EXHIBIT 5.1
houston
washington, d.c.
austin
san antonio
dallas
new york
telephone: FULBRIGHT & JAWORSKI L.L.P. los angeles
713/651-5151 A Registered Limited Liability Partnership minneapolis
facsimile: 1301 McKinney, Suite 5100 london
713/651-5246 Houston, Texas 77010-3095 hong kong
January 7, 2002
Tesoro Petroleum Corporation
300 Concord Plaza Drive
San Antonio, Texas 78216-6999
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel to Tesoro Petroleum Corporation, a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), and the subsidiaries listed on Schedule I hereto
(collectively, the "Guarantors") in connection with the execution and delivery
by the Company and the Guarantors of the Indenture dated as of November 6, 2001
(the "Indenture"), among the Company, the Guarantors and U.S. Bank Trust
National Association, as trustee (the "Trustee"), and the issuance thereunder of
$215,000,000 principal amount of the Company's 9 5/8% Senior Subordinated Notes
due 2008, Series B (the "Series B Notes") in exchange for an equivalent
principal amount of its outstanding 9 5/8% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2008
(the "Original Notes"). The terms of the offer to exchange the Series B Notes
for the Original Notes (the "Exchange Offer") are described in the Registration
Statement on Form S-4, Registration No. 333-75056, as amended, filed by the
Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Registration
Statement") for the registration of the Series B Notes under the Securities Act
of 1933. The guarantees of the Guarantors with respect to the Series B Notes are
collectively referred to herein as the "Guarantees" and each a "Guarantee".
In connection with the foregoing, we have examined originals or copies of
such corporate records, as applicable, of the Company and the Guarantors,
certificates and other communications of public officials, certificates of
officers of the Company and the Guarantors and such other documents as we have
deemed necessary for the purpose of rendering the opinions expressed herein. As
to questions of fact material to those opinions, we have, to the extent we
deemed appropriate, relied on certificates of officers of the Company and the
Guarantors and on certificates and other communications of public officials. We
have assumed the genuineness of all signatures on, and the authenticity of, all
documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to authentic original
documents of all documents submitted to us as copies, the due authorization,
execution and delivery by the parties thereto of all documents examined by us,
and the legal capacity of each individual who signed any of those documents.
Based upon the foregoing, and having regard for such legal considerations
as we deem relevant, we are of the opinion that the Series B Notes and
Guarantees have been duly authorized for issuance and, when the Registration
Statement has become effective under the 1933 Act and the Series B Notes and the
Guarantees have been duly executed and authorized in accordance with the
Indenture and the Series B Notes have been issued and sold in exchange for the
Original
Tesoro Petroleum Corporation
January 7, 2002
Page 2
Notes as contemplated by the Registration Statement and in accordance with the
Exchange Offer, the Series B Notes will constitute valid and legally binding
obligations of the Company and each Guaranty will constitute a valid and legally
binding obligation of its respective Guarantor, subject to (a) bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, liquidation, rearrangement, fraudulent
transfer, fraudulent conveyance and other similar laws (including court
decisions) now or hereafter in effect and affecting the rights and remedies of
creditors generally or providing for the relief of debtors, (b) the refusal of a
particular court to grant (i) equitable remedies, including, without limiting
the generality of the foregoing, specific performance and injunctive relief or
(ii) a particular remedy sought under such documents as opposed to another
remedy provided for therein or another remedy available at law or in equity, (c)
general principles of equity (regardless of whether such remedies are sought in
a proceeding in equity or at law) and (d) judicial discretion.
This opinion is expressly limited by, subject to and based upon the
assumptions, exceptions, limitations and qualifications set forth below:
A. We express no opinion as to the legality, validity,
enforceability or binding effect of provisions relating to indemnities and
rights of contribution to the extent prohibited by public policy or which
might require indemnification for losses or expenses caused by negligence,
gross negligence, willful misconduct, fraud or illegality of an
indemnified party.
B. This opinion is given as of the date hereof, and we assume no
obligation to update or supplement this opinion to reflect any facts or
circumstances which may hereafter come to our attention or any changes in
laws which may hereafter occur.
The opinions expressed herein are limited exclusively to the federal laws
of the United States of America, the laws of the States of New York, Texas and
California and the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, and we are
expressing no opinion as to the effect of the laws of any other jurisdiction. To
the extent that any of the Guarantors are incorporated under the laws of another
jurisdiction, we have assumed the following: (i) that such Guarantor has been
duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing
under the laws of its state of incorporation; (ii) that each of the Indenture
and the Guarantees have been duly authorized by it, the Indenture has been duly
executed by it and it has full corporate power and authority to enter into each
of such agreements; and (iii) no consent, approval, authorization or order of
any court or governmental agency or body of its state of incorporation is
required of it for the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the
Indenture or Guarantees.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement and to the statements made with respect to under the
caption "Legal Matters" in the Prospectus included as part of the Registration
Statement.
Very truly yours,
/s/ FULBRIGHT & JAWORSKI L.L.P.
SCHEDULE I
Digicomp, Inc., a Delaware corporation
Far East Maritime Company, a Delaware corporation
Gold Star Maritime Company, a Delaware corporation
Kenai Pipe Line Company, a Delaware corporation
Smiley's Super Service, Inc., a Hawaii corporation
Tesoro Alaska Company, a Delaware corporation
Tesoro Alaska Pipeline Company, a Delaware corporation
Tesoro Aviation Company, a Delaware corporation
Tesoro Financial Services Holding Company, a Delaware corporation
Tesoro Gas Resources Company, Inc., a Delaware corporation
Tesoro Hawaii Corporation, a Hawaii corporation
Tesoro High Plains Pipeline Company, a Delaware corporation
Tesoro Marine Services Holding Company, a Delaware corporation
Tesoro Marine Services, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company
Tesoro Maritime Company, a Delaware corporation
Tesoro Maritime Company, a Delaware corporation
Tesoro Northstore Company, an Alaska corporation
Tesoro Petroleum Companies, Inc., a Delaware corporation
Tesoro Refining and Marketing Company, a Delaware corporation
Tesoro South Pacific Petroleum Company, a California corporation
Tesoro Technology Company, a Delaware corporation
Tesoro Vostock Company, a Delaware corporation
Tesoro Finance Company, a Delaware corporation