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EXHIBIT 1.1
CONOCO INC.
DEBT SECURITIES
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
1. Introductory. Conoco Inc., a Delaware corporation ("COMPANY"),
proposes to issue and sell from time to time certain of its unsecured debt
securities registered under the registration statement referred to in Section
2(a) ("REGISTERED SECURITIES"). The Registered Securities will be issued under
an indenture, dated as of April 15, 1999 ("INDENTURE"), between the Company and
Bank One, N.A., as Trustee, in one or more series, which series may vary as to
interest rates, maturities, redemption provisions, selling prices and other
terms, with all such terms for any particular series of the Registered
Securities being determined at the time of sale. Particular series of the
Registered Securities will be sold pursuant to a Terms Agreement referred to in
Section 3, for resale in accordance with terms of offering determined at the
time of sale.
The Registered Securities involved in any such offering are hereinafter
referred to as the "OFFERED SECURITIES". The firm or firms which agree to
purchase the Offered Securities are hereinafter referred to as the
"UNDERWRITERS" of such securities, and the representative or representatives of
the Underwriters, if any, specified in a Terms Agreement referred to in Section
3 are hereinafter referred to as the "REPRESENTATIVES"; provided, however, that
if the Terms Agreement does not specify any representative of the Underwriters,
the term "Representatives", as used in this Agreement (other than in Sections
2(b), 5(c) and 6 and the second sentence of Section 3), shall mean the
Underwriters.
2. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company, as of
the date of each Terms Agreement referred to in Section 3, represents and
warrants to, and agrees with, each Underwriter that:
(a) A registration statement (Nos. 333-69198 and
333-69198-01), including a prospectus, relating to the Registered
Securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
("COMMISSION") and has become effective. Such registration statement,
as amended at the time of any Terms Agreement referred to in Section 3
and including any documents incorporated by reference, is hereinafter
referred to as the "REGISTRATION STATEMENT", and the prospectus
included in such Registration Statement, as supplemented as
contemplated by Section 3 to reflect the terms of the Offered
Securities and the terms of offering thereof, as first filed with the
Commission pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 424(b) ("RULE
424(b)") under the Securities Act of 1933 ("ACT"), including all
material incorporated by reference therein, is hereinafter referred to
as the "PROSPECTUS". No document has been or will be prepared or
distributed in reliance on Rule 434 under the Act.
(b) On the effective date of the registration statement
relating to the Registered Securities, such registration statement
conformed in all respects to the requirements of the Act, the Trust
Indenture Act of 1939 ("TRUST INDENTURE
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ACT") and the rules and regulations of the Commission ("RULES AND
REGULATIONS") and did not include any untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and on the
date of each Terms Agreement referred to in Section 3, the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus will conform in all respects to the
requirements of the Act, the Trust Indenture Act and the Rules and
Regulations, and neither of such documents will include any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, except that the foregoing does not apply to
statements in or omissions from any of such documents based upon
written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through
the Representatives, if any, specifically for use therein.
3. Purchase and Offering of Offered Securities. The obligation of the
Underwriters to purchase the Offered Securities will be evidenced by an
agreement or exchange of other written communications ("TERMS AGREEMENT") at the
time the Company determines to sell the Offered Securities. The Terms Agreement
will incorporate by reference the provisions of this Agreement, except as
otherwise provided therein, and will specify the firm or firms which will be
Underwriters, the names of any Representatives, the principal amount of the
Offered Securities to be purchased by each Underwriter, the purchase price to be
paid by the Underwriters and the terms of the Offered Securities not already
specified in the Indenture, including, but not limited to, interest rate,
maturity, any redemption provisions and any sinking fund requirements. The Terms
Agreement will also specify the time and date of delivery and payment (such time
and date, or such other time not later than seven full business days thereafter
as the Representatives and the Company agree as the time for payment and
delivery, being herein and in the Terms Agreement referred to as the "CLOSING
DATE"), the place of delivery and payment and any details of the terms of
offering that should be reflected in the prospectus supplement relating to the
offering of the Offered Securities. For purposes of Rule 15c6-1 under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Closing Date (if later than the otherwise
applicable settlement date) shall be the date for payment of funds and delivery
of securities for all the Offered Securities sold pursuant to the offering. The
obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Offered Securities will be
several and not joint. It is understood that the Underwriters propose to offer
the Offered Securities for sale as set forth in the Prospectus.
If the Terms Agreement specifies "Book-Entry Only" settlement or
otherwise states that the provisions of this paragraph shall apply, the Company
will deliver against payment of the purchase price the Offered Securities in the
form of one or more permanent global securities in definitive form (the "GLOBAL
SECURITIES") deposited with the Trustee as custodian for The Depository Trust
Company ("DTC") and registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee for DTC.
Interests in any permanent global securities will be held only in book-entry
form through DTC, except in the limited circumstances described in the
Prospectus. Payment for the Offered Securities shall be made by the Underwriters
in Federal (same day) funds by official check or checks or wire transfer to an
account previously designated by the Company at a bank acceptable to the
Representatives, in each case drawn to the order of the Company at the place of
payment specified in the Terms Agreement on the Closing Date, against delivery
to the Trustee as custodian for DTC of the Global Securities representing all of
the Offered Securities.
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4. Certain Agreements of the Company. The Company agrees with the
several Underwriters that it will furnish to counsel for the Underwriters one
signed copy of the registration statement relating to the Registered Securities,
including all exhibits, in the form it became effective and of all amendments
thereto and that, in connection with each offering of Offered Securities:
(a) The Company will file the Prospectus with the Commission
pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 424(b)(2) (or, if applicable
and if consented to by the Representatives, subparagraph (5)) not later
than the second business day following the execution and delivery of
the Terms Agreement.
(b) The Company will advise the Representatives promptly of
any proposal to amend or supplement the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus and will afford the Representatives a reasonable opportunity
to comment on any such proposed amendment or supplement; and the
Company will also advise the Representatives promptly of the filing of
any such amendment or supplement and of the institution by the
Commission of any stop order proceedings in respect of the Registration
Statement or of any part thereof and will use its best efforts to
prevent the issuance of any such stop order and to obtain as soon as
possible its lifting, if issued.
(c) If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the Offered
Securities is required to be delivered under the Act in connection with
sales by any Underwriter or dealer, any event occurs as a result of
which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact
necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or if it is
necessary at any time to amend the Prospectus to comply with the Act,
the Company promptly will notify the Representatives of such event and
will promptly prepare and file with the Commission, at its own expense,
an amendment or supplement that will correct such statement or omission
or an amendment that will effect such compliance. The terms
"supplement" and "amendment" as used in this Agreement include, without
limitation, all documents filed by the Company with the Commission
subsequent to the date of the Prospectus that are deemed to be
incorporated by reference in the Prospectus. Neither the
Representatives' consent to, nor the Underwriters' delivery of, any
such amendment or supplement shall constitute a waiver of any of the
conditions set forth in Section 5 hereof.
(d) As soon as practicable, but not later than 16 months,
after the date of each Terms Agreement, the Company will make generally
available to its security holders an earnings statement covering a
period of at least 12 months beginning after the latest of (i) the
effective date of the registration statement relating to the Registered
Securities, (ii) the effective date of the most recent post-effective
amendment to the Registration Statement to become effective prior to
the date of such Terms Agreement and (iii) the date of the Company's
most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Commission prior
to the date of such Terms Agreement, which will satisfy the provisions
of Section 11(a) of the Act.
(e) The Company will furnish to the Representatives copies of
the Registration Statement, including all exhibits, any related
preliminary prospectus,
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any related preliminary prospectus supplement, the Prospectus and all
amendments and supplements to such documents, in each case as soon as
available and in such quantities as the Representatives reasonably
request.
(f) The Company will arrange for the qualification of the
Offered Securities for sale and the determination of their eligibility
for investment under the laws of such jurisdictions as the
Representatives designate and will continue such qualifications in
effect so long as required for the distribution; provided, however,
that the Company will not be required in connection therewith to
register or qualify as a foreign corporation where it is not now so
qualified or to execute a general consent to service of process in any
jurisdiction or subject itself to taxation in any jurisdiction where it
is not now so subject.
(g) During the period of five years after the date of any
Terms Agreement, the Company will furnish to the Representatives and,
upon request, to each of the other Underwriters, if any, as soon as
practicable after the end of each fiscal year, a copy of its annual
report to stockholders for such year; and the Company will furnish to
the Representatives (i) as soon as available, a copy of each report
(other than a report on Form 11-K) and any definitive proxy statement
of the Company filed with the Commission under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 or mailed to stockholders, and (ii) from time to time, such
other information concerning the Company as the Representatives may
reasonably request in connection with the offering of the Offered
Securities.
(h) The Company will pay all expenses incident to the
performance of its obligations under the Terms Agreement (including the
provisions of this Agreement), for any filing fees or other expenses
(including fees and disbursements of counsel) in connection with
qualification of the Registered Securities for sale and determination
of their eligibility for investment under the laws of such
jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate and the printing of
memoranda relating thereto, for any fees charged by investment rating
agencies for the rating of the Offered Securities, for any applicable
filing fee incident to, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of
counsel for the Underwriters in connection with, the review by the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. of the Registered
Securities, for any travel expenses of the Company's officers and
employees and any other expenses of the Company in connection with
attending or hosting meetings with prospective purchasers of Registered
Securities and for expenses incurred in preparing, printing and
distributing the Prospectus, any preliminary prospectuses, any
preliminary prospectus supplements or any other amendments or
supplements to the Prospectus to the Underwriters.
(i) The Company will not offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge
or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, or file with the
Commission a registration statement under the Act relating to United
States dollar-denominated debt securities issued or guaranteed by the
Company and having a maturity of more than one year from the date of
issue, or publicly disclose the intention to make any such offer, sale,
pledge, disposition or filing, without the prior written consent of the
Representatives for a period beginning at the time of execution of the
Terms Agreement and ending the number of days after the Closing Date
specified under "Blackout" in the Terms Agreement; provided, however,
that this Section 4(i) shall not prohibit Conoco Funding Company from
offering, selling, contracting to
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sell or otherwise disposing of, or from publicly disclosing the
intention to make any such offer, sale or disposition of, up to
$3,500,000,000 principal amount of its debt securities fully and
unconditionally guaranteed by the Company.
5. Conditions of the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations
of the several Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Offered Securities will
be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of
the Company herein, to the accuracy of the statements of Company officers made
pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its
obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions precedent:
(a) On or prior to the date of the Terms Agreement, the
Representatives, on behalf of the Underwriters, shall have received a
letter, dated the date of delivery thereof, of PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP confirming that they are independent public accountants within the
meaning of the Act and the applicable published Rules and Regulations
thereunder and stating to the effect that:
(i) in their opinion the financial statements and any
schedules audited by them and incorporated by reference in the
Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects with the
applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the related
published Rules and Regulations;
(ii) they have performed the procedures specified by
the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants for a
review of interim financial information as described in
Statement of Auditing Standards No. 71, Interim Financial
Information, on any unaudited financial statements included in
the Registration Statement;
(iii) on the basis of the review referred to in
clause (ii) above, a reading of the latest available interim
financial statements of the Company, inquiries of officials of
the Company who have responsibility for financial and
accounting matters and other specified procedures, nothing
came to their attention that caused them to believe that:
(A) the unaudited financial statements, if
any, included in the Prospectus do not comply as to
form in all material respects with the applicable
accounting requirements of the Act and the related
published Rules and Regulations or any material
modifications should be made to such unaudited
financial statements for them to be in conformity
with generally accepted accounting principles;
(B) if any unaudited "capsule" information
is contained in the Prospectus, the unaudited
consolidated total revenues, net income and net
income per share amounts or other amounts
constituting such "capsule" information and described
in such letter do not agree with the corresponding
amounts set forth in the unaudited consolidated
financial statements or were not determined on a
basis substantially consistent with that of the
corresponding amounts in the audited statements of
income;
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(C) at the date of the latest available
balance sheet read by such accountants, or at a
subsequent specified date not more than three
business days prior to the date of the such letter,
there was any change in the capital stock or any
increase in short-term indebtedness or long-term debt
of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries or,
at the date of the latest available balance sheet
read by such accountants, there was any decrease in
consolidated net current assets (working capital) or
stockholders' equity, as compared with amounts shown
on the latest balance sheet included in the
Prospectus; or
(D) for the period from the closing date of
the latest income statement included in the
Prospectus to the closing date of the latest
available income statement read by such accountants
there were any decreases, as compared with the
corresponding period of the previous year and with
the period of corresponding length ended the date of
the latest income statement included in the
Prospectus, in consolidated total revenues or net
income;
except in all cases set forth in clauses (C) and (D)
above for changes, increases or decreases which the
Prospectus discloses have occurred or may occur or
which are described in such letter;
(iv) they have compared specified dollar amounts (or
percentages derived from such dollar amounts) and other
financial information contained in the Prospectus (in each
case to the extent that such dollar amounts, percentages and
other financial information are derived from the general
accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries subject
to the internal controls of the Company's accounting system or
are derived directly from such records by analysis or
computation) with the results obtained from inquiries, a
reading of such general accounting records and other
procedures specified in such letter and have found such dollar
amounts, percentages and other financial information to be in
agreement with such results, except as otherwise specified in
such letter; and
(v) they have read any pro forma financial
information which is included in the Prospectus and performed
the additional procedures suggested by Example D of Statement
of Auditing Standards No. 72.
All financial statements and schedules included in material
incorporated by reference into the Prospectus shall be deemed included
in the Prospectus for purposes of this subsection.
(b) On or prior to the date of the Terms Agreement, the
Representatives, on behalf of the Underwriters, shall have received a
letter, dated the date of delivery thereof, of Ernst & Young LLP
confirming that they are independent public accountants within the
meaning of the Act and the applicable published Rules and Regulations
thereunder and stating to the effect as outlined in Section 5(a) above,
except relating to the consolidated financial statements of Gulf Canada
Resources Limited as of December 31, 2000 and 1999 and as of June
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30, 2001, to each of the three years in the period ended December 31,
2000 and to the three months and six months ended June 30, 2001 and
2000.
(c) The Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission
in accordance with the Rules and Regulations and Section 4(a) of this
Agreement. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement or of any part thereof shall have been issued
and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or, to
the knowledge of the Company or any Underwriter, shall be contemplated
by the Commission.
(d) Subsequent to the execution of the Terms Agreement, there
shall not have occurred (i) any change, or any development or event
involving a prospective change, in the condition (financial or other),
business, properties or results of operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries taken as one enterprise which, in the judgment of a
majority in interest of the Underwriters including any Representatives,
is material and adverse and makes it impractical or inadvisable to
proceed with completion of the public offering or the sale of and
payment for the Offered Securities; (ii) any downgrading in the rating
of any debt securities of the Company by any "nationally recognized
statistical rating organization" (as defined for purposes of Rule
436(g) under the Act), or any public announcement that any such
organization has under surveillance or review its rating of any debt
securities of the Company (other than an announcement with positive
implications of a possible upgrading, and no implication of a possible
downgrading, of such rating); (iii) any material suspension or material
limitation of trading in securities generally on the New York Stock
Exchange, or any setting of minimum prices for trading on such exchange
or any suspension of trading of any securities of the Company on any
exchange or in the over-the-counter market; (iv) any banking moratorium
declared by U.S. Federal or New York authorities; or (v) any outbreak
or escalation of major hostilities in which the United States is
involved, any declaration of war by Congress or any other substantial
national or international calamity or emergency if, in the judgment of
a majority in interest of the Underwriters including any
Representatives, the effect of any such outbreak, escalation,
declaration, calamity or emergency makes it impractical or inadvisable
to proceed with completion of the public offering or the sale of and
payment for the Offered Securities.
(e) The Representatives, on behalf of the Underwriters, shall
have received an opinion, dated the Closing Date, of Baker Botts
L.L.P., counsel for the Company, to the effect that:
(i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is an
existing corporation in good standing under the laws of the
State of Delaware, with corporate power and authority to own
its properties and conduct its business as described in the
Prospectus;
(ii) The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed
and delivered by the Company and has been duly qualified under
the Trust Indenture Act; the Offered Securities have been duly
authorized, executed, authenticated, issued and delivered; the
Indenture and the Offered Securities are valid and legally
binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the
Company in accordance with their terms, except to
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the extent such enforceability may be limited by applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization,
moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating
to or affecting creditors' rights and to general principles of
equity (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at
law); and the Offered Securities conform in all material
respects to the description thereof contained in the
Prospectus;
(iii) No consent, approval, authorization or order
of, or filing with, any governmental agency or body or any
court is required under the Delaware General Corporation Law,
the laws of the State of Texas or the federal laws of the
United States for the consummation of the transactions
contemplated by the Terms Agreement (including the provisions
of this Agreement) in connection with the issuance or sale of
the Offered Securities by the Company, except such as have
been obtained and made under the Act and the Trust Indenture
Act and such as may be required under state securities laws;
(iv) The execution, delivery and performance by the
Company of the Indenture, the Terms Agreement (including the
provisions of this Agreement) and the issuance and sale of the
Offered Securities and compliance with the terms and
provisions thereof will not result in a breach or violation of
any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default
under, the Delaware General Corporation Law, the laws of the
State of Texas or the federal laws of the United States, and
the Company has all necessary corporate power and authority to
authorize, issue and sell the Offered Securities as
contemplated by the Terms Agreement (including the provisions
of this Agreement);
(v) The Registration Statement has become effective
under the Act, the Prospectus was filed with the Commission
pursuant to the subparagraph of Rule 424(b) specified in such
opinion on the date specified therein, and, to the knowledge
of such counsel, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of
the Registration Statement or any part thereof has been issued
and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or
are pending or threatened under the Act, and the registration
statement relating to the Registered Securities, as of its
effective date, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus,
as of the date of the Terms Agreement, and any amendment or
supplement thereto, as of its date (in each case, other than
the financial statements and schedules, the notes thereto and
the auditor's reports thereon, the other financial, reserve
engineering, numerical, statistical and accounting data
included or incorporated by reference therein, or omitted
therefrom, as to which such counsel need not comment), appear
on their face to comply as to form in all material respects
with the requirements of the Act, the Trust Indenture Act and
the Rules and Regulations; and
(vi) The Terms Agreement (including the provisions of
this Agreement) has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the Company.
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Such counsel shall also state that such counsel has
participated in conferences with officers and other representatives of
the Company, representatives of the independent public accountants of
the Company, representatives of the Underwriters and counsel to the
Underwriters at which the contents of the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus were discussed and, although such counsel did not
independently verify such information and is not passing upon and does
not assume any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or
fairness of the statements contained in the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus, on the basis of the foregoing (relying as to
materiality in part upon statements of officers and other
representatives of the Company) no facts came to such counsel's
attention that led such counsel to believe that the Registration
Statement (other than the financial statements and schedules, the notes
thereto and the auditor's reports thereon, the other financial, reserve
engineering, numerical, statistical and accounting data included or
incorporated by reference therein, or omitted therefrom, and the
exhibits thereto, as to which such counsel need not comment) as of its
effective date contained an untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading, or
that the Prospectus (other than the financial statements, the notes
thereto and the auditors's report thereon and the other financial,
reserve engineering, numerical, statistical and accounting data
included or incorporated by reference therein, or omitted therefrom, as
to which such counsel need not comment) as of its issue date or as of
the Closing Date included an untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading.
(f) The Representatives, on behalf of the Underwriters, shall
have received an opinion, dated the Closing Date, of Wayne C. Byers,
Esq., senior counsel for the Company, to the effect that:
(i) The Company is duly qualified to do business as a
foreign corporation in good standing in all jurisdictions in
which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its
business requires such qualification, except to the extent
that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing
would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and
its subsidiaries, taken as whole;
(ii) Each Material Subsidiary of the Company (as
defined in the Terms Agreement) has been duly incorporated or
organized, is validly existing as a corporation or partnership
in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its
organization, has the corporate or partnership power and
authority to own its property and to conduct its business as
described in the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact
business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which
the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of
property requires such qualification, except to the extent
that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing
would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and
its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; all of the issued shares
of capital stock of each Material Subsidiary of the Company
have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully
paid and non-assessable; except as set forth in the Terms
Agreement, all of the issued shares of capital stock of each
Material
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Subsidiary and all partnership interests in any Material
Subsidiary, where applicable, are owned directly or indirectly
by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances,
equities or claims;
(iii) The execution, delivery and performance of the
Indenture, the Terms Agreement (including the provisions of
this Agreement) and the issuance and sale of the Offered
Securities and compliance with the terms and provisions
thereof will not result in a breach or violation of any of the
terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, any
agreement or instrument to which the Company or any Material
Subsidiary is a party or by which the Company or any Material
Subsidiary is bound or to which any of the properties of the
Company or any Material Subsidiary is subject that is material
to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or the
charter or by-laws of the Company;
(iv) The descriptions in the Registration Statement
and Prospectus of statutes, legal and governmental proceedings
and contracts and other documents are accurate in all material
respects and fairly present the information required to be
shown; and
(v) Such counsel does not know of any legal or
governmental proceedings pending or threatened to which the
Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any
of the properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is
subject that, in such counsel's judgment, are required to be
described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and
are not so described or of any statutes, regulations,
contracts or other documents that are required to be described
in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed
as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not
described or filed as required.
Such counsel shall also state that such counsel has
participated in conferences with officers and other representatives of
the Company, representatives of the independent public accountants of
the Company, representatives of the Underwriters and counsel to the
Underwriters at which the contents of the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus were discussed and, although such counsel did not
independently verify such information and is not passing upon and does
not assume any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or
fairness of the statements contained in the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus other than those referenced in paragraph (iv) above, on
the basis of the foregoing no facts came to such counsel's attention
that led such counsel to believe that the Registration Statement (other
than the financial statements and schedules, the notes thereto and the
auditor's reports thereon, the other financial, reserve engineering,
numerical, statistical and accounting data included or incorporated by
reference therein, or omitted therefrom, and the exhibits thereto, as
to which such counsel need express no belief) as of its effective date
contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to
make the statements therein not misleading, or that the Prospectus
(other than the financial statements, the notes thereto and the
auditors's report thereon and the other financial, reserve engineering,
numerical, statistical and accounting data included or incorporated by
reference therein, or omitted therefrom, as to which such
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counsel need express no belief) as of its issue date or as of the
Closing Date included an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted
to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading.
(g) The Representatives, on behalf of the Underwriters, shall
have received from Cravath, Swaine & Moore, counsel for the
Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated the Closing Date, with
respect to the incorporation of the Company, the validity of the
Offered Securities, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and
other related matters as the Representatives may require, and the
Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they
request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.
(h) The Representatives, on behalf of the Underwriters, shall
have received a certificate, dated the Closing Date, of the President
or any Vice President and a principal financial or accounting officer
of the Company in which such officers, to the best of their knowledge
after reasonable investigation, shall state that the representations
and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct,
that the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all
conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or
prior to the Closing Date, that no stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any part thereof has
been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or
are contemplated by the Commission and that, subsequent to the date of
the most recent financial statements in the Prospectus, there has been
no material adverse change, nor any development or event involving a
prospective material adverse change, in the condition (financial or
other), business, properties or results of operations of the Company
and its subsidiaries taken as a whole except as set forth in or
contemplated by the Prospectus or as described in such certificate.
(i) The Representatives, on behalf of the Underwriters, shall
have received a letter, dated the Closing Date, of
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP which meets the requirements of subsection
(a) of this Section, except that the specified date referred to in such
subsection will be a date not more than three days prior to the Closing
Date for the purposes of this subsection.
The Company will furnish the Representatives with such conformed copies of such
opinions, certificates, letters and documents as the Representatives reasonably
request. The Representatives may in their sole discretion waive on behalf of the
Underwriters compliance with any conditions to the obligations of the
Underwriters under this Agreement and the Terms Agreement.
6. Indemnification and Contribution. (a) The Company will indemnify and
hold harmless each Underwriter, its partners, directors and officers and each
person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15
of the Act, against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or
several, to which such Underwriter may become subject, under the Act or
otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in
respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of any material fact contained in the Registration Statement,
the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any related
preliminary prospectus or preliminary prospectus supplement, or arise out of or
are based
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upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,
and will reimburse each Underwriter for any legal or other expenses reasonably
incurred by such Underwriter in connection with investigating or defending any
such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as such expenses are incurred;
provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the
extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based
upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement in or omission or alleged
omission from any of such documents in reliance upon and in conformity with
written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the
Representatives, if any, specifically for use therein, it being understood and
agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of
the information described as such in the Terms Agreement; and provided, further,
that with respect to any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement in or
omission or alleged omission from any preliminary prospectus or preliminary
prospectus supplement the indemnity agreement contained in this subsection (a)
shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter from whom the person asserting
any such losses, claims, damages or liabilities purchased the Offered Securities
concerned, to the extent that a prospectus supplement relating to such Offered
Securities was required to be delivered by such Underwriter under the Act in
connection with such purchase and any such loss, claim, damage or liability of
such Underwriter results from the fact that there was not sent or given to such
person, at or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of such Offered
Securities to such person, a copy of the Prospectus (exclusive of material
incorporated by reference) if the Company had previously furnished copies
thereof to such Underwriter.
(b) Each Underwriter will severally and not jointly indemnify and hold
harmless the Company, its directors and officers and each person, if any, who
controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act, against any
losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company may become subject,
under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in
the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement
thereto, or any related preliminary prospectus or preliminary prospectus
supplement, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or the alleged
omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the
extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter
through the Representatives, if any, specifically for use therein, and will
reimburse any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in
connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage,
liability or action as such expenses are incurred, it being understood and
agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of
the information described as such in the Terms Agreement.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section
of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a
claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under
subsection (a) or (b) above, notify the indemnifying party of the commencement
thereof; but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party will not relieve
it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party otherwise than
under subsection (a) or (b) above. In case any such action is brought against
any indemnified party and it notifies the indemnifying party of
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the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate
therein and, to the extent that it may wish, jointly with any other indemnifying
party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel
satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent
of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and after
notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so
to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such
indemnified party under this Section for any legal or other expenses
subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense
thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. No indemnifying party
shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any
settlement of any pending or threatened action in respect of which any
indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been
sought hereunder by such indemnified party unless such settlement (i) includes
an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on any
claims that are the subject matter of such action and (ii) does not include a
statement as to, or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or
on behalf of an indemnified party.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section is unavailable
or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or
(b) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or
payable by such indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or
liabilities referred to in subsection (a) or (b) above (i) in such proportion as
is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the
one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Offered
Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not
permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not
only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative
fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in
connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities as well as any other relevant equitable
considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand
and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion
as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received
by the Company bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received
by the Underwriters. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to,
among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material
fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to
information supplied by the Company or the Underwriters and the parties'
relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or
prevent such untrue statement or omission. The amount paid by an indemnified
party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in
the first sentence of this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal
or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection
with investigating or defending any action or claim which is the subject of this
subsection (d). Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), no
Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount
by which the total price at which the Offered Securities underwritten by it and
distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any
damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of
such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No
person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section
11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not
guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters' obligations in
this subsection (d) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective
underwriting obligations and not joint.
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(e) The obligations of the Company under this Section shall be in
addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have and shall extend,
upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who controls any
Underwriter within the meaning of the Act; and the obligations of the
Underwriters under this Section shall be in addition to any liability which the
respective Underwriters may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms
and conditions, to each director of the Company, to each officer of the Company
who has signed the Registration Statement and to each person, if any, who
controls the Company within the meaning of the Act.
7. Default of Underwriters. If any Underwriter or Underwriters default
in their obligations to purchase Offered Securities under the Terms Agreement
and the aggregate principal amount of Offered Securities that such defaulting
Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase does not exceed 10% of
the total principal amount of Offered Securities, the Representatives may make
arrangements satisfactory to the Company for the purchase of such Offered
Securities by other persons, including any of the Underwriters, but if no such
arrangements are made by the Closing Date, the non- defaulting Underwriters
shall be obligated severally, in proportion to their respective commitments
under the Terms Agreement (including the provisions of this Agreement), to
purchase the Offered Securities that such defaulting Underwriters agreed but
failed to purchase. If any Underwriter or Underwriters so default and the
aggregate principal amount of Offered Securities with respect to which such
default or defaults occur exceeds 10% of the total principal amount of Offered
Securities and arrangements satisfactory to the Representatives and the Company
for the purchase of such Offered Securities by other persons are not made within
36 hours after such default, the Terms Agreement will terminate without
liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter, or the Company, except
as provided in Section 8. As used in this Agreement, the term "Underwriter"
includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this Section. Nothing
herein will relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.
8. Survival of Certain Representations and Obligations. The respective
indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the
Company or its officers and of the several Underwriters set forth in or made
pursuant to the Terms Agreement (including the provisions of this Agreement)
will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation, or
statement as to the results thereof, made by or on behalf of any Underwriter,
the Company or any of their respective representatives, officers or directors or
any controlling person, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Offered
Securities. If the Terms Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 7 or if for
any reason the purchase of the Offered Securities by the Underwriters is not
consummated, the Company shall remain responsible for the expenses to be paid or
reimbursed by it pursuant to Section 4 and the respective obligations of the
Company and the Underwriters pursuant to Section 6 shall remain in effect. If
the purchase of the Offered Securities by the Underwriters is not consummated
for any reason other than solely because of the termination of the Terms
Agreement pursuant to Section 7 or the occurrence of any event specified in
clause (iii), (iv) or (v) of Section 5(c), the Company will reimburse the
Underwriters for all out-of-pocket expenses (including fees and disbursements of
counsel) reasonably incurred by them in connection with the offering of the
Offered Securities.
9. Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and, if
sent to the Underwriters, will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed and confirmed
to them at their address furnished to the Company in writing for the purpose of
communications
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hereunder or, if sent to the Company, will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed
and confirmed to it at 600 North Dairy Ashford, Houston, Texas 77079, Attention:
Chief Financial Officer.
10. Successors. The Terms Agreement (including the provisions of this
Agreement) will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Company and such
Underwriters as are identified in the Terms Agreement and their respective
successors and the officers and directors and controlling persons referred to in
Section 6, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.
11. Representation of Underwriters. Any Representatives will act for
the several Underwriters in connection with the financing described in the Terms
Agreement, and any action under such Terms Agreement (including the provisions
of this Agreement) taken by the Representatives will be binding upon all the
Underwriters.
12. Counterparts. The Terms Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such
counterparts shall together constitute one and the same Agreement.
13. APPLICABLE LAW. THIS AGREEMENT AND THE TERMS AGREEMENT SHALL BE
GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW
YORK, WITHOUT REGARD TO PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAWS.
The Company hereby submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the
Federal and state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York in
any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to the Terms Agreement
(including the provisions of this Agreement) or the transactions contemplated
thereby.