower or any Subsidiary is subject to having allowable production reduced below the full and regular allowable (including the maximum permissible tolerance) because of any overproduction (whether or not the same was permissible at the time) and (ii) none of the wells comprising a part of the Oil and Gas Properties of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (or Oil and Gas Properties unitized therewith) is deviated from the vertical more than the maximum permitted by Governmental Requirements, and such wells are, in fact, bottomed under and are producing from, and the well bores are wholly within, such Oil and Gas Properties (or in the case of wells located on Oil and Gas Properties unitized therewith, such unitized Oil and Gas Properties). All pipelines, wells, gas processing plants, platforms and other material improvements, fixtures and equipment owned in whole or in part by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries that are necessary to conduct normal operations are being maintained in a state adequate to conduct normal operations, and with respect to such of the foregoing which are

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operated by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, in a manner consistent with the Borrower’s or its Subsidiaries’ past practices (other than those the failure of which to maintain in accordance with thisSection 7.17, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect).

Section 7.18Gas Imbalances, Prepayments. Except as set forth onSchedule 7.18 or on the most recent certificate delivered pursuant toSection 8.12(c), on a net basis there are no gas imbalances, take or pay or other prepayments which would require the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to deliver Hydrocarbons produced from the Oil and Gas Properties at some future time without then or thereafter receiving full payment therefor exceeding one-fourth (1/4) bcf of gas (on an mcf equivalent basis) in the aggregate.

Section 7.19Marketing of Production. Except for contracts listed onSchedule 7.19, and thereafter either disclosed in writing to the Administrative Agent or included in the most recently delivered Reserve Report(s) (with respect to all of which contracts the Borrower represents that it or its Subsidiaries are receiving a price for all production sold thereunder which is computed substantially in accordance with the terms of the relevant contract and are not having deliveries curtailed substantially below the subject Property’s delivery capacity), no material agreements exist which are not cancelable on one hundred twenty (120) days’ notice or less without penalty or detriment for the sale of production from the Borrower’s or its Subsidiaries’ Hydrocarbons (including, without limitation, calls on or other rights to purchase, production, whether or not the same are currently being exercised) that (a) pertain to the sale of production at a fixed price and (b) have a maturity or expiry date of longer than six (6) months.

Section 7.20Security Instruments.

(a)Guaranty and Collateral Agreement. The provisions of the Guaranty and Collateral Agreement are effective to create, in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties, a legal, valid and enforceable Lien on, and security interest in, all of the Collateral covered thereby, and (i) when financing statements and other filings in appropriate form are filed in the offices specified in the Guaranty and Collateral Agreement and (ii) upon the taking of possession or control by the Administrative Agent of the Collateral with respect to which a security interest may be perfected only by possession or control (which possession or control shall be given to the Administrative Agent to the extent possession or control by the Administrative Agent is required by the Guaranty and Collateral Agreement), the Liens created by the Guaranty and Collateral Agreement shall constitute fully perfected Liens on, and security interests in, all right, title and interest of the Loan Parties in the Collateral covered thereby (other than such Collateral in which a security interest cannot be perfected under the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect at the relevant time in the relevant jurisdiction), in each case free of all Liens other than Liens permitted on Collateral pursuant toSection 9.03, and prior and superior to all other Liens other than Liens permitted on Collateral bySection 9.03.

(b)Mortgages. Each Mortgage is effective to create, in favor of the Administrative Agent (or such other trustee as may be required or desired under local law) for the benefit of the Secured Parties, legal, valid and enforceable Liens on, and security interests in, all of the Mortgaged Property thereunder, subject only to Excepted Liens, and when the Mortgages are filed in the offices specified onSchedule 7.20 (or, in the case of any Mortgage

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executed and delivered after the date thereof in accordance with the provisions ofSection 8.11 andSection 8.14, when such Mortgage is filed in the appropriate offices), the Mortgages shall constitute fully perfected Liens on, and security interests in, all right, title and interest of the Borrower and Subsidiaries in the Mortgaged Property, in each case prior and superior in right to any other person, other than Excepted Liens.

(c)Valid Liens. Each Security Instrument delivered pursuant to SectionsSection 8.11 andSection 8.14 (other than the Guaranty and Collateral Agreement or any Mortgage), upon execution and delivery thereof, are effective to create in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, legal, valid and enforceable Liens on, and security interests in, all of the Collateral thereunder, and when all appropriate filings or recordings are made in the appropriate offices as may be required under applicable Governmental Requirements, such Security Instruments will constitute fully perfected first priority Liens on, and security interests in, all right, title and interest of the Loan Parties in such Collateral, in each case with no other Liens except for applicable Liens permitted on Collateral pursuant toSection 9.03.

Section 7.21Hedging Agreements.Schedule 7.21, as of the date hereof, and after the date hereof, each report required to be delivered by the Borrower pursuant toSection 8.01(e), sets forth, a true and complete list of all Hedging Agreements of the Borrower and each Subsidiary, the material terms thereof (including the type, term, agreement date, settlement date, and notional amounts or volumes), all credit support relating thereto (including any margin required or supplied) and the counterparty to each such agreement, in each case, as of the date hereof or the date of such report, as applicable.

Section 7.22Use of Loans and Letters of Credit. The proceeds of the Loans and the Letters of Credit shall be used (a) to refinance the Indebtedness of the Borrower under the Existing Credit Agreement, (b) for the Acquisition, (c) for the acquisition and development by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries of other exploration and production properties, and for general corporate purposes of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries. The Borrower and its Subsidiaries are not engaged principally, or as one of its or their important activities, in the business of extending credit for the purpose, whether immediate, incidental or ultimate, of buying or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation T, U or X of the Board). No part of the proceeds of any Loan or Letter of Credit will be used for any purpose which violates the provisions of Regulations T, U or X of the Board.

Section 7.23Solvency. Each Loan Party is Solvent. As of the date hereof, no Loan Party is planning to take any action described inSection 10.01(h) orSection 10.01(i).

Section 7.24Acquisition. The copies of the Acquisition Documents previously delivered by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent are correct and complete and have not been amended or modified in any manner, other than pursuant to amendments or modifications that individually or in the aggregate are not materially adverse to the Lenders.

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Section 7.25Foreign Corrupt Practices. Neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor any director, officer, agent, employee or Affiliate of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a material violation by such Persons of the FCPA, including without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA; and, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, and to the knowledge of the Borrower, its Affiliates (other than the Subsidiaries), have conducted their business in material compliance with the FCPA and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.

Section 7.26Anti-Terrorism Laws.

(a) The Borrower is not, and to the knowledge of the Borrower, none of the Borrower’s Affiliates, officers or directors is in violation of any Governmental Requirement relating to terrorism or money laundering (“Anti-Terrorism Laws”), including Executive Order No. 13224 on Terrorist Financing, effective September 24, 2001 (the “Executive Order”), the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001, Public Law 107-56, and the Trading with the Enemy Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 1 et seq., in each case, as amended from time to time.

(b) The Borrower is not, and to the knowledge of the Borrower, no Affiliate, officer, director, broker or other agent of the Borrower acting or benefiting in any capacity in connection with the Loans is any of the following:

(i) a Person that is listed in the annex to, or is otherwise subject to the provisions of, the Executive Order;

(ii) a Person owned or controlled by, or acting for or on behalf of, any Person that is listed in the annex to, or is otherwise subject to the provisions of, the Executive Order;

(iii) a Person with which any Lender is prohibited from dealing or otherwise engaging in any transaction by any Anti-Terrorism Law;

(iv) a Person that commits, threatens or conspires to commit or supports “terrorism” as defined in the Executive Order; or

(v) a Person that is named as a “specially designated national and blocked Person” on the most current list published by the U.S. Treasury Department Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) at its official website or any replacement website or other replacement official publication of such list.

(c) No Loan Party and, to the knowledge of the Borrower, no broker or other agent of any Loan Party acting in any capacity in connection with the Loans (i) conducts any business or engages in making or receiving any contribution of funds, goods or services to or for the benefit of any Person described in paragraph (b) above, (ii) deals in, or otherwise engages in any transaction relating to, any Property or interests in Property blocked pursuant to the Executive Order, or (iii) engages in or conspires to engage in any transaction that evades or avoids, or has the purpose of evading or avoiding, or attempts to violate, any of the prohibitions set forth in any Anti-Terrorism Law.

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ARTICLE VIII

AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

Until the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts have expired or been terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder and all other amounts payable under the Loan Documents shall have been paid in full (other than contingent indemnification obligations for which no claim has been made) and all Letters of Credit (other than those that have been fully cash collateralized or with respect to which a backstop letter of credit has been provided to the applicable Issuing Bank, in each case, on customary terms reasonably acceptable to each applicable Issuing Bank) shall have expired or terminated and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders, the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Banks that:

Section 8.01Financial Statements; Other Information. The Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender:

(a)Annual Financial Statements. Within ninety (90) days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower, its audited consolidated balance sheet and related statements of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all reported on by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP or other independent public accountants of recognized national standing or another accounting firm selected by the Borrower and reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent (without a “going concern” or like qualification or exception and without any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit) to the effect that such consolidated financial statements present fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, in accordance with GAAP consistently applied.

(b)Quarterly Financial Statements. Within forty-five (45) days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Borrower, its consolidated balance sheet and related statements of operations and cash flows as of the end of and for such fiscal quarter and the then elapsed portion of the fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding period or periods of (or, in the case of the balance sheet, as of the end of) the previous fiscal year, all certified by one of its Financial Officers as presenting fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes.

(c)Certificate of Financial Officer — Compliance. Concurrently with any delivery of financial statements underSection 8.01(a) orSection 8.01(b), a certificate of a Financial Officer in substantially the form ofExhibit D-2 hereto (i) certifying as to whether a Default has occurred and, if a Default has occurred, specifying the details thereof and any action

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taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto, (ii) certifying that the representations and warranties of the Loan Parties set forth in this Agreement and in the other Loan Documents are true and correct in all material respects (except that any such representations and warranties that are qualified by materiality are true and correct in all respects), except to the extent any such representations and warranties are expressly limited to an earlier date, in which case, such representations and warranties continue to be true and correct in all material respects (except that any such representations and warranties that are qualified by materiality are true and correct in all respects) as of such specified earlier date, (iii) setting forth reasonably detailed calculations demonstrating compliance withSection 9.01, (iv) setting forth (A) the aggregate amount of the obligations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries with respect to surety bonds, and (B) the aggregate amount of such obligations that (1) are contingent, (2) are due and payable, and (3) constitute Indebtedness under clause (b) of the definition of Indebtedness, and (v) stating whether any change in GAAP or in the application thereof has occurred since the date of the audited financial statements referred to inSection 7.04 and, if any such change has occurred, specifying the effect of such change on the financial statements accompanying such certificate.

(d) [Reserved]

(e)Certificate of Financial Officer – Hedging Agreements. Concurrently with any delivery of financial statements underSection 8.01(a) orSection 8.01(b), a certificate of a Financial Officer of the Borrower, in substantially the form ofExhibit D-3 hereto, setting forth as of a recent date, a true and complete list of all Hedging Agreements of the Borrower and each Subsidiary and setting forth the type, term, agreement date, settlement date, notional amounts or volumes, all credit support relating thereto (including any margin required or supplied) and the counterparty of each such agreement.

(f)Certificate of Insurer — Insurance Coverage. Concurrently with any delivery of financial statements underSection 8.01(a), a certificate of insurance coverage from each insurer with respect to the insurance required bySection 8.07, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, and, if requested by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, all copies of the applicable policies.

(g)Other Accounting Reports. Promptly upon receipt thereof, a copy of each other report or letter (except standard and customary correspondence) submitted to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries by independent accountants in connection with any annual, interim or special audit made by them of the books of the Borrower or any such Subsidiary, and a copy of any response by, or on behalf of, the Borrower or any such Subsidiary to such letter or report.

(h)SEC and Other Filings; Reports to Shareholders. Promptly after the same become publicly available, copies of all periodic and other reports, proxy statements and other materials filed by the Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof with the SEC, or with any national or foreign securities exchange, or distributed by the Borrower to its shareholders generally, as the case may be.

(i)Notices Under Material Instruments. Promptly after the furnishing thereof, copies of any financial statement, report or notice furnished to or by any Person pursuant to the terms of any preferred stock designation, indenture, loan or credit or other similar agreement evidencing Material Indebtedness and not otherwise required to be furnished to the Lenders pursuant to any other provision of this Agreement.

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(j)Lists of Purchasers. If requested by the Administrative Agent, concurrently with the delivery of any Reserve Report to the Administrative Agent pursuant toSection 8.12, a list of all Persons purchasing Hydrocarbons from the Borrower or any Subsidiary since the date of the last Reserve Report delivered.

(k)Notice of Sales of Oil and Gas Properties and Borrowing Base Hedge Unwind. In the event the Borrower or any Subsidiary intends to (i) sell, transfer, assign or otherwise dispose of any Oil or Gas Properties or any Equity Interests in any Subsidiary in accordance withSection 9.12(h) or (ii) Unwind a Borrowing Base Hedging Contract, the Borrower shall, or shall cause its applicable Subsidiary to, provide five (5) Business Days’ prior written notice of such disposition or Unwind, as applicable, the price thereof, the anticipated date of closing and any other details thereof reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or any Lender.

(l)Notice of Casualty Events. Prompt written notice, and in any event within five (5) Business Days, of the occurrence of any Casualty Event or the commencement of any action or proceeding that could reasonably be expected to result in a Casualty Event.

(m)Information Regarding Loan Parties. Prompt written notice (and in any event at least ten (10) days prior thereto) of any change (i) in any Loan Party’s corporate, limited liability company or limited partnership name, (ii) in the location of any Loan Party’s chief executive office or principal place of business, (iii) in any Loan Party’s jurisdiction in which such Person is incorporated or formed, (iv) in any Loan Party’s organizational identification number in such Person’s jurisdiction of organization, and (v) in any Loan Party’s United States federal taxpayer identification number.

(n)Production Report and Lease Operating Statements. Within forty-five (45) days after the end of each fiscal quarter, a report setting forth for such quarter, the volume of production and sales attributable to production (and the prices at which such sales were made and the revenues derived from such sales) for such quarter from the Oil and Gas Properties described in the most recent Reserve Report, and setting forth the related ad valorem, severance and production taxes and lease operating expenses attributable thereto and incurred for such quarter.

(o)Notices of Certain Changes. Promptly, but in any event within five (5) Business Days after the execution thereof, copies of any material amendment, modification or supplement to the certificate or articles of incorporation, by-laws, any preferred stock designation or any other Organization Document of the Borrower or any other Loan Party.

(p)Notices Relating to Acquisition. Promptly, but in any event within five (5) Business Days, copies of any material notice received or sent by the Borrower or any Subsidiary from or to Hilcorp, the Target or any of their respective Affiliates under any Acquisition Document.

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(q)BOEM. Concurrently with any delivery of financial statements underSection 8.01(a) orSection 8.01(b), copies of the most recent plans (as amended or supplemented) submitted to the BOEM with respect to the plugging and abandonment obligations of the Borrower and any of its Subsidiaries. Promptly after receipt after the date hereof from the BOEM, notice of any increase in the aggregate amount of bonds that the Borrower and its Subsidiaries are required to provide to the BOEM.

(r)Other Requested Information. Promptly following any request therefor, such other information regarding the operations, business affairs and financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (including, without limitation, any Plan and any reports or other information required to be filed with respect thereto under the Code or under ERISA) or compliance with the terms of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may reasonably request.

Information required to be furnished pursuant to clauses (a), (b) or (h) above shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date on which the Borrower provides notice to Administrative Agent that such information has been posted on the Borrower’s website on the Internet at http://www. eplweb.com or the website of the SEC at http://ww.sec.gov;provided that such notice may be included in a certificate delivered pursuant toSection 8.01(c).

Section 8.02Notices of Material Events. The Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender prompt written notice of the following:

(a) after a Responsible Officer obtains knowledge thereof, the occurrence of any Default;

(b) the filing or commencement of, or the threat in writing of, any action, suit, proceeding, investigation or arbitration by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority against or affecting the Borrower, any Subsidiary or, to the knowledge of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower, any other Affiliate of the Borrower, not previously disclosed in writing to the Lenders or any material adverse development in any action, suit, proceeding, investigation or arbitration (whether or not previously disclosed to the Lenders) that, in either case, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and

(c) any other development that results in, or could reasonably be expected to result in, a Material Adverse Effect.

Each notice delivered under thisSection 8.02 shall be accompanied by a statement of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower setting forth the details of the event or development requiring such notice and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto.

Section 8.03Existence; Conduct of Business. The Borrower will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, do or cause to be done all things necessary to (a) preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect (i) its legal existence and (ii) the rights, licenses, permits, privileges and franchises necessary to the conduct of its business and (b) maintain, if necessary, its qualification to do business in each other jurisdiction in which its Oil and Gas Properties is located or the ownership of its Properties requires such qualification, except where the failure to so qualify, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit any merger, consolidation, liquidation or dissolution permitted underSection 9.11.

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Section 8.04Payment of Obligations. The Borrower will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, pay its obligations, including Tax liabilities of the Borrower and all of its Subsidiaries, before the same shall become delinquent or in default, except where (a) the validity or amount thereof is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, (b) the Borrower or such Subsidiary has established on its books adequate reserves with respect thereto in accordance with GAAP or (c) the failure to make payment pending such contest, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect or result in the seizure or sale by a Governmental Authority of any Property of the Borrower or any Subsidiary.

Section 8.05 [Reserved]

Section 8.06Operation and Maintenance of Properties. The Borrower, at its own expense, will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, except where the failure to comply, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect:

(a) operate its Oil and Gas Properties and other Properties or cause such Oil and Gas Properties and other Properties to be operated in a careful and efficient manner in accordance with the practices of the industry and in compliance with all applicable contracts and agreements and in compliance with all Governmental Requirements, including, without limitation, applicable proration requirements and Environmental Laws, and all applicable laws, rules and regulations of every other Governmental Authority from time to time constituted to regulate the development and operation of its Oil and Gas Properties and the production and sale of Hydrocarbons and other minerals therefrom;

(b) keep and maintain all Property used or to be used in the conduct of its business in good working order and condition (ordinary wear and tear excepted) and preserve, maintain and keep in good repair, working order and efficiency (ordinary wear and tear excepted) all of its material Oil and Gas Properties and other material Properties;

(c) promptly pay and discharge, or make reasonable and customary efforts to cause to be paid and discharged, all delay rentals, royalties, expenses and indebtedness accruing under the leases or other agreements affecting or pertaining to its Oil and Gas Properties and will do all other things necessary to keep unimpaired their rights with respect thereto and prevent any forfeiture thereof or default thereunder; and

(d) promptly perform or make reasonable and customary efforts to cause to be performed, in accordance with industry standards, the obligations required by each and all of the assignments, deeds, leases, sub-leases, contracts and agreements affecting its interests in its Oil and Gas Properties and other material Properties.

provided, that, to the extent the Borrower is not the operator of any Oil and Gas Property, the Borrower shall use reasonable efforts to cause the operator to comply with thisSection 8.06.

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Section 8.07Insurance. The Borrower will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, maintain, with financially sound and reputable insurance companies, insurance in such amounts and against such risks as are customarily maintained by companies of similar size engaged in the same or similar businesses operating in the same or similar locations. The Borrower shall cause the loss payable clauses or provisions in said insurance policy or policies insuring any of the Collateral to be endorsed in favor of and made payable to the Administrative Agent as its interests may appear, and such policies shall (a) name the Administrative Agent as an “additional insured” or “loss payee,” as applicable, and (b) provide (unless not available on commercial terms) that the insurer will endeavor to give at least thirty (30) days’ prior notice of any cancellation to the Administrative Agent.

Section 8.08Books and Records; Inspection Rights. The Borrower will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, keep proper books of record and account in which full, true and correct entries are made of all dealings and transactions in relation to its business and activities. The Borrower will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, permit any representatives designated by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, upon reasonable prior notice, to visit and inspect its Properties, to examine and make extracts from its books and records, and to discuss its affairs, finances and condition with its officers and independent accountants, all at such reasonable times and as often as reasonably requested;provided, that so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Loan Parties shall not be required to reimburse the Administrative Agent for more than one (1) inspection during any fiscal year.

Section 8.09Compliance with Laws. The Borrower will, and will cause its Subsidiaries to, comply with all laws, rules, regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority applicable to it or its Property, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 8.10Environmental Matters.

(a) The Borrower shall at its sole expense: (i) comply, and shall cause its Properties and operations and each Subsidiary and its Properties and operations to comply, with applicable Environmental Laws, the breach of which, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; (ii) not Release or threaten to Release, and shall cause each Subsidiary not to Release or threaten to Release, any Hazardous Material on, under, about or from any of the Borrower’s or its Subsidiaries’ Properties or any other property offsite the Property to the extent caused by the Borrower’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ operations except in compliance with applicable Environmental Laws, the Release or threatened Release of which, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; (iii) timely obtain or file, and shall cause each Subsidiary to timely obtain or file, all Environmental Permits to be obtained or filed in connection with the operation or use of the Borrower’s or its Subsidiaries’ Properties, which failure to obtain or file, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and (iv) promptly commence and diligently prosecute to completion, and shall cause each Subsidiary to promptly commence and diligently prosecute to completion, any assessment, evaluation, investigation, monitoring, containment, cleanup, removal, repair, restoration, remediation or other remedial obligations (collectively, the “Remedial Work”) in the event such Remedial Work is required under applicable Environmental Laws because of or in connection

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with the Release or threatened Release of Hazardous Material on, under, about or from any of the Borrower’s or its Subsidiaries’ Properties, which failure to commence and diligently prosecute to completion, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(b) The Borrower will promptly, but in no event later than five (5) days of the occurrence of a triggering event, notify the Administrative Agent and the Lenders in writing of any action or investigation initiated, commenced or threatened in writing by any Governmental Authority or any demand or lawsuit initiated, commenced or threatened in writing by any landowner or other third party against the Borrower or its Subsidiaries or their Properties of which the Borrower has knowledge in connection with any Environmental Laws if the Borrower could reasonably anticipate that such action will result in liability in excess of $5,000,000, not fully covered by insurance, subject to normal deductibles.

(c) The Borrower will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, provide any environmental assessments, audits and tests obtained by the Borrower or any Subsidiary in connection with any future acquisitions of Oil and Gas Properties or other Properties to the Administrative and the Lenders.

(d) To the extent the Borrower is not the operator of any Oil and Gas Property, the Borrower shall use reasonable efforts to cause the operator to comply with thisSection 8.10.

Section 8.11Further Assurances.

(a) The Borrower at its sole expense will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, promptly execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent all such other documents, agreements and instruments reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to comply with, cure any defects or accomplish the covenants and agreements of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, as the case may be, in the Loan Documents, including the Notes, or to further evidence and more fully describe the Collateral intended as security for the Secured Obligations, or to correct any omissions in this Agreement or the Security Instruments, or to perfect, protect or preserve any Liens created pursuant to this Agreement or any of the Security Instruments or the priority thereof, or to make any recordings, file any notices or obtain any consents, all as may be reasonably necessary or appropriate, in the sole discretion of the Administrative Agent, in connection therewith.

(b) The Borrower hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to file one or more financing or continuation statements, and amendments thereto, relative to all or any part of the Collateral without the signature of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries where permitted by law. A carbon, photographic or other reproduction of the Security Instruments or any financing statement covering such Collateral or any part thereof shall be sufficient as a financing statement where permitted by law.

Section 8.12Reserve Reports.

(a) On or before April 1st and October 1st of each year, commencing April 1, 2013, the Borrower shall furnish to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders a Reserve Report

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evaluating ninety-five percent (95%) of the value of the Oil and Gas Properties of the Borrower and the other Loan Parties as of the immediately preceding January 1st and July 1st. The Reserve Report as of January 1 of each year shall be prepared by one or more Approved Petroleum Engineers, and the July 1 Reserve Report of each year shall be prepared by or under the supervision of the Vice President – Reserves of the Borrower.

(b) In the event of an Interim Redetermination, the Borrower shall furnish to the Administrative Agent a Reserve Report prepared by or under the supervision of the Vice President – Reserves of the Borrower who shall certify such Reserve Report to be true and accurate and to have been prepared in accordance with the procedures used in the immediately preceding January 1 Reserve Report. For any Interim Redetermination requested by the Administrative Agent or the Borrower pursuant toSection 2.07(b), the Borrower shall provide such Reserve Report with an “as of” date as required by the Administrative Agent as soon as possible, but in any event no later than forty-five (45) days following the receipt of such request.

(c) With the delivery of each Reserve Report, the Borrower shall provide to the Administrative Agent a certificate from a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying on behalf of the Borrower that in all material respects: (i) there are no statements or conclusions in the Reserve Report which are based upon or include misleading information or fail to take into account material information regarding the matters reported therein, it being understood that projections concerning volumes attributable to the Oil and Gas Properties of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and production and cost estimates contained in the Reserve Report are necessarily based upon professional opinions, estimates and projections and that the Borrower does not warrant that such opinions, estimates and projections will ultimately prove to have been accurate, (ii) the Borrower or other Loan Parties have good and defensible title to the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in such Reserve Report and such Properties are free of all Liens except for Liens permitted bySection 9.03, (iii) except as set forth on an exhibit to the certificate, on a net basis there are no gas imbalances, take or pay or other prepayments in excess of the volume specified inSection 7.18 with respect to its Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in such Reserve Report which would require the Borrower or any Loan Party to deliver Hydrocarbons either generally or produced from such Oil and Gas Properties at some future time without then or thereafter receiving full payment therefor, (iv) none of their Oil and Gas Properties have been sold since the date of the last Borrowing Base determination except as set forth on an exhibit to the certificate, which certificate shall list all of its Oil and Gas Properties sold and in such detail as reasonably required by the Administrative Agent, and (v) attached thereto is a schedule of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated by such Reserve Report that are Mortgaged Properties and demonstrating the percentage of the Borrowing Base that the value of such Mortgaged Properties represent in compliance withSection 8.14(a).

Section 8.13Title Information.

(a) On or before the delivery to the Administrative Agent of each Reserve Report required bySection 8.12(a), the Borrower will deliver title information in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent covering enough of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated by such Reserve Report that were not included in the immediately preceding Reserve Report, so that the Administrative Agent shall have received together with title information previously delivered to the Administrative Agent, reasonably satisfactory title information on at least 80% of the total value of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated by such Reserve Report.

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(b) If the Borrower has provided title information for additional Properties underSection 8.13(a), the Borrower shall, within sixty (60) days of notice from the Administrative Agent that title defects or exceptions exist with respect to such additional Properties that are not Excepted Liens, either (i) cure any such title defects or exceptions (including defects or exceptions as to priority) which are not permitted bySection 9.03 raised by such information, (ii) substitute acceptable Mortgaged Properties having an equivalent or greater value with no title defects or exceptions except for Excepted Liens or (iii) deliver title information in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent so that the Administrative Agent shall have received, together with title information previously delivered to the Administrative Agent, reasonably satisfactory title information on at least 80% of the value of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated by such Reserve Report.

(c) If the Borrower is unable to cure any title defect that is not an Excepted Lien and that is requested by the Administrative Agent to be cured within the 60-day period or the Borrower does not comply with the requirements to provide reasonably acceptable title information covering 80% of the value of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the most recent Reserve Report, such failure shall not be a Default or Event of Default, but instead the Administrative Agent and/or the Majority Lenders shall have the right to exercise the remedy described in the immediately succeeding sentence in their sole discretion from time to time, and any failure to so exercise such remedy at any time shall not be a waiver as to future exercise of such remedy by the Administrative Agent or the Lenders;provided that if such title defects (excluding Excepted Liens) and/or failure to provide reasonably acceptable title information related to Oil and Gas Properties that in the aggregate represent greater than 25% of the value of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the most recent Reserve Report, such circumstance shall constitute a Default under thisSection 8.13(c). To the extent that the Administrative Agent or the Majority Lenders are not reasonably satisfied with title to any Mortgaged Property after the 60-day period has elapsed, such unacceptable Mortgaged Property shall not count towards the 80% requirement, and the Administrative Agent may send a notice to the Borrower and the Lenders that the then outstanding Borrowing Base shall be reduced by an amount as determined by the Required Lenders to cause the Borrower to be in compliance with the requirement to provide reasonably acceptable title information on 80% of the value of the Oil and Gas Properties. This new Borrowing Base shall become effective immediately after receipt of such notice.

Section 8.14Additional Collateral; Additional Guarantors ; Additional Mortgaged Property.

(a) In connection with each redetermination of the Borrowing Base, the Borrower shall review the Reserve Report and the list of current Mortgaged Properties (as described inSection 8.12(c)(vi)) to ascertain whether the Mortgaged Properties represent at least 80% of the total value of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the most recently completed Reserve Report after giving effect to exploration and production activities, acquisitions, dispositions and production. In the event that the Mortgaged Properties do not represent at least 80% of such total value, then the Borrower shall, and /or shall cause the other Loan Parties to,

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grant, within thirty (30) days of delivery of the certificate required underSection 8.12(c), to the Administrative Agent as security for the Secured Obligations a first-priority Lien interest (provided that Excepted Liens may exist) on additional Oil and Gas Properties not already subject to a Lien of the Security Instruments such that after giving effect thereto, the Mortgaged Properties will represent at least 80% of such total value. All such Liens will be created and perfected by and in accordance with the provisions of deeds of trust, security agreements and financing statements or other Security Instruments, all in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and in sufficient executed (and acknowledged where necessary or appropriate) counterparts for recording purposes. In order to comply with the foregoing, if any Domestic Subsidiary places a Lien on its Oil and Gas Properties and such Domestic Subsidiary is not a Guarantor, then it shall become a Guarantor and comply withSection 8.14(b).

(b) The Borrower shall promptly cause each Domestic Subsidiary (excluding any Immaterial Subsidiary) now existing or hereafter created or acquired to guarantee the Secured Obligations pursuant to the Guaranty and Collateral Agreement. In connection with each such guaranty, the Borrower shall, or shall cause, as applicable: (i) such Domestic Subsidiary to assume the obligations under the Guaranty and Collateral Agreement and this Agreement applicable to a Guarantor by executing and delivering a supplement or joinder to the Guaranty and Collateral Agreement and such other Security Instruments (in proper form for filing, registration or recordation, as applicable) as are requested by the Administrative Agent, each in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, and take such actions necessary or advisable to grant to the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties a first priority, perfected Lien (subject, with respect to priority, to Liens permitted on Collateral bySection 9.03) on all of the tangible and intangible Property of such Domestic Subsidiary, other than Excluded Property (as defined in the Guaranty and Collateral Agreement) and Oil and Gas Properties not required to be mortgaged hereunder, (ii) each owner of Equity Interests in such Domestic Subsidiary to pledge such Equity Interests (including, without limitation, to the extent certificated, deliver original certificates evidencing the Equity Interests of such Domestic Subsidiary, together with an appropriate undated transfer powers for each certificate duly executed in blank by the registered owner thereof) and (iii) execute and deliver such other additional closing documents, certificates and legal opinions as shall reasonably be requested by the Administrative Agent. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any Person that is not a Guarantor becomes a guarantor under any Senior Note Document, then the Borrower shall cause such Person to become a Guarantor and comply with all of the requirements of thisSection 8.14(b).

(c) In the event that the Borrower or any Domestic Subsidiary (other than an Immaterial Subsidiary) becomes the direct owner of Equity Interests in a Foreign Subsidiary, whether now existing or hereafter created or acquired, then the Borrower shall, or shall cause such Domestic Subsidiary to (i) pledge 66 2/3% of all the Equity Interests of such Foreign Subsidiary (and deliver a supplement to the Guaranty and Collateral Agreement reflecting such pledged Equity Interests and, to the extent certificated, deliver original stock certificates evidencing such Equity Interests of such Foreign Subsidiary, together with appropriate stock powers for each certificate duly executed in blank by the registered owner thereof) and (ii) execute and deliver such other additional closing documents, certificates and legal opinions as shall reasonably be requested by the Administrative Agent. Notwithstanding anything in any Loan Document to the contrary, no Foreign Subsidiary shall be required to guarantee any obligation of any Loan Party.

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(d) The Borrower will at all times cause the other material tangible and intangible assets of the Borrower and each Domestic Subsidiary (other than Excluded Property (as defined in the Guaranty and Collateral Agreement) and Oil and Gas Properties not required to be mortgaged hereunder) to be subject to a Lien pursuant to the Security Instruments.

Section 8.15ERISA Compliance. The Borrower will promptly furnish and will cause the Subsidiaries and any ERISA Affiliate to promptly furnish to the Administrative Agent (i) if requested by the Administrative Agent, promptly after the filing thereof with the United States Secretary of Labor or the Internal Revenue Service, copies of each annual and other report with respect to each Plan or any trust created thereunder, and (ii) immediately upon becoming aware of the occurrence of any material “prohibited transaction,” as described in Section 406 of ERISA or in Section 4975 of the Code, in connection with any Plan or any trust created thereunder, a written notice signed by the President or the principal Financial Officer, the Subsidiary or the ERISA Affiliate, as the case may be, specifying the nature thereof, what action the Borrower, the Subsidiary or the ERISA Affiliate is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto, and, when known, any action taken or proposed by the Internal Revenue Service or the Department of Labor with respect thereto.

Section 8.16Marketing Activities. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, engage in marketing activities for any Hydrocarbons or enter into any contracts related thereto other than (i) contracts for the sale of Hydrocarbons scheduled or reasonably estimated to be produced from their proved Oil and Gas Properties during the period of such contract, (ii) contracts for the sale of Hydrocarbons scheduled or reasonably estimated to be produced from proved Oil and Gas Properties of third parties during the period of such contract associated with the Oil and Gas Properties of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries that the Borrower or one of its Subsidiaries has the right to market pursuant to joint operating agreements, unitization agreements or other similar contracts that are usual and customary in the oil and gas business and (iii) other contracts for the purchase and/or sale of Hydrocarbons of third parties (A) which have generally offsetting provisions (i.e. corresponding pricing mechanics, delivery dates and points and volumes) such that no “position” is taken and (B) for which appropriate credit support has been taken to alleviate the material credit risks of the counterparty thereto.

Section 8.17Post-Effective Date Matters. The Borrower will execute and deliver the documents and complete the tasks set forth onSchedule 8.17, in each case within the time limits specified on such schedule, as such time limits may be extended by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion.

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ARTICLE IX

NEGATIVE COVENANTS

Until the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts have expired or terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder and all other amounts payable under the Loan Documents have been paid in full (other than contingent indemnification obligations for which no claim has been made) and all Letters of Credit (other than those that have been fully cash collateralized or with respect to which a backstop letter of credit has been provided to the applicable Issuing Bank, in each case, on customary terms reasonably acceptable to each applicable Issuing Bank) have expired or terminated and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders, the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Banks that:

Section 9.01Financial Covenants.

(a)Ratio of Total Indebtedness to EBITDAX. The Borrower will not, as of the last day of any fiscal quarter, permit the ratio of Total Indebtedness as of such day to EBITDAX for the four (4) fiscal quarter period ending on such day to be greater than 3.5 to 1.0.

(b)Current Ratio. The Borrower will not permit, as of the last day of any fiscal quarter, the ratio of (i) consolidated current assets (including the unused amount of the Borrowing Base, but excluding non-cash assets under Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 133, and any statements replacing, modifying or superseding such statement) of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries to (ii) consolidated current liabilities (excluding non-cash obligations under Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 133, and any statements replacing, modifying or superseding such statement, and current maturities under this Agreement) of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries to be less than 1.0 to 1.0.

Section 9.02Indebtedness. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, incur, create, assume or suffer to exist any Indebtedness, except:

(a) the Secured Obligations arising under the Loan Documents or any guaranty of or suretyship arrangement for the Secured Obligations arising under the Loan Documents;

(b) Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries existing on the date hereof that is set forth onSchedule 9.02;

(c) Indebtedness under Capital Leases and Indebtedness that constitutes Purchase Money Indebtedness;providedthat the aggregate amount of all Indebtedness under thisSection 9.02(c) outstanding at any time shall not exceed $10,000,000;

(d) Indebtedness associated with bonds or surety obligations required in connection with the operation of the Oil and Gas Properties;

(e) intercompany Indebtedness between the Borrower and any Subsidiary or between Subsidiaries to the extent permitted bySection 9.05(g);provided that such Indebtedness is not held, assigned, transferred, negotiated or pledged to any Person other than the Borrower or one of its Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries, and,providedfurther, that any such Indebtedness owed by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries shall be subordinated to the Secured Obligations on terms set forth in the Guaranty and Collateral Agreement;

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(f) endorsements of negotiable instruments for collection in the ordinary course of business;

(g) Senior Notes in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $750,000,000 and any guarantees thereof;provided that (i) no Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor shall guarantee such Indebtedness, and (ii) upon the issuance of any Senior Notes after the Effective Date, the Borrowing Base shall be reduced in accordance withSection 2.07(e)(ii);

(h) Indebtedness constituting a guarantee by any Loan Party of any Indebtedness incurred by another Loan Party so long as the incurrence of such Indebtedness by such other Loan Party is otherwise permitted by thisSection 9.02;

(i) Indebtedness arising under Hedging Agreements permitted bySection 9.18; and

(j) other Indebtedness not to exceed $10,000,000 in the aggregate at any one time outstanding.

Section 9.03 Liens. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien on any of its Properties (now owned or hereafter acquired), except:

(a) Liens existing on the date hereof that are set forth onSchedule 9.03;

(b) Liens securing the payment of any Secured Obligations pursuant to the Security Instruments;

(c) Excepted Liens and title defects that do not constitute or result in a Default under the provisions ofSection 8.13(c);

(d) Liens securing Capital Leases and Purchase Money Indebtedness permitted bySection 9.02(c) but only on the Property under such lease or the Property purchased with such Purchase Money Indebtedness, as applicable; and

(e) Liens on Property not constituting Collateral and not otherwise permitted by the foregoing clauses of thisSection 9.03;provided that the aggregate value of the Property subject to such Liens shall not exceed $5,000,000 at any time.

Section 9.04Restricted Payments; Redemption or Repayment of Senior Notes.

(a)Restricted Payments. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, declare or make, or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, return any capital to its stockholders or make any distribution of its Property to its Equity Interest holders, except:

(i) the Borrower may declare and pay distributions with respect to its Equity Interests payable solely in additional shares of its Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Capital Stock);

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(ii) Subsidiaries may declare and pay dividends ratably with respect to their Equity Interests; and

(iii) the Borrower may make Restricted Payments pursuant to and in accordance with stock option plans or other benefit plans for management or employees of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries; and

(iv) the Borrower may make Restricted Payments to the holders of its Equity Interests in an aggregate amount not to exceed $40,000,000 since February 14, 2011, so long as (i) no Default, Event of Default or Borrowing Base Deficiency has occurred and is continuing (A) at the time of the declaration of such Restricted Payment, (B) at the time of the payment or making of such Restricted Payment or (C) after giving pro forma effect to such declaration or such payment or the making of such Restricted Payment and any substantially concurrent incurrence of Indebtedness, (ii) the Borrower is in pro forma compliance with the financial covenants described inSection 9.01 as of the most recently ended four (4) quarter period for which financial statements are required to be delivered underSection 8.01 after giving effect to the declaration and payment or making of such Restricted Payment and any substantially concurrent incurrence of Indebtedness, and (iii) at the time of and immediately after giving effect to each of the declaration and payment or making of such Restricted Payment and any substantially concurrent incurrence of Indebtedness, the unused Borrowing Base shall not be less than $100,000,000.

(b)Redemption or Repayment of Senior Notes. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, prior to the date that is ninety-one (91) days after the Maturity Date:

(i) call, make or offer to make any optional or voluntary Redemption of or otherwise optionally or voluntarily Redeem (whether in whole or in part) any of the Senior Notes, unless (A) such Redemption is required by any Senior Indenture in connection with a sale of assets, and (B) at the time of the Redemption, (1) no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom and (2) no Borrowing Base Deficiency has occurred, is continuing or would result therefrom (unless and until the Borrower has cured such Borrowing Base Deficiency);provided that the Borrower may prepay any of the Senior Notes with the net cash proceeds of any sale of Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Capital Stock) of the Borrower; or

(ii) amend, modify, waive or otherwise change, consent or agree to any amendment, modification, waiver or other change to, any of the terms of any of the Senior Notes or any Senior Indenture if the effect thereof would be to shorten its maturity or average life or increase the amount of any payment of principal thereof or increase the rate or shorten any period for payment of interest thereon;provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit the execution of supplemental indentures to add guarantors if required by the terms of any Senior Indenture provided such Person complies withSection 8.14(b).

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Section 9.05Investments, Loans and Advances; Permitted Acquisitions. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, make or permit to remain outstanding any Investments in or to any Person, except that the foregoing restriction shall not apply to:

(a) Investments which are disclosed to the Lenders inSchedule 9.05;

(b) accounts receivable arising in the ordinary course of business;

(c) direct obligations of the United States or any agency thereof, or obligations guaranteed by the United States or any agency thereof, in each case maturing within one (1) year from the date of creation thereof;

(d) commercial paper maturing within one (1) year from the date of creation thereof rated in the highest grade by S&P or Moody’s;

(e) deposits maturing within one (1) year from the date of creation thereof with, including certificates of deposit issued by, any Lender or any office located in the United States of any other bank or trust company which is organized under the laws of the United States or any state thereof, has capital, surplus and undivided profits aggregating at least $100,000,000 (as of the date of such bank or trust company’s most recent financial reports) and has a short term deposit rating of no lower than A2 or P2, as such rating is set forth from time to time, by S&P or Moody’s, respectively or, in the case of any Foreign Subsidiary, a bank organized in a jurisdiction in which the Foreign Subsidiary conducts operations having assets in excess of $500,000,000 (or its equivalent in another currency);

(f) deposits in money market funds investing exclusively in Investments described inSection 9.05(c),Section 9.05(d) orSection 9.05(e);

(g) Investments (i) made by the Borrower in or to the Guarantors, (ii) made by any Subsidiary in or to the Borrower or any Guarantor, and (iii) made by the Borrower or any Subsidiary in or to any Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor on or prior to the date hereof;

(h) subject to the limits inSection 9.06, Investments (including, without limitation, capital contributions) in general or limited partnerships or other types of entities (each a “venture”) formed or incorporated, as the case may be, under applicable state law, by the Borrower or any Subsidiary, on the one hand, and any other Person, on the other hand, in the ordinary course of business;provided that (i) any such venture is engaged exclusively in oil and gas exploration, development, production, processing and related activities, including transportation, (ii) the interest in such venture is acquired in the ordinary course of business and on fair and reasonable terms and (iii) such venture interests acquired and capital contributions made (valued as of the date such interest was acquired or the contribution made) do not exceed, in the aggregate at any time outstanding an amount equal to $10,000,000;

(i) loans or advances in the ordinary course of business to employees, officers or directors of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, in each case only as permitted by applicable law, including Section 402 of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002, but in any event not to exceed $1,000,000 in the aggregate at any time;

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(j) Investments in stock, obligations or securities received in settlement of debts arising from Investments permitted under thisSection 9.05 and accounts receivable owing to the Borrower or any Subsidiary as a result of a bankruptcy or other insolvency proceeding of the obligor in respect of such debts or upon the enforcement of any Lien in favor of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries;provided that the Borrower shall give the Administrative Agent prompt written notice in the event that the aggregate amount of all investments held at any one time under thisSection 9.05(j) exceeds $2,000,000;

(k) Investments pursuant to Hedging Agreements otherwise permitted under this Agreement;

(l) Permitted Acquisitions not to exceed $25,000,000 in the aggregate in any twelve (12) month period;

(m) the Acquisition;

(n) seller notes and other Investments representing consideration received in connection with sales or other dispositions of Oil and Gas Properties permitted pursuant toSection 9.12(h) not to exceed $20,000,000 outstanding in the aggregate at any time; and

(o) other Investments not to exceed $5,000,000 in the aggregate at any time.

Section 9.06Nature of Business; International Operations. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, allow any material change to be made in the character of its business as an independent oil and gas exploration and production company. From and after the date hereof, the Borrower and its Domestic Subsidiaries will not acquire or make any other expenditure (whether such expenditure is capital, operating or otherwise) in or related to, any Oil and Gas Properties not located within the geographical boundaries of the United States.

Section 9.07Limitation on Leases. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any obligation for the payment of rent or hire of Property of any kind whatsoever (real or personal but excluding Capital Leases and leases of Hydrocarbon Interests), under leases or lease agreements which would cause the aggregate amount of all payments made by the Borrower and the Subsidiaries pursuant to all such leases or lease agreements, including, without limitation, any residual payments at the end of any lease, to exceed $20,000,000 in any period of twelve (12) consecutive calendar months during the life of such leases.

Section 9.08Proceeds of Loans. The Borrower will not permit the proceeds of the Loans to be used for any purpose other than those permitted bySection 7.22. Neither the Borrower nor any Person acting on behalf of the Borrower will take any action which could reasonably be expected to cause any of the Loan Documents to violate Regulations T, U or X or any other regulation of the Board or to violate Section 7 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or any rule or regulation thereunder, in each case as now in effect or as the same may hereinafter be in effect. If requested by the Administrative Agent, the Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender a statement to the foregoing effect in conformity with the requirements of FR Form U-1 or such other form referred to in Regulation U, Regulation T or Regulation X of the Board, as the case may be.

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Section 9.09ERISA Compliance. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, at any time:

(a) engage in, or permit any ERISA Affiliate to engage in, in respect of any Plan, any transaction in connection with which the Borrower, a Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate could be subjected to either a material civil penalty assessed pursuant to subsections (c), (i), (l) or (m) of Section 502 of ERISA or a material tax imposed by Chapter 43 of Subtitle D of the Code.

(b) fail to make, or permit any ERISA Affiliate to fail to make, full payment when due of all material amounts which, under the provisions of any Plan, agreement relating thereto or applicable law, the Borrower, a Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate is required to pay as contributions thereto.

(c) contribute to or assume an obligation to contribute to, or permit any ERISA Affiliate to contribute to or assume an obligation to contribute to (i) any employee welfare benefit plan, as defined in Section 3(1) of ERISA, including, without limitation, any such plan maintained to provide benefits to former employees of such entities, that may not be terminated by such entities in their sole discretion at any time without any material liability, or (ii) any employee pension benefit plan, as defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA, that is subject to Title IV of ERISA, Section 302 of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code.

Section 9.10Sale or Discount of Receivables. Except for receivables obtained by the Borrower or any Subsidiary out of the ordinary course of business or the settlement of joint interest billing accounts in the ordinary course of business or discounts granted to settle collection of accounts receivable or the sale of defaulted accounts arising in the ordinary course of business in connection with the compromise or collection thereof and not in connection with any financing transaction, the Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, discount or sell (with or without recourse) any of its notes receivable or accounts receivable.

Section 9.11Mergers, Etc. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, merge into or with or consolidate with any other Person, or permit any other Person to merge into or consolidate with it, or sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of (whether in one transaction or in a series of transactions) all or substantially all of its Property to any other Person (whether now owned or hereafter acquired) (any such transaction, a “consolidation”) or liquidate or dissolve;provided that:

(a) the Borrower and the Target may consummate the Merger on the Effective Date;

(b) the Borrower or any Subsidiary may participate in a consolidation with another Person if (i) no Default is continuing, (ii) any such consolidation would not cause a Default hereunder, (iii) if the Borrower consolidates with any Person, the Borrower shall be the surviving Person, and (iv) if any Subsidiary (other than an Immaterial Subsidiary) consolidates with any Person (other than the Borrower or another Subsidiary) and such Subsidiary is not the surviving Person, such surviving Person shall expressly assume in writing (in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent) all obligations of such Subsidiary under the Loan Documents;

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(c) any Subsidiary (including a Foreign Subsidiary or an Immaterial Subsidiary) may participate in a consolidation with the Borrower (provided that the Borrower shall be the continuing or surviving Person) or any other Subsidiary that is a Domestic Subsidiary (provided that if one of such parties to the consolidation is a Foreign Subsidiary, such Domestic Subsidiary shall be the continuing or surviving Person, if one of such Subsidiaries is a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary, then the surviving Person shall be a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary, and if one (but not all) of such Subsidiaries are Immaterial Subsidiaries, then the surviving Person shall not be an Immaterial Subsidiary);

(d) any Foreign Subsidiary of the Borrower may participate in a consolidation with any one or more Foreign Subsidiaries;provided that if one of such Foreign Subsidiaries is a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary, the survivor shall be a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary; and

(e) any Immaterial Subsidiary may liquidate or dissolve.

Section 9.12Sale of Properties. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, sell, assign, farm-out, convey or otherwise transfer any Property except for:

(a) the sale of Hydrocarbons and seismic data in the ordinary course of business;

(b) farmouts of undeveloped acreage and assignments in connection with such farmouts;

(c) the sale or transfer of equipment that is no longer necessary for the business of the Borrower or such Subsidiary or is replaced by equipment of at least comparable value and use, and

(d) any disposition to the Borrower or another Loan Party;

(e) dispositions permitted bySection 9.10;

(f) the creation of a Lien permitted bySection 9.03;

(g) Restricted Payments permitted bySection 9.04;

(h) sales or other dispositions (including Casualty Events) of Oil and Gas Properties or any interest therein or of Subsidiaries owning Oil and Gas Properties;provided that the following are satisfied: (i) at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the consideration received in respect of such sale or other disposition shall be cash, or Investments of the type described in Sections9.05(c),(d),(e) or(f) or new Oil and Gas Properties or any combination of the foregoing, (ii) the consideration received in respect of such sale or other disposition shall be equal to or greater than the fair market value of the Oil and Gas Properties, interest therein or Subsidiaries that are the subjects of such sale or other disposition (as reasonably determined by the board of directors of the Borrower and, if requested by the Administrative Agent, the

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Borrower shall deliver a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying to that effect), (iii) if any such sale or other disposition is of Equity Interests in a Subsidiary owning Oil and Gas Properties, such sale or other disposition shall include all the Equity Interests of such Subsidiary, and (iv) to the extent that such sale or other disposition constitutes a Borrowing Base Property Disposition, in connection therewith, (A) the Borrowing Base shall be reduced or redetermined in accordance withSection 2.07(e)(i), unless such reduction is not required pursuant to the first proviso inSection 2.07(e)(i), and (B) the Borrower shall, or shall cause its Subsidiaries to, make all mandatory prepayments required by, and within the time periods set forth in,Section 3.04(c)(iii) (including after giving effect to any Borrowing Base reduction pursuant toSection 2.07(e)(i))

(i) dispositions of Investments permitted bySection 9.05(c) through(f);

(j) the sale, transfer or other disposition of Equity Interests in Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties; and

(k) other dispositions and sales of Properties (other than Oil and Gas Properties) having a fair market value not to exceed $5,000,000 in the aggregate.

Section 9.13Environmental Matters. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to violate any applicable Environmental Laws, or cause or permit a Release or threatened Release from any Property of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in violation of applicable Environmental Law, assuming disclosure to the applicable Governmental Authority of all relevant facts, conditions and circumstances, if any, pertaining to such Property where such violations, Release or threatened Release, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 9.14Transactions with Affiliates. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, enter into any transaction, including, without limitation, any purchase, sale, lease or exchange of Property or the rendering of any service, with any Affiliate (other than the Borrower or a Subsidiary) except (a) such transactions as are otherwise permitted under this Agreement and are upon fair and reasonable terms no less favorable to it than it would obtain in a comparable arm’s length transaction with a Person not an Affiliate, and (b) any Restricted Payment permitted bySection 9.04.

Section 9.15Subsidiaries. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, create or acquire any additional Subsidiary, except that the Borrower or any Subsidiary may create or acquire a Domestic Subsidiary if it complies withSection 8.14(b) andSection 8.14(c). The Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any Subsidiary to, sell, assign or otherwise dispose of any Equity Interests in any Subsidiary except in compliance withSection 9.12. Neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary shall have or form any Foreign Subsidiaries, except those constituting Immaterial Subsidiaries.

Section 9.16Negative Pledge Agreements; Dividend Restrictions. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any contract, agreement or understanding (other than this Agreement or the Security Instruments) which in any way prohibits or restricts the granting, conveying, creation or imposition of any Lien on any

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of its Property in favor of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders or restricts any Subsidiary from paying dividends or making distributions to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary, or which requires the consent of or notice to other Persons in connection therewith, except (a) agreements evidencing the Indebtedness permitted underSection 9.02(c) that restrict the granting, conveying, creation or imposition of any Lien on the Property that is the subject of such Indebtedness, (b) any leases or licenses or similar contracts as they affect any Property or Lien subject to such lease or license or similar contract, (c) customary restrictions and conditions with respect to the sale or disposition of Property or Equity Interests permitted underSection 9.12pending the consummation of such sale or disposition, or (d) only in the case of such restrictions regarding the payment of distributions or dividends by any Subsidiaries, agreements entered into in connection with the incurrence of Indebtedness permitted by and in accordance withSection 9.02(g).

Section 9.17Gas Imbalances, Take-or-Pay or Other Prepayments. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, allow gas imbalances, take-or-pay or other prepayments with respect to the Oil and Gas Properties of the Borrower or any Subsidiary that would require the Borrower or such Subsidiary to deliver Hydrocarbons at some future time without then or thereafter receiving full payment therefor with a value in excess of $2,500,000 in the aggregate.

Section 9.18Hedging Agreements.

(a) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, enter into or permit to exist any Hedging Agreements with any Person other than:

(i) Hedging Agreements in respect of commodities (A) with an Approved Counterparty, (B) the terms of which do not exceed four (4) years, (C) the notional volumes for which (other than for Hedging Agreements providing for floors), when aggregated with all other commodity Hedging Agreements then in effect (other than Hedging Agreements providing for floors) do not exceed on a monthly basis (determined, in the case of contracts that are not settled on a monthly basis, by a monthly proration acceptable to the Administrative Agent), (1) for the months of January through July of each year, eighty-five percent (85%), (2) for the months of August through November of each year, fifty percent (50%), and (3) for the month of December of each year, seventy-five (75%), in each case, of the reasonably anticipated projected production from proved, developed Oil and Gas Properties during such periods, with crude oil and natural gas to be calculated separately in each case, and (D) providing for floors, the notional volumes for which (when aggregated with all other Hedging Agreements in effect that provide for floors) do not exceed on a monthly basis (determined, in the case of contracts that are not settled on a monthly basis, by a monthly proration acceptable to the Administrative Agent) 100% of the reasonably anticipated projected production from Oil and Gas Properties during such periods, with crude oil and natural gas to be calculated separately in each case;

(ii) Hedging Agreements in respect of commodities associated with a pending acquisition of Oil and Gas Properties (each, a “Proposed Acquisition”) upon the signing of the applicable purchase and sale agreement (A) with an Approved

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Counterparty, (B) the terms of which do not exceed four (4) years, (C) the notional volumes for which (other than for such Hedging Agreements providing for floors), when aggregated with all other commodity Hedging Agreements then in effect that were entered into in connection with such Proposed Acquisition (other than such Hedging Agreements providing for floors) do not exceed on a monthly basis (determined, in the case of contracts that are not settled on a monthly basis, by a monthly proration acceptable to the Administrative Agent), (1) for the months of January through July of each year, eighty-five percent (85%), (2) for the months of August through November of each year, fifty percent (50%), and (3) for the month of December of each year, seventy-five (75%), in each case, of the reasonably anticipated projected production during such periods from proved, developed Oil and Gas Properties subject to such Proposed Acquisition, with crude oil and natural gas to be calculated separately in each case, and (D) providing for floors, the notional volumes for which (when aggregated with all other Hedging Agreements in effect that provide for floors that were entered into in connection with such Proposed Acquisition) do not exceed on a monthly basis (determined, in the case of contracts that are not settled on a monthly basis, by a monthly proration acceptable to the Administrative Agent) 100% of the reasonably anticipated projected production during such periods from Oil and Gas Properties subject to such Proposed Acquisition, with crude oil and natural gas to be calculated separately in each case;provided that (x) if and so long as any such Hedge Agreement is in effect pursuant to thisSection 9.18(a)(ii), the Borrowing Base Utilization Percentage shall not exceed 90% at any time prior to the closing of such Proposed Acquisition pursuant to the applicable purchase and sale agreement, (y) upon the earlier to occur of (1) the fifth (5^th) Business Day after the termination of the applicable purchase and sale agreement and (2) the 60th day after the date upon which the applicable purchase and sale agreement was entered into, with such extensions as agreed to by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion, all Hedge Agreements associated with the Oil and Gas Properties to be acquired pursuant thereto will be unwound or otherwise terminated such that Borrower is in compliance with the restrictions set forth inSection 9.18(a)(i) above, and (z) the notional volumes for which (when aggregated with all other commodity Hedge Agreements then in effect pursuant toSection 9.18(a)(i) or in effect under thisSection 9.18(a)(ii) in connection with any other Proposed Acquisitions) do not exceed (1) 145% of the volume limitations imposed underSection 9.18(a)(i) above for a period of two (2) years from the date such Hedging Agreements are executed, with crude oil and natural gas calculated separately (on a monthly basis) in each case, and (2) 125% of the volume limitations imposed underSection 9.18(a)(i) above thereafter, with crude oil and natural gas calculated separately (on a monthly basis) in each case; and

(iii) Hedging Agreements in respect of interest rates with an Approved Counterparty, as follows: (A) Hedging Agreements effectively converting interest rates from fixed to floating, the notional amounts of which (when aggregated with all other Hedging Agreements of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries then in effect effectively converting interest rates from fixed to floating) do not exceed 50% of the then outstanding principal amount of the Borrower’s Indebtedness for borrowed money which bears interest at a fixed rate and (B) Hedging Agreements effectively converting interest rates from floating to fixed, the notional amounts of which (when aggregated with all other Hedging Agreements of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries then in effect effectively converting interest rates from floating to fixed) do not exceed 75% of the then outstanding principal amount of the Borrower’s Indebtedness for borrowed money which bears interest at a floating rate.

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(b) No Hedging Agreement shall be entered into for speculative purposes.

(c) In no event shall any Hedging Agreement contain any requirement, agreement or covenant for the Borrower or any Subsidiary to post collateral or margin to secure their obligations under such Hedging Agreement or to cover market exposures, except that the Secured Hedging Agreements may require that the obligations thereunder be secured pursuant to the Security Instruments.

(d) The Borrower will not Unwind any Borrowing Base Hedging Contracts, unless in connection with therewith, (i) the Borrowing Base shall be reduced or redetermined in accordance withSection 2.07(e)(i), unless such reduction is not required pursuant to the first proviso ofSection 2.07(e)(i), and (ii) the Borrower shall, or shall cause its Subsidiaries to, make all mandatory prepayments required by, and within the time periods set forth in,Section 3.04(c)(iii) (including after giving effect to any Borrowing Base reduction pursuant toSection 2.07(e)(i)).

Section 9.19Sale and Leaseback. The Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any Subsidiary to, enter into any arrangement, directly or indirectly, with any Person whereby it shall sell or transfer any Property, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, and thereafter rent or lease such Property which it intends to use for substantially the same purpose or purposes as the Property being sold or transferred.

Section 9.20Amendments to Organization Documents, Material Contracts, Fiscal Year End.

(a) The Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, amend or otherwise modify (or permit to be amended or modified) any of the Acquisition Documents or Organization Documents in a manner that would be adverse to the Lenders in any material respect (andprovided that the Borrower promptly furnishes to the Administrative Agent a copy of such amendment, modification or supplement),

(b) The Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, change the last day of its fiscal year from December 31 of each year, or the last days of the first three fiscal quarters in each of its fiscal years from March 31, June 30 and September 30 of each year, respectively.

Section 9.21Anti-Terrorism Law; Anti-Money Laundering.

(a) The Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, (i) knowingly conduct any business or engage in making or receiving any contribution of funds, goods or services to or for the benefit of any Person described inSection 7.26, (ii) knowingly deal in, or otherwise engage in any transaction relating to, any Property or interests in Property blocked pursuant to the Executive Order or any other Anti-Terrorism Law, or (iii) knowingly engage in or conspire to engage in any transaction that evades or avoids, or has the purpose of evading or avoiding, or attempts to violate, any of the prohibitions set forth in any Anti-Terrorism Law (and the Borrower shall deliver to any Lender any certification or other evidence requested from time to time by such Lender confirming the Borrower’s and the Subsidiaries’ compliance with thisSection 9.21(a)).

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(b) The Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any Subsidiary to cause or permit any of the funds of the Borrower or any Subsidiary that are used to repay the Loans to be derived from any unlawful activity with the result that the making of the Loans would be in violation of any Governmental Regulation.

Section 9.22Embargoed Person. The Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any Subsidiary to, permit (a) any of the funds or Properties of the Borrower or any Subsidiary that are used to repay the Loans to constitute Property of, or be beneficially owned directly or indirectly by, any Person subject to sanctions or trade restrictions under United States law (“Embargoed Person” or “Embargoed Persons”) that is identified on (i) the “List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons” maintained by OFAC and/or on any other similar list maintained by OFAC pursuant to any authorizing statute including, but not limited to, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, 50 U.S.C. §§ 1701 et seq., The Trading with the Enemy Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 1 et seq., and any Executive Order or Governmental Regulation promulgated thereunder, with the result that the investment in the Borrower or any Subsidiary (whether directly or indirectly) is prohibited by a Governmental Regulation, or the Loans would be in violation of a Governmental Regulation, or (ii) the Executive Order, any related enabling legislation or any other similar Executive Orders or (b) any Embargoed Person to have any direct or indirect interest, of any nature whatsoever in the Borrower or any Subsidiary, with the result that the investment in the Borrower or any Subsidiary (whether directly or indirectly) is prohibited by a Governmental Regulation or the Loans are in violation of a Governmental Regulation.

ARTICLE X

EVENTS OF DEFAULT; REMEDIES

Section 10.01Events of Default. One or more of the following events shall constitute an “Event of Default”:

(a) The Borrower shall fail to pay any principal of any Loan or any reimbursement obligation in respect of any LC Disbursement when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at the due date thereof or at a date fixed for prepayment thereof, by acceleration or otherwise.

(b) The Borrower shall fail to pay any interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount (other than an amount referred to inSection 10.01(a)) payable under any Loan Document, when and as the same shall become due and payable, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of three (3) Business Days.

(c) Any written representation or warranty made or deemed made by or on behalf of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary of the Borrower in or in connection with any Loan Document or any amendment or modification of any Loan Document or waiver under such Loan Document, or in any report, certificate, financial statement or other document furnished pursuant to or in connection with any Loan Document or any amendment or modification thereof or waiver thereunder, shall prove to have been incorrect in any material respect when made or deemed made.

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(d) The Borrower or any Subsidiary shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained inSection 8.01(m),Section 8.02,Section 8.03(a)(i), the proviso in the first sentence ofSection 8.13(c),Section 8.14(a), (c) and (d),Section 8.15,Section 8.17orARTICLE IX.

(e) Any Loan Party or any Subsidiary of the Borrower shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in this Agreement (other than those specified inSection 10.01(a),Section 10.01(b) orSection 10.01(d)) or any other Loan Document, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of thirty (30) days after the earlier to occur of (i) notice thereof from the Administrative Agent to the Borrower (which notice will be given at the request of any Lender) or (ii) a Responsible Officer of the Borrower or such Subsidiary otherwise becoming aware of such default.

(f) (i) Any Loan Party or any Subsidiary of the Borrower shall fail to make any payment (whether of principal or interest and regardless of amount) in respect of any Material Indebtedness, when and as the same shall become due and payable, or (ii) any event or condition occurs that results in any Material Indebtedness becoming due prior to its scheduled maturity or that enables or permits (with or without the giving of notice, the lapse of time or both) the holder or holders of such Material Indebtedness or any trustee or agent on its or their behalf to cause such Material Indebtedness to become due, or to require the Redemption thereof or any offer to Redeem to be made in respect thereof, prior to its scheduled maturity or require the Borrower or any Subsidiary to make an offer in respect thereof;provided that thisSection 10.01(f)(ii) shall not apply with respect to a requirement to Redeem or offer to Redeem Senior Notes in connection with the sale, transfer or condemnation of any of the Borrower’s or any Subsidiary’s Properties if such Redemption or offer to Redeem is consummated in accordance withSection 9.04(b)(i).

(g) An involuntary proceeding shall be commenced or an involuntary petition shall be filed seeking (i) liquidation, reorganization or other relief in respect of the Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof or its debts, or of a substantial part of its assets, under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect or (ii) the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for the Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof or for a substantial part of its assets, and, in any such case, such proceeding or petition shall continue undismissed for sixty (60) days or an order or decree approving or ordering any of the foregoing shall be entered.

(h) The Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof shall (i) voluntarily commence any proceeding or file any petition seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect, (ii) consent to the institution of, or fail to contest in a timely and appropriate manner, any proceeding or petition described inSection 10.01(g), (iii) apply for or consent to the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for the Borrower or

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any subsidiary thereof or for a substantial part of its assets, (iv) file an answer admitting the material allegations of a petition filed against it in any such proceeding, (v) make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors or (vi) take any action for the purpose of effecting any of the foregoing; or any stockholder, member or partner of the Borrower shall make any request or take any action for the purpose of calling a meeting of the stockholders of the Borrower to consider a resolution to dissolve and wind-up the Borrower’s affairs.

(i) The Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof shall become unable, admit in writing its inability or fail generally to pay its debts as they become due.

(j) (i) One or more judgments for the payment of money in an aggregate amount in excess of $10,000,000 or (ii) any one or more non-monetary judgments that have, or could reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, shall be rendered against the Borrower or Subsidiary thereof or any combination thereof and the same shall remain undischarged for a period of thirty (30) consecutive days during which execution shall not be effectively stayed, or any action shall be legally taken by a judgment creditor or judgment creditors to attach or levy upon any assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof to enforce any such judgment.

(k) The Loan Documents after delivery thereof shall for any reason, except to the extent permitted by the terms thereof, cease to be in full force and effect and valid, binding and enforceable in accordance with their terms against any Loan Party party thereto or shall be repudiated by any of them, or cease to create a valid and perfected Lien of the priority required thereby on any of the Collateral purported to be covered thereby, except to the extent permitted by the terms of this Agreement, or a Loan Party shall so state in writing.

(l) The Borrower or any Subsidiary or their Properties shall be the subject of any claim, demand, proceeding, inquiry or investigation pertaining to (i) any Release by the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any other Person of any Hazardous Materials or (ii) any violation by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of any Environmental Law, that, in the case of any event described in clause (i) or (ii), individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(m) A Change in Control shall occur.

Section 10.02Remedies.

(a) In the case of an Event of Default other than one described inSection 10.01(g),Section 10.01(h) orSection 10.01(i), at any time thereafter during the continuance of such Event of Default, the Administrative Agent may, and at the request of the Majority Lenders, shall, by notice to the Borrower, take either or both of the following actions, at the same or different times: (i) terminate the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts, and thereupon the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts and Commitments shall terminate immediately, and (ii) declare the Loans then outstanding to be due and payable in whole (or in part, in which case any principal not so declared to be due and payable may thereafter be declared to be due and payable), and thereupon the principal of the Loans so declared to be due and payable, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and other obligations of the Borrower and the

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Guarantors accrued hereunder and under the Loan Documents (including, without limitation, the payment of cash collateral to secure the LC Exposure as provided inSection 2.08(j)), shall become due and payable immediately, without presentment, demand, protest, notice of intent to accelerate, notice of acceleration or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower and each Guarantor; and in case of an Event of Default described inSection 10.01(g),Section 10.01(h) orSection 10.01(i), the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts shall automatically terminate and the principal of the Loans then outstanding, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and the other obligations of the Borrower and the Guarantors accrued hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (including, without limitation, the payment of cash collateral to secure the LC Exposure as provided inSection 2.08(j)), shall automatically become due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower and each Guarantor.

(b) In the case of the occurrence of an Event of Default, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders will have all other rights and remedies available at law and equity.

(c) All proceeds realized from the liquidation or other disposition of Collateral or otherwise received after maturity of the Loans, whether by acceleration or otherwise, shall be applied:

(i)first, to payment or reimbursement of that portion of the Secured Obligations constituting fees, expenses and indemnities payable to the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such;

(ii)second, pro rata to payment or reimbursement of that portion of the Secured Obligations constituting fees, expenses and indemnities payable to the Lenders;

(iii)third, pro rata to payment of accrued interest on the Loans;

(iv)fourth, pro rata to payment of (A) principal outstanding on the Loans, (B) Secured Obligations referred to in clause (b) of the definition of Secured Obligations owing to a Secured Hedging Agreement Counterparty, and (C) Secured Obligations referred to in clause (c) of the definition of Secured Obligations owing to a Secured Treasury Management Counterparty;

(v)fifth, pro rata to any other Secured Obligations;

(vi)sixth, to serve as cash collateral to be held by the Administrative Agent to secure the LC Exposure; and

(vii)seventh, any excess, after all of the Secured Obligations shall have been indefeasibly paid in full in cash, shall be paid to the Borrower or as otherwise required by any Governmental Requirement.

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ARTICLE XI

THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

Section 11.01Appointment; Powers. Each of the Lenders and the Issuing Banks hereby irrevocably appoints the Administrative Agent as its agent and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof and the other Loan Documents, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto.

Section 11.02Duties and Obligations of Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall have no duties or obligations except those expressly set forth in the Loan Documents. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, (a) the Administrative Agent shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing (the use of the term “agent” herein and in the other Loan Documents with reference to the Administrative Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any applicable law; rather, such term is used merely as a matter of market custom, and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between independent contracting parties), (b) the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except as provided in Section 11.03, and (c) except as expressly set forth herein, the Administrative Agent shall have no duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the Borrower, any other Loan Party or any of their Subsidiaries that is communicated to or obtained by the bank serving as Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity. The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until written notice thereof is given to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower or a Lender, and shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or under any other Loan Document or in connection herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or in any other Loan Document, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth inARTICLE VI or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent or as to those conditions precedent expressly required to be to the Administrative Agent’s satisfaction, (vi) the existence, value, perfection or priority of any collateral security or the financial or other condition of any Loan Party, any Subsidiary or any other obligor or guarantor, or (vii) any failure by the Borrower or any other Person (other than itself) to perform any of its obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document or the performance or observance of any covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or therein. For purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified inARTICLE VI, each Lender shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received written notice from such Lender prior to the proposed closing date specifying its objection thereto.

Section 11.03Action by Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall have no duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby or by the other Loan Documents that the

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Administrative Agent is required to exercise in writing as directed by the Majority Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided inSection 12.02) and in all cases the Administrative Agent shall be fully justified in failing or refusing to act hereunder or under any other Loan Documents unless it shall (a) receive written instructions from the Majority Lenders or the Lenders, as applicable, (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided inSection 12.02) specifying the action to be taken and (b) be indemnified to its satisfaction by the Lenders against any and all liability and expenses which may be incurred by it by reason of taking or continuing to take any such action. The instructions as aforesaid and any action taken or failure to act pursuant thereto by the Administrative Agent shall be binding on all of the Lenders. If a Default has occurred and is continuing, then the Administrative Agent shall take such action with respect to such Default as shall be directed by the requisite Lenders in the written instructions (with indemnities) described in thisSection 11.03,provided that, unless and until the Administrative Agent shall have received such directions, the Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) take such action, or refrain from taking such action, with respect to such Default as it shall deem advisable in the best interests of the Lenders. In no event, however, shall the Administrative Agent be required to take any action which exposes the Administrative Agent to personal liability or which is contrary to this Agreement, the Loan Documents or applicable law. If a Default has occurred and is continuing, neither any Co-Syndication Agent nor any Co-Documentation Agent shall have any obligation to perform any act in respect thereof. The Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it with the consent or at the request of the Majority Lenders or the Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided inSection 12.02), and otherwise the Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it hereunder or under any other Loan Document or under any other document or instrument referred to or provided for herein or therein or in connection herewith or therewith INCLUDING ITS OWN ORDINARY NEGLIGENCE, except for its own gross negligence or willful misconduct.

Section 11.04Reliance by Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or sent by the proper Person. The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to be made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon and each of the Borrower, the Lenders and the Issuing Banks hereby waives the right to dispute the Administrative Agent’s record of such statement, except in the case of gross negligence or willful misconduct by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Borrower), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts. The Administrative Agent may deem and treat the payee of any Note as the holder thereof for all purposes hereof unless and until a written notice of the assignment or transfer thereof permitted hereunder shall have been filed with the Administrative Agent.

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Section 11.05Sub-agents. The Administrative Agent may perform any and all its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any and all its duties and exercise its rights and powers through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of the preceding Sections of thisARTICLE XI shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein as well as activities as Administrative Agent.

Section 11.06Resignation or Removal of Administrative Agent. Subject to the appointment and acceptance of a successor Administrative Agent as provided in thisSection 11.06, the Administrative Agent may resign at any time by notifying the Lenders, the Issuing Banks and the Borrower, and the Administrative Agent may be removed at any time with or without cause by the Majority Lenders. Upon any such resignation or removal, the Majority Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the Borrower, to appoint a successor. If no successor shall have been so appointed by the Majority Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within thirty (30) days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation or removal of the retiring Administrative Agent, then the retiring Administrative Agent may, on behalf of the Lenders and the Issuing Banks, appoint a successor Administrative Agent which shall be a bank with an office in New York, New York, or an Affiliate of any such bank. Upon the acceptance of its appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder by a successor, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent, and the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder. The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor. After the Administrative Agent’s resignation hereunder, the provisions of thisARTICLE XI andSection 12.03 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Administrative Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while it was acting as Administrative Agent.

Section 11.07Agents as Lenders. Each bank serving as an Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not an Agent, and such bank and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if it were not an Agent hereunder.

Section 11.08No Reliance. Each Lender acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, any other Agent, any Issuing Bank or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement and each other Loan Document to which it is a party. Each Lender also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, any other Agent, any Issuing Bank or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan Document, any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder. The Agents shall not be required to keep themselves informed as to the performance or observance by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries of this Agreement, the Loan Documents or any other document referred to or provided for herein or to inspect the

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Properties or books of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries. Except for notices, reports and other documents and information expressly required to be furnished to the Lenders by the Administrative Agent hereunder, neither any Agent nor the Arranger shall have any duty or responsibility to provide any Lender with any credit or other information concerning the affairs, financial condition or business of the Borrower (or any of its Affiliates) which may come into the possession of such Agent or Arranger or any of its Affiliates. In this regard, each Lender acknowledges that Latham & Watkins LLP is acting in this transaction as special counsel to the Administrative Agent only, except to the extent otherwise expressly stated in any legal opinion or any Loan Document. Each other party hereto will consult with its own legal counsel to the extent that it deems necessary in connection with the Loan Documents and the matters contemplated therein.

Section 11.09Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim. In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to any Loan Party or any Subsidiary of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on the Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise:

(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans and all other Secured Obligations that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders and the Administrative Agent underSection 12.03) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and

(b) to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, in the event that the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Administrative Agent and its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Administrative Agent underSection 12.03.

Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the Administrative Agent to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Lender any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Secured Obligations or the rights of any Lender or to authorize the Administrative Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender in any such proceeding.

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Section 11.10Authority of Administrative Agent to Release Collateral and Liens. Each Lender and each Issuing Bank hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to release any Collateral that is permitted to be sold or released pursuant to the terms of the Loan Documents. Each Lender and each Issuing Bank hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to execute and deliver to the Borrower, at the Borrower’s sole cost and expense, any and all releases of Liens, termination statements, assignments or other documents reasonably requested by the Borrower in connection with any sale or other disposition of Property to the extent such sale or other disposition is permitted by the terms ofSection 9.12 or is otherwise authorized by the terms of the Loan Documents.

Section 11.11The Arranger, the Co-Syndication Agents and the Co-Documentation Agents. The Arranger, the Co-Syndication Agents and the Co-Documentation Agents shall have no duties, responsibilities or liabilities under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents other than its duties, responsibilities and liabilities in their capacities as Lenders hereunder.

ARTICLE XII

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 12.01Notices.

(a) Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and subject toSection 12.01(b)), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by facsimile, as follows:

(i) if to the Borrower, to it at the following:

EPL Oil & Gas, Inc.

919 Milam Street, Suite 1650

Houston, Texas 77002

Attention: T.J. Thom

Phone: 713-425-2777

Fax: 713-425-2739

(ii) if to the Administrative Agent, to it at the following:

Bank of Montreal

700 Louisiana Street, Suite 2100

Houston, Texas 77002-2792

Attention: Kevin Utsey

Phone: 713-223-4007

Fax: 713-546-9720

LIBOR Office:

Bank of Montreal

115 S. LaSalle – 17^th Floor West

Chicago, IL 60603

Attention: Janet Pelegrino, BMO Agency Services

Phone: 312-461-3458

Fax: 312-461-6368

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(iii) if to Bank of Montreal, as an Issuing Bank, to it at the following:

Bank of Montreal

115 S. LaSalle – 17^th Floor West

Chicago, IL 60603

Attention: Janet Pelegrino, BMO Agency Services

Phone: 312-461-3458

Fax: 312-461-6368

(iv) if to any other Lender or Issuing Bank, to it at its address (or facsimile number) set forth in its Administrative Questionnaire.

(v) if to any Subsidiary, to it at its address set forth in Schedule 1 to the Guaranty and Collateral Agreement.

(b) Notices and other communications to the Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent;provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices pursuant toARTICLE II,ARTICLE III,ARTICLE IV andARTICLE V unless otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and the applicable Lender. The Administrative Agent or the Borrower may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it;provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications.

(c) Any party hereto may change its address or facsimile number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. All notices and other communications given to any party hereto in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed to have been given on the date of receipt.

Section 12.02Waivers; Amendments (a) . No failure on the part of the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender to exercise and no delay in exercising, and no course of dealing with respect to, any right, power or privilege, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such right, power or privilege, under any of the Loan Documents shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, power or privilege under any of the Loan Documents preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege. The rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders hereunder and under the other Loan Documents are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have. No waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or consent to any departure by the Borrower therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be permitted bySection 12.02(b), and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which given. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the making of a Loan or issuance of a Letter of Credit shall not be construed as a waiver of any Default, regardless of whether the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Issuing Bank may have had notice or knowledge of such Default at the time.

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(b) Neither this Agreement nor any provision hereof nor any Security Instrument nor any provision thereof may be waived, amended or modified except pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Borrower and the Majority Lenders or by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with the consent of the Majority Lenders;provided that no such agreement shall, subject to the provisions ofSection 4.03(c)(ii), (i) increase the Commitment or the Maximum Credit Amount of any Lender without the written consent of such Lender, (ii) increase the Borrowing Base without the written consent of each Lender, decrease or maintain the Borrowing Base without the consent of the Required Lenders, or modify in any mannerSection 2.07 (other thanSection 2.07(e)) without the consent of each Lender, (iii) reduce the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement or reduce the rate of interest thereon (other than a reduction in, or waiver of, the default rate of interest, which shall require the written consent of the Required Lenders), or reduce any fees payable hereunder, or reduce any other Secured Obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby, (iv) postpone the scheduled date of payment (but not prepayment) of the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement, or any interest thereon, or any fees payable hereunder, or any other Secured Obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document, or reduce the amount of, waive or excuse any such payment (other than a reduction in, or waiver of, the default rate of interest, which shall require the written consent of the Required Lenders), or postpone or extend the Termination Date without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby, (v) changeSection 4.01(b) orSection 4.01(c) in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby, without the written consent of each Lender, (vi) waive or amendSection 8.14 or change the definition of the terms “Domestic Subsidiary”, “Foreign Subsidiary” or “Subsidiary”, without the written consent of each Lender, (vii) release any Guarantor (except as set forth in the Guaranty and Collateral Agreement), release all or a substantial portion of the Collateral (other than as provided inSection 11.10), or reduce the percentage set forth inSection 8.14(a) to less than 80%, without the written consent of each Lender, or (viii) change any of the provisions of thisSection 12.02(b) or the definition of “Required Lenders” or “Majority Lenders” or any other provision hereof specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to waive, amend or modify any rights hereunder or under any other Loan Documents or make any determination or grant any consent hereunder or any other Loan Documents, without the written consent of each Lender;providedfurther that no such agreement shall amend, modify or otherwise affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent, any other Agent or any Issuing Bank hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, such other Agent or such Issuing Bank, as the case may be. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any supplement toSchedule 7.14 shall be effective simply by delivering to the Administrative Agent a supplemental schedule clearly marked as such and, upon receipt, the Administrative Agent will promptly deliver a copy thereof to the Lenders.

Section 12.03Expenses, Indemnity; Damage Waiver.

(a) The Borrower shall pay (i) all reasonable and invoiced out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates, including, without limitation, the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel and other outside consultants for the Administrative Agent, the reasonable travel, photocopy, mailing, courier, telephone and other similar expenses, and the cost of environmental invasive and noninvasive assessments, audits and surveys and appraisals, in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for

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herein, the preparation, negotiation, execution, delivery and administration (both before and after the execution hereof and including advice of counsel to the Administrative Agent as to the rights and duties of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders with respect thereto) of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and any amendments, modifications or waivers of or consents related to the provisions hereof or thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (ii) all costs, expenses, other Taxes, assessments and other similar charges incurred by any Agent in connection with any filing, registration, recording or perfection of any security interest contemplated by this Agreement or any Security Instrument or any other document referred to therein, (iii) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by any Issuing Bank in connection with the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or any demand for payment thereunder, and (iv) all out-of-pocket expenses incurred by any Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender, in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, including its rights under thisSection 12.03, or in connection with the Loans made or Letters of Credit issued hereunder, including, without limitation, all such out-of-pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans or Letters of Credit.

(b) THE BORROWER SHALL INDEMNIFY EACH AGENT, THE ARRANGER, EACH ISSUING BANK AND EACH LENDER, AND EACH RELATED PARTY OF ANY OF THE FOREGOING PERSONS (EACH SUCH PERSON BEING CALLED AN “INDEMNITEE”) AGAINST, AND DEFEND AND HOLD EACH INDEMNITEE HARMLESS FROM, ANY AND ALL LOSSES, CLAIMS, DAMAGES, PENALTIES, LIABILITIES AND RELATED EXPENSES, INCLUDING THE FEES, CHARGES AND DISBURSEMENTS OF ANY COUNSEL FOR ANY INDEMNITEE, INCURRED BY OR ASSERTED AGAINST ANY INDEMNITEE ARISING OUT OF, IN CONNECTION WITH, OR AS A RESULT OF (i) THE EXECUTION OR DELIVERY OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR ANY AGREEMENT OR INSTRUMENT CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY, THE PERFORMANCE BY THE PARTIES HERETO OR THE PARTIES TO ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OF THEIR RESPECTIVE OBLIGATIONS HEREUNDER OR THEREUNDER OR THE CONSUMMATION OF THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR BY ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, (ii) THE FAILURE OF ANY LOAN PARTY OR ANY SUBSIDIARY OF THE BORROWER TO COMPLY WITH THE TERMS OF ANY LOAN DOCUMENT, INCLUDING THIS AGREEMENT, OR WITH ANY GOVERNMENTAL REQUIREMENT, (iii) ANY INACCURACY OF ANY REPRESENTATION OR ANY BREACH OF ANY WARRANTY OR COVENANT OF THE BORROWER OR ANY GUARANTOR SET FORTH IN ANY OF THE LOAN DOCUMENTS OR ANY INSTRUMENTS, DOCUMENTS OR CERTIFICATIONS DELIVERED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH, (iv) ANY LOAN OR LETTER OF CREDIT OR THE USE OF THE PROCEEDS THEREFROM, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, (A) ANY REFUSAL BY ANY ISSUING BANK TO HONOR A DEMAND FOR PAYMENT UNDER A LETTER OF CREDIT IF THE DOCUMENTS PRESENTED IN CONNECTION WITH SUCH DEMAND DO NOT STRICTLY COMPLY WITH THE TERMS OF SUCH LETTER OF CREDIT, OR (B) THE PAYMENT OF A DRAWING UNDER ANY LETTER OF CREDIT NOTWITHSTANDING THE NON-COMPLIANCE, NON-DELIVERY OR OTHER

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IMPROPER PRESENTATION OF THE DOCUMENTS PRESENTED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH, (v) THE OPERATIONS OF THE BUSINESS OF THE LOAN PARTIES AND THE SUBSIDIARIES OF THE BORROWER BY SUCH LOAN PARTIES AND SUBSIDIARIES, (vi) ANY ASSERTION THAT THE LENDERS WERE NOT ENTITLED TO RECEIVE THE PROCEEDS RECEIVED PURSUANT TO THE SECURITY INSTRUMENTS, (vii) THE PRESENCE, GENERATION, STORAGE, RELEASE, THREATENED RELEASE, USE, TRANSPORT, DISPOSAL, ARRANGEMENT OF DISPOSAL, OR TREATMENT OF, OR ALLEGED PRESENCE OR RELEASE OF, HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ON OR AT ANY OF THEIR PROPERTIES, (viii) THE BREACH OR NON-COMPLIANCE BY ANY LOAN PARTY OR ANY SUBSIDIARY OF THE BORROWER WITH ANY ENVIRONMENTAL LAW APPLICABLE TO THE BORROWER OR ANY SUBSIDIARY OR ANY OF THEIR PROPERTIES, (ix) ANY HEALTH OR SAFETY CONDITION IN CONNECTION WITH THE LOAN DOCUMENTS, OR (x) ANY CLAIM, LITIGATION, INVESTIGATION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO ANY OF THE FOREGOING, WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY, WHETHER BROUGHT BY A LOAN PARTY OR A SUBSIDIARY OR ANY THIRD PARTY, AND REGARDLESS OF WHETHER ANY INDEMNITEE IS A PARTY THERETO, AND SUCH INDEMNITY SHALL EXTEND TO EACH INDEMNITEE NOTWITHSTANDING THE SOLE OR CONCURRENT NEGLIGENCE OF EVERY KIND OR CHARACTER WHATSOEVER, WHETHER ACTIVE OR PASSIVE, WHETHER AN AFFIRMATIVE ACT OR AN OMISSION, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ALL TYPES OF NEGLIGENT CONDUCT IDENTIFIED IN THE RESTATEMENT (SECOND) OF TORTS OF ONE OR MORE OF THE INDEMNITEES OR BY REASON OF STRICT LIABILITY IMPOSED WITHOUT FAULT ON ANY ONE OR MORE OF THE INDEMNITEES;PROVIDED THAT SUCH INDEMNITY SHALL NOT, AS TO ANY INDEMNITEE, BE AVAILABLE TO THE EXTENT THAT SUCH LOSSES, CLAIMS, DAMAGES, LIABILITIES OR RELATED EXPENSES ARE DETERMINED BY A COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION BY FINAL AND NONAPPEALABLE JUDGMENT TO HAVE RESULTED FROM THE GROSS NEGLIGENCE OR WILLFUL MISCONDUCT OF SUCH INDEMNITEE.

(c) To the extent that the Borrower fails to pay any amount required to be paid by it to any Agent, the Arranger or any Issuing Bank underSection 12.03(a) or(b), but without affecting such payment obligations of the Borrower, each Lender severally agrees to pay to such Agent, the Arranger or such Issuing Bank, as the case may be, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought) of such unpaid amount;provided that the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against such Agent, Arranger or Issuing Bank in its capacity as such.

(d) All amounts due under thisSection 12.03 shall be payable upon written demand therefor.

Section 12.04Assignments and Participations.

(a) The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of any Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit), except that (i) the

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Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Lender (and any attempted assignment or transfer by the Borrower without such consent shall be null and void) and (ii) no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer its rights or obligations hereunder except in accordance with thisSection 12.04. Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of any Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit), Participants (to the extent provided inSection 12.04(c)) and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

(b) (i) Subject to the conditions set forth inSection 12.04(b)(ii), any Lender may assign to one or more assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Maximum Credit Amount and the Loans at the time owing to it) with the prior written consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) of:

(A) the Borrower,provided that no consent of the Borrower shall be required for an assignment (1) at any time, to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender, or an Approved Fund, or (2) if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, to any other assignee; and

(B) the Administrative Agent,provided that no consent of the Administrative Agent shall be required for an assignment to an assignee that is a Lender immediately prior to giving effect to such assignment.

(ii) Assignments shall be subject to the following additional conditions:

(A) except in the case of an assignment to a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender or an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Maximum Credit Amount, the amount of the Maximum Credit Amount of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment (determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent) shall not be less than $5,000,000, and the Maximum Credit Amount or Loans of any assigning Lender remaining a party hereto after giving effect to the assignment shall be at least $5,000,000 unless, in each case, each of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent otherwise consent,provided that no such consent of the Borrower shall be required if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing;

(B) each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement;

(C) the parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500;

(D) the assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire; and

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(E) in the case of an assignment to a CLO, the assigning Lender shall retain the sole right to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement,provided that the Assignment and Assumption between such Lender and such CLO may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of such CLO, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver described in the first proviso toSection 12.02 that affects such CLO.

(iii) Subject toSection 12.04(b)(iv) and the acceptance and recording thereof, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption the assignee thereunder shall be a party hereto and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits ofSection 5.01,Section 5.02,Section 5.03 andSection 12.03). Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with thisSection 12.04 shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance withSection 12.04(c).

(iv) The Administrative Agent, acting for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at one of its offices in the United States of America a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Maximum Credit Amount of, and principal amount of the Loans and LC Disbursements owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice or anything in any Loan Document to the contrary. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower, the Issuing Banks and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice. In connection with any changes to the Register, if necessary, the Administrative Agent will reflect the revisions onAnnex I and forward a copy of such revisedAnnex I to the Borrower, each Issuing Bank and each Lender.

(v) Upon its receipt of a duly completed Assignment and Assumption executed by an assigning Lender and an assignee, the assignee’s completed Administrative Questionnaire (unless the assignee shall already be a Lender hereunder), the processing and recordation fee referred to inSection 12.04(b) and any written consent to such assignment required bySection 12.04(b), the Administrative Agent shall accept such Assignment and Assumption and record the information contained therein in the Register. No assignment shall be effective for purposes of this Agreement unless and until it has been recorded in the Register as provided in thisSection 12.04(b).

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(c) (i) Any Lender may, without the consent of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent or any Issuing Bank, sell participations to one or more banks or other entities (a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Maximum Credit Amount and the Loans owing to it);provided that (A) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (B) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations, and (C) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and the other Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement. Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement;provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver described in the proviso toSection 12.02(b) that affects such Participant. In addition such agreement must provide that the Participant be bound by the provisions ofSection 12.03. Subject toSection 12.04(c)(ii), the Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits ofSection 5.01,Section 5.02 andSection 5.03 to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant toSection 12.04(b). To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits ofSection 12.08 as though it were a Lender,provided that such Participant agrees to be subject toSection 4.01(c) as though it were a Lender.

(ii) A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment underSection 5.01 orSection 5.03 than the applicable Lender would have been entitled to receive with respect to the participation sold to such Participant, unless the sale of the participation to such Participant is made with the Borrower’s prior written consent. A Participant shall not be entitled to the benefits ofSection 5.03 unless the Borrower is notified of the participation sold to such Participant and such Participant agrees, for the benefit of the Borrower, to comply withSection 5.03(e) as though it were a Lender.

(iii) A Participant shall be subject to the provisions ofSection 5.04 as if it were a Lender.

(d) Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure obligations of such Lender, including, without limitation, any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank or other central bank, and thisSection 12.04(d) shall not apply to any such pledge or assignment of a security interest;provided that no such pledge or assignment of a security interest shall release a Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.

(e) Notwithstanding any other provisions of thisSection 12.04, no transfer or assignment of the interests or obligations of any Lender or any grant of participations therein shall be permitted if such transfer, assignment or grant would require the Borrower and the Guarantors to file a registration statement with the SEC or to qualify the Loans under the “Blue Sky” laws of any state.

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Section 12.05Survival; Revival; Reinstatement.

(a) All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by the Borrower herein and in the certificates or other instruments delivered in connection with or pursuant to this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the making of any Loans and issuance of any Letters of Credit, regardless of any investigation made by any such other party or on its behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent, any other Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default or incorrect representation or warranty at the time any credit is extended hereunder, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as the principal of or any accrued interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount payable under this Agreement is outstanding and unpaid (other than contingent indemnification obligations for which no claim has been made) or any Letter of Credit (other than those that have been fully cash collateralized or with respect to which a backstop letter of credit has been provided to the applicable Issuing Bank, in each case, on customary terms reasonably acceptable to each applicable Issuing Bank) is outstanding and so long as the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts have not expired or terminated. The provisions ofSection 5.01,Section 5.02,Section 5.03 andSection 12.03 andARTICLE XI shall survive and remain in full force and effect regardless of the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the repayment of the Loans, the expiration or termination of the Letters of Credit and the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts or the termination of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any provision hereof or thereof.

(b) To the extent that any payments on the Secured Obligations or proceeds of any Collateral are subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required to be repaid to a trustee, debtor in possession, receiver or other Person under any bankruptcy law, common law or equitable cause, then to such extent, the Secured Obligations so satisfied shall be revived and continue as if such payment or proceeds had not been received and the Administrative Agent’s and the Lenders’ Liens, security interests, rights, powers and remedies under this Agreement and each Loan Document shall continue in full force and effect. In such event, each Loan Document shall be automatically reinstated and the Borrower shall take such action as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders to effect such reinstatement.

Section 12.06Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness.

(a) This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto on different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract.

(b) This Agreement, the other Loan Documents and any separate letter agreements with respect to fees payable to the Administrative Agent constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and thereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof and thereof.THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS REPRESENT THE FINAL AGREEMENT AMONG THE PARTIES HERETO AND THERETO AND MAY NOT BE CONTRADICTED BY EVIDENCE OF PRIOR, CONTEMPORANEOUS OR SUBSEQUENT ORAL AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES. THERE ARE NO UNWRITTEN ORAL AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE PARTIES.

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(c) Except as provided inSection 6.01, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof which, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto, and thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by facsimile or other electronic transmission shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.

Section 12.07Severability. Any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability without affecting the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions hereof or thereof; and the invalidity of a particular provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate such provision in any other jurisdiction.

Section 12.08Right of Setoff. If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender and each of its Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final) at any time held and other obligations (of whatsoever kind, including, without limitation, obligations under Hedging Agreements) at any time owing by such Lender or Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower or any Subsidiary against any of and all the obligations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary owed to such Lender now or hereafter existing under this Agreement or any other Loan Document, irrespective of whether or not such Lender shall have made any demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such obligations may be unmatured. The rights of each Lender under thisSection 12.08 are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) which such Lender or its Affiliates may have.

Section 12.09GOVERNING LAW; JURISDICTION; CONSENT TO SERVICE OF PROCESS.

(a) THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

(b) ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING WITH RESPECT TO THE LOAN DOCUMENTS MAY BE BROUGHT IN THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK OR OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, AND, BY EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF THIS AGREEMENT, EACH PARTY HEREBY ACCEPTS FOR ITSELF AND (TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW) IN RESPECT OF ITS PROPERTY, GENERALLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY, THE JURISDICTION OF THE AFORESAID COURTS. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY OBJECTION, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY OBJECTION TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OR BASED ON THE GROUNDS OF

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FORUM NON CONVENIENS, WHICH IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE BRINGING OF ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN SUCH RESPECTIVE JURISDICTIONS. THIS SUBMISSION TO JURISDICTION IS NON-EXCLUSIVE AND DOES NOT PRECLUDE A PARTY FROM OBTAINING JURISDICTION OVER ANOTHER PARTY IN ANY COURT OTHERWISE HAVING JURISDICTION.

(c) EACH PARTY IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO THE SERVICE OF PROCESS OF ANY OF THE AFOREMENTIONED COURTS IN ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING BY THE MAILING OF COPIES THEREOF BY REGISTERED OR CERTIFIED MAIL, POSTAGE PREPAID, TO IT AT THE ADDRESS SPECIFIED INSection 12.01 OR SUCH OTHER ADDRESS AS IS SPECIFIED PURSUANT TOSection 12.01 (OR ITS ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION), SUCH SERVICE TO BECOME EFFECTIVE THIRTY (30) DAYS AFTER SUCH COPIES ARE DEPOSITED IN THE MAIL. NOTHING HEREIN SHALL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF A PARTY OR ANY HOLDER OF A NOTE TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY LAW OR TO COMMENCE LEGAL PROCEEDINGS OR OTHERWISE PROCEED AGAINST ANOTHER PARTY IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION.

(d) EACH PARTY HEREBY (i) IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT AND FOR ANY COUNTERCLAIM THEREIN; (ii) IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT NOT PROHIBITED BY LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO CLAIM OR RECOVER IN ANY SUCH LITIGATION ANY SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, PUNITIVE OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, OR DAMAGES OTHER THAN, OR IN ADDITION TO, ACTUAL DAMAGES; (iii) CERTIFIES THAT NO PARTY HERETO NOR ANY REPRESENTATIVE OR AGENT OF COUNSEL FOR ANY PARTY HERETO HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, OR IMPLIED THAT SUCH PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVERS, AND (iv) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT HAS BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT, THE LOAN DOCUMENTS AND THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY AND THEREBY BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS CONTAINED IN THISSection 12.09.

Section 12.10Headings. Article and Section headings and the Table of Contents used herein are for convenience of reference only, are not part of this Agreement and shall not affect the construction of, or be taken into consideration in interpreting, this Agreement.

Section 12.11Confidentiality. Each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its and its Affiliates’ directors, officers, employees and agents, including accountants, legal counsel and other advisors (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent requested by any regulatory authority, (c) to the extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (d) to any other party to this Agreement or any other Loan

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Document, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any suit, action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of thisSection 12.11, to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or (ii) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any Hedging Agreement relating to the Borrower and its obligations, (g) with the consent of the Borrower or (h) to the extent such Information (i) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of thisSection 12.11 or (ii) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the Borrower. For the purposes of thisSection 12.11, “Information” means all information received from any Loan Party or Subsidiary relating to the Loan Parties, the Subsidiaries, and their businesses, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by any Loan Party or Subsidiary;provided that, in the case of information received from any Loan Party or a Subsidiary after the date hereof, such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as confidential. Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in thisSection 12.11 shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.

Section 12.12Interest Rate Limitation. It is the intention of the parties hereto that each Lender shall conform strictly to usury laws applicable to it. Accordingly, if the Transactions contemplated hereby would be usurious as to any Lender under laws applicable to it (including the laws of the United States of America and the State of Texas or any other jurisdiction whose laws may be mandatorily applicable to such Lender notwithstanding the other provisions of this Agreement), then, in that event, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any of the Loan Documents or any agreement entered into in connection with or as security for the Secured Obligations, it is agreed as follows: (i) the aggregate of all consideration which constitutes interest under law applicable to any Lender that is contracted for, taken, reserved, charged or received by such Lender under any of the Loan Documents or agreements or otherwise in connection with the Loans shall under no circumstances exceed the maximum amount allowed by such applicable law, and any excess shall be canceled automatically and if theretofore paid shall be credited by such Lender on the principal amount of the Secured Obligations (or, to the extent that the principal amount of the Secured Obligations shall have been or would thereby be paid in full, refunded by such Lender to the Borrower); and (ii) in the event that the maturity of the Loans is accelerated by reason of an election of the holder thereof resulting from any Event of Default under this Agreement or otherwise, or in the event of any required or permitted prepayment, then such consideration that constitutes interest under law applicable to any Lender may never include more than the maximum amount allowed by such applicable law, and excess interest, if any, provided for in this Agreement or otherwise shall be canceled automatically by such Lender as of the date of such acceleration or prepayment and, if theretofore paid, shall be credited by such Lender on the principal amount of the Secured Obligations (or, to the extent that the principal amount of the Secured Obligations shall have been or would thereby be paid in full, refunded by such Lender to the Borrower). All sums paid or agreed to be paid to any Lender for the use, forbearance or detention of sums due hereunder shall, to the extent permitted by law applicable to such Lender, be amortized, prorated, allocated and spread throughout the stated

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term of the Loans until payment in full so that the rate or amount of interest on account of any Loans hereunder does not exceed the maximum amount allowed by such applicable law. If at any time and from time to time (a) the amount of interest payable to any Lender on any date shall be computed at the Highest Lawful Rate applicable to such Lender pursuant to thisSection 12.12 and (b) in respect of any subsequent interest computation period the amount of interest otherwise payable to such Lender would be less than the amount of interest payable to such Lender computed at the Highest Lawful Rate applicable to such Lender, then the amount of interest payable to such Lender in respect of such subsequent interest computation period shall continue to be computed at the Highest Lawful Rate applicable to such Lender until the total amount of interest payable to such Lender shall equal the total amount of interest which would have been payable to such Lender if the total amount of interest had been computed without giving effect to thisSection 12.12. To the extent that Chapter 303 of the Texas Finance Code is relevant for the purpose of determining the Highest Lawful Rate applicable to a Lender, such Lender elects to determine the applicable rate ceiling under such Chapter by the weekly ceiling from time to time in effect. Chapter 346 of the Texas Finance Code does not apply to the Borrower’s obligations hereunder.

Section 12.13EXCULPATION PROVISIONS. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO SPECIFICALLY AGREES THAT IT HAS A DUTY TO READ THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS AND AGREES THAT IT IS CHARGED WITH NOTICE AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS; THAT IT HAS IN FACT READ THIS AGREEMENT AND IS FULLY INFORMED AND HAS FULL NOTICE AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE TERMS, CONDITIONS AND EFFECTS OF THIS AGREEMENT; THAT IT HAS BEEN REPRESENTED BY INDEPENDENT LEGAL COUNSEL OF ITS CHOICE THROUGHOUT THE NEGOTIATIONS PRECEDING ITS EXECUTION OF THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS; AND HAS RECEIVED THE ADVICE OF ITS ATTORNEY IN ENTERING INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS; AND THAT IT RECOGNIZES THAT CERTAIN OF THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS RESULT IN ONE PARTY ASSUMING THE LIABILITY INHERENT IN SOME ASPECTS OF THE TRANSACTION AND RELIEVING THE OTHER PARTY OF ITS RESPONSIBILITY FOR SUCH LIABILITY. EACH PARTY HERETO AGREES AND COVENANTS THAT IT WILL NOT CONTEST THE VALIDITY OR ENFORCEABILITY OF ANY EXCULPATORY PROVISION OF THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS ON THE BASIS THAT THE PARTY HAD NO NOTICE OR KNOWLEDGE OF SUCH PROVISION OR THAT THE PROVISION IS NOT “CONSPICUOUS.”

Section 12.14Collateral Matters; Hedging Agreements; Treasury Management Agreements. The benefit of the Security Instruments and of the provisions of this Agreement relating to any Collateral securing the Secured Obligations shall also extend to and be available to Secured Hedging Agreement Counterparties and Secured Treasury Management Counterparties on apro rata basis (subject to the priorities set forth inSection 10.02(c)) in respect of any obligations of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (other than Immaterial Subsidiaries) which arise under any such Secured Hedging Agreement or Secured Treasury Management Agreement. No Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender shall have any voting rights under any Loan Document as a result of the existence of obligations owed to it under any such

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Secured Hedging Agreements or Secured Treasury Management Agreements. Each Lender, on behalf of itself and its Affiliates who are Secured Hedging Agreement Counterparties, and each Secured Hedging Agreement Counterparty, by accepting the benefits of the Collateral, hereby agrees that the Loan Parties may grant security interests, covering all rights of the Obligors in Hedging Agreements with any Lender or Secured Hedging Agreement Counterparty, to the Administrative Agent under the Security Instruments to secure the Secured Obligations, notwithstanding any restriction on such security interests under any Hedging Agreement.

Section 12.15No Third Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement, the other Loan Documents, and the agreement of the Lenders to make Loans and the Issuing Banks to issue, amend, renew or extend Letters of Credit hereunder are solely for the benefit of the Borrower, and no other Person (including, without limitation, any Subsidiary of the Borrower, any obligor, contractor, subcontractor, supplier or materialmen) shall have any rights, claims, remedies or privileges hereunder or under any other Loan Document against the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender for any reason whatsoever. There are no third party beneficiaries.

Section 12.16USA Patriot Act Notice. Each Lender hereby notifies the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (the “USA Patriot Act”), it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, which information includes the name and address of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries other information that will allow such Lender to identify the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in accordance with the USA Patriot Act.

Section 12.17Releases. If any of the Collateral shall be sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of by any Loan Party in a transaction permitted by this Agreement, then the Administrative Agent, at the request and sole expense of such Loan Party, shall promptly (but in any event within ten (10) Business Days of receipt by the Administrative Agent of a written notice from a Loan Party with respect to such disposition) execute and deliver to such Loan Party all releases or other documents reasonably necessary or desirable for the release of the Liens created by the Secured Instruments on such Collateral.

Section 12.18No Fiduciary Duty. Each Lender and its respective Affiliates (collectively, solely for purposes of thisSection 12.18, the “Lenders”) may have economic interests that conflict with those of the Loan Parties. Each Loan Party agrees that nothing in any Loan Document, any Secured Hedging Agreement or any Secured Treasury Management Agreement will be deemed to create an advisory, fiduciary or agency relationship between the Lenders and the Loan Parties, their partners or their Affiliates. Each Loan Party acknowledges and agrees that (a) the transactions with the Lenders contemplated by the Loan Documents, the Secured Hedging Agreements and the Secured Treasury Management Agreements are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Lenders, on the one hand, and the applicable Loan Parties, on the other, (b) in connection therewith and with the process leading to such transactions each Lender is acting solely as a principal and not the agent or fiduciary of any Loan Party, or of any Loan Party’s management, partners, creditors or other Affiliates, (c) no Lender has assumed a fiduciary responsibility in favor of any Loan Party with respect to the transactions with Lenders contemplated by the Loan Documents, any Secured Hedging Agreement or any Secured Treasury Management Agreement or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether any Lender or any of its Affiliates has advised or is currently advising any Loan Party

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on other matters) and (d) such Person has consulted its own legal and financial advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate. Each Loan Party further acknowledges and agrees that it is responsible for making its own independent judgment with respect to such transactions and the process leading thereto. Each Loan Party agrees that it will not claim that any Lender owes a fiduciary duty to such Person in connection with the Loan Documents, any Secured Hedging Agreement or any Secured Treasury Management Agreement or the process leading thereto.

Section 12.19Amendment and Restatement.

(a) On the Effective Date, the Existing Credit Agreement shall be amended and restated in its entirety by this Agreement, and the Existing Credit Agreement shall thereafter be of no further force and effect, except that the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders agree that (i) the incurrence by the Borrower of “Indebtedness” under and as defined in the Existing Credit Agreement (whether or not such “Indebtedness” is contingent as of the Effective Date) shall continue to exist under and be evidenced by this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, (ii) the Borrower shall pay any breakage costs incurred on the Effective Date under Section 5.02 of the Existing Credit Agreement, (iii) the Existing Credit Agreement shall continue to evidence the representations and warranties made by the Borrower prior to the Effective Date, (iv) except as expressly stated herein or amended, the other Loan Documents are ratified and confirmed as remaining unmodified and in full force and effect with respect to all Secured Obligations, (v) the Existing Credit Agreement shall continue to evidence any action or omission performed or required to be performed pursuant to the Existing Credit Agreement prior to the Effective Date (including any failure, prior to the Effective Date, to comply with the covenants contained in the Existing Credit Agreement), and (vi) the Existing Letters of Credit shall be deemed to be issued under this Agreement. The amendments and restatements set forth herein shall not cure any breach thereof or any “Default” or “Event of Default” under and as defined in the Existing Credit Agreement existing prior to the Effective Date. This Agreement is not in any way intended to constitute a novation of the obligations and liabilities existing under the Existing Credit Agreement or evidence payment of all or any portion of such obligations and liabilities.

(b) The terms and conditions of this Agreement and the Administrative Agent’s, the Lenders’ and the Issuing Banks’ rights and remedies under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall apply to all of the Indebtedness incurred under the Existing Credit Agreement and the Letters of Credit issued thereunder.

(c) On and after the Effective Date, (i) all references to the Existing Credit Agreement (or to any amendment or any amendment and restatement thereof) in the Loan Documents (other than this Agreement) shall be deemed to refer to the Existing Credit Agreement, as amended and restated hereby (as it may be further amended, modified or restated), (ii) all references to any section (or subsection) of the Existing Credit Agreement or in any Loan Document (but not herein) shall be amended to become,mutatis mutandis, references to the corresponding provisions of this Agreement and (iii) except as the context otherwise provides, on or after the Effective Date, all references to this Agreement herein (including for purposes of indemnification and reimbursement of fees) shall be deemed to be references to the Existing Credit Agreement, as amended and restated hereby (as it may be further amended, modified or restated).

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(d) This amendment and restatement is limited as written and is not a consent to any other amendment, restatement or waiver, whether or not similar and, except as expressly provided herein or in any other Loan Document, all terms and conditions of the Loan Documents remain in full force and effect unless specifically amended hereby or by any other Loan Document.

[SIGNATURES BEGIN NEXT PAGE]

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The parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.

BORROWER:	EPL OIL & GAS, INC.
	By:	/s/ David P. Cedro
	Name:	David P. Cedro
	Title:	Senior Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer, Treasurer and Corporate Secretary

Signature Page to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement

ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT and LENDER:	BANK OF MONTREAL
	By:	/s/ Kevin Utsey
	Name:	Kevin Utsey
	Title:	Director

Signature Page to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement

CO-SYNDICATION AGENT
and LENDER:
	CAPITAL ONE, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
	By:	/s/ Matthew L. Molero
	Name:	Matthew L. Molero
	Title:	Vice President

Signature Page to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement

CO-SYNDICATION AGENT
and LENDER:
	NATIXIS
	By:	/s/ Daniel Payer
	Name:	Daniel Payer
	Title:	Managing Director
	By:	/s/ Timothy L. Polvado
	Name:	Timothy L. Polvado
	Title:	Senior Managing Director

Signature Page to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement

CO-SYNDICATION AGENT
and LENDER:
	REGIONS BANK
	By:	/s/ William A. Philipp
	Name:	William A. Philipp
	Title:	Senior Vice President

Signature Page to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement

CO-DOCUMENTATION AGENT
and LENDER:
	THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA
	By:	/s/ Terry Donovan
	Name:	Terry Donovan
	Title:	Managing Director

Signature Page to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement

CO-DOCUMENTATION AGENT
and LENDER:
	KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
	By:	/s/ Chulley Bogle
	Name:	Chulley Bogle
	Title:	Vice President

Signature Page to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement

LENDER:	CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
	By:	/s/ Doreen Barr
	Name:	Doreen Barr
	Title:	Director
	By:	/s/ Michael D. Spaight
	Name:	Michael D. Spaight
	Title:	Associate

Signature Page to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement

LENDER:
	IBERIABANK
	By:	/s/ Cameron D. Jones
	Name:	Cameron D. Jones
	Title:	Vice President

Signature Page to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement

LENDER:
	WHITNEY BANK
	By:	/s/ Liana Tchernysheva
	Name:	Liana Tchernysheva
	Title:	Senior Vice President

Signature Page to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement

LENDER:
	ING CAPITAL LLC
	By:	/s/ Charles Hall
	Name:	Charles Hall
	Title:	Managing Director

Signature Page to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement

ANNEX I

LIST OF MAXIMUM CREDIT AMOUNTS

Name of Lender	Applicable Percentage			Maximum Credit Amount
Bank of Montreal		11.764705882352900	%	$	88,235,294.12
Capital One, National Association		11.411764705882400	%	$	85,588,235.29
Natixis		11.411764705882400	%	$	85,588,235.29
Regions Bank		11.411764705882400	%	$	85,588,235.29
The Bank of Nova Scotia		11.411764705882400	%	$	85,588,235.29
KeyBank National Association		11.411764705882400	%	$	85,588,235.29
Credit Suisse AG, Cayman Islands Branch		11.176470588235300	%	$	83,823,529.41
IberiaBank		7.058823529411760	%	$	52,941,176.47
Whitney Bank		7.058823529411760	%	$	52,941,176.47
ING Capital LLC		5.882352941176470	%	$	44,117,647.06
TOTAL		100.000000000000000	%	$	750,000,000.00

Annex I to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement