EXHIBIT 4.17
EXECUTION COPY
$50,000,000
CHESAPEAKE ENERGY CORPORATION
9% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2012
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
November 14, 2002
SALOMON SMITH BARNEY INC.
388 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10013
Dear Sirs:
Chesapeake Energy Corporation, an Oklahoma corporation (the "ISSUER"),
proposes to issue and sell to Salomon Smith Barney Inc. (the "INITIAL
PURCHASER"), upon the terms set forth in a purchase agreement dated November 6,
2002 (the "PURCHASE AGREEMENT"), $50,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its
9% Senior Notes due 2012 (the "INITIAL SECURITIES") to be initially guaranteed
(the "GUARANTEES") by The Ames Company, Inc., Chesapeake Acquisition
Corporation, Chesapeake Royalty Company, Nomac Drilling Corporation, Chesapeake
Energy Louisiana Corporation, Chesapeake Operating, Inc., Chesapeake Mountain
Front Corp., Gothic Energy Corporation, Gothic Production Corporation, Carmen
Acquisition Corp., SAP Acquisition Corp., Chesapeake KNAN Acquisition
Corporation, Chesapeake ENO Acquisition Corp., Chesapeake Beta Corp., Chesapeake
Delta Corp., Chesapeake Focus Corp., Chesapeake Exploration Limited Partnership,
Chesapeake Louisiana, L.P., Chesapeake Panhandle Limited Partnership,
Chesapeake-Staghorn Acquisition L.P. and Chesapeake Sigma, L.P. (the
"GUARANTORS" and, collectively with the Issuer, the "COMPANY"). The Initial
Securities will be issued as additional securities pursuant to the Indenture,
dated as of August 12, 2002 (the "INDENTURE"), among the Issuer, the Guarantors
named therein and The Bank of New York, as trustee (the "TRUSTEE"). As an
inducement to the Initial Purchaser to enter into the Purchase Agreement, the
Company agrees with the Initial Purchaser, for the benefit of the Initial
Purchaser and the holders of the Securities (as defined below) (collectively the
"HOLDERS"), as follows:
1. Registered Exchange Offer. Unless not permitted by applicable law
(after the Company has complied with the ultimate paragraph of this Section 1),
the Company shall prepare and, not later than 60 days (such 60th day being a
"FILING DEADLINE") after the date on which the Initial Purchaser purchases the
Initial Securities pursuant to the Purchase Agreement (the "CLOSING DATE"), file
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "COMMISSION") a registration
statement on an appropriate form under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
(the "SECURITIES ACT"), or amend an existing registration statement (each such
registration statement, an "EXCHANGE OFFER REGISTRATION STATEMENT"), with
respect to a proposed offer (the "REGISTERED EXCHANGE OFFER") to the Holders of
Transfer Restricted Securities (as defined in Section 6 hereof), who are not
prohibited by any law or policy of the Commission from participating in the
Registered Exchange Offer, to issue and deliver to such Holders, in exchange for
the Initial Securities, a like aggregate principal amount of debt securities of
the Company issued under the Indenture, identical in all material respects to
the Initial Securities and registered under the Securities Act (the "EXCHANGE
SECURITIES"). Each of the Issuer and the Guarantors shall use its best efforts
to (i) cause such Exchange Offer Registration Statement to become effective
under the Securities Act within 180 days after the Closing Date (such 180th
day being an "EFFECTIVENESS DEADLINE") and (ii) keep the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement effective for not less than 30 days (or longer, if
required by applicable law) after the date notice of the Registered Exchange
Offer is mailed to the Holders (such period being called the "EXCHANGE OFFER
REGISTRATION PERIOD").
If the Company commences the Registered Exchange Offer, each of the
Issuer and the Guarantors (i) shall use its best efforts to consummate the
Registered Exchange Offer on the earliest practicable date after the Exchange
Offer Registration Statement has become effective and (ii) will be required to
consummate the Registered Exchange Offer no later than 60 days after the date on
which the Exchange Offer Registration Statement is declared effective (such 60th
day being the "CONSUMMATION DEADLINE").
Following the declaration of the effectiveness of the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement, the Company shall promptly commence the Registered
Exchange Offer, it being the objective of such Registered Exchange Offer to
enable each Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities electing to exchange the
Initial Securities for Exchange Securities (assuming that such Holder is not an
affiliate of the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act, acquires the
Exchange Securities in the ordinary course of such Holder's business and has no
arrangements with any person to participate in the distribution of the Exchange
Securities and is not prohibited by any law or policy of the Commission from
participating in the Registered Exchange Offer) to trade such Exchange
Securities from and after their receipt without any limitations or restrictions
under the Securities Act and without material restrictions under the securities
laws of the several states of the United States.
The Company acknowledges that, pursuant to current interpretations by
the Commission's staff of Section 5 of the Securities Act, in the absence of an
applicable exemption therefrom, (i) each Holder which is a broker-dealer
electing to exchange Initial Securities, acquired for its own account as a
result of market making activities or other trading activities, for Exchange
Securities (an "EXCHANGING DEALER"), is required to deliver a prospectus
containing the information set forth in (a) Annex A hereto on the cover, (b)
Annex B hereto in the "Exchange Offer Procedures" section and the "Purpose of
the Exchange Offer" section and (c) Annex C hereto in the "Plan of Distribution"
section of such prospectus in connection with a sale of any such Exchange
Securities received by such Exchanging Dealer pursuant to the Registered
Exchange Offer and (ii) if the Initial Purchaser elects to sell Securities (as
defined below) acquired in exchange for Initial Securities constituting any
portion of an unsold allotment, the Initial Purchaser is required to deliver a
prospectus containing the information required by Items 507 or 508 of Regulation
S-K under the Securities Act, as applicable, in connection with such sale.
The Company shall use its best efforts to keep the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement effective and to amend and supplement the prospectus
contained therein, in order to permit such prospectus to be lawfully delivered
by all persons subject to the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities
Act for such period of time as such persons must comply with such requirements
in order to resell the Exchange Securities; provided, however, that (i) in the
case where such prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto must be
delivered by an Exchanging Dealer or the Initial Purchaser, such period shall be
the lesser of 180 days and the date on which all Exchanging Dealers and the
Initial Purchaser have sold all Exchange Securities held by them (unless such
period is extended pursuant to Section 3(j) below) and (ii) the Company shall
make such prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto available to any
broker-dealer for use in connection with any resale of any Exchange Securities
for a period of not less than 180 days after the consummation of the Registered
Exchange Offer.
If, upon consummation of the Registered Exchange Offer, the Initial
Purchaser holds Initial Securities acquired by it as part of its initial
distribution, the Company, simultaneously with the delivery of the Exchange
Securities pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer, shall issue and deliver to
the Initial Purchaser upon the written request of the Initial Purchaser, in
exchange (the "PRIVATE EXCHANGE") for the Initial Securities held by the Initial
Purchaser, a like principal amount of debt securities of the Company issued
under the Indenture and identical in all material respects to the Initial
Securities (the "PRIVATE
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EXCHANGE SECURITIES"). The Initial Securities, the Exchange Securities and the
Private Exchange Securities are herein collectively called the "SECURITIES".
In connection with the Registered Exchange Offer, the Company shall:
(a) mail to each Holder a copy of the prospectus forming part
of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, together with an
appropriate letter of transmittal and related documents;
(b) keep the Registered Exchange Offer open for the minimum
period required under applicable Federal and state securities laws,
which shall not be less than 30 days nor more than 60 days after the
date notice thereof is mailed to the Holders;
(c) utilize the services of a depositary for the Registered
Exchange Offer with an address in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of
New York, which may be the Trustee or an affiliate of the Trustee;
(d) permit Holders to withdraw tendered Securities at any time
prior to the close of business, New York time, on the last business day
on which the Registered Exchange Offer shall remain open; and
(e) otherwise comply with all applicable laws.
As soon as practicable after the close of the Registered Exchange Offer
or the Private Exchange, as the case may be, the Company shall:
(x) accept for exchange all the Securities validly tendered
and not withdrawn pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer and the
Private Exchange;
(y) deliver to the Trustee for cancellation all the Initial
Securities so accepted for exchange; and
(z) cause the Trustee to authenticate and deliver promptly to
each Holder of the Initial Securities, Exchange Securities or Private
Exchange Securities, as the case may be, equal in principal amount to
the Initial Securities of such Holder so accepted for exchange.
The Indenture provides that the Exchange Securities will not be subject
to the transfer restrictions set forth in the Indenture and that all the
Securities will vote and consent together on all matters as one class and that
none of the Securities will have the right to vote or consent as a class
separate from one another on any matter.
Interest on each Exchange Security and Private Exchange Security issued
pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer and in the Private Exchange will
accrue from the last interest payment date on which interest was paid on the
Initial Securities surrendered in exchange therefor or, if no interest has been
paid on the Initial Securities, from August 12, 2002.
Each Holder participating in the Registered Exchange Offer shall be
required to represent to the Company that at the time of the consummation of the
Registered Exchange Offer (i) any Exchange Securities received by such Holder
will be acquired in the ordinary course of business, (ii) such Holder will have
no arrangements or understanding with any person to participate in the
distribution of the Securities or the Exchange Securities within the meaning of
the Securities Act, (iii) such Holder is not an "affiliate," as defined in Rule
405 of the Securities Act, of the Company or if it is an affiliate, such Holder
will comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the
Securities Act to the extent applicable, (iv) if such Holder is not a
broker-dealer, that it is not engaged in, and does not intend to engage in, the
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distribution of the Exchange Securities and (v) if such Holder is a
broker-dealer, that it will receive Exchange Securities for its own account in
exchange for Initial Securities that were acquired as a result of market-making
activities or other trading activities and that it will be required to
acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of
such Exchange Securities.
Notwithstanding any other provisions hereof, the Company will ensure
that (i) any Exchange Offer Registration Statement and any amendment thereto and
any prospectus forming part thereof and any supplement thereto complies in all
material respects with the Securities Act and the rules and regulations
thereunder, (ii) any Exchange Offer Registration Statement and any amendment
thereto does not, when it becomes effective, contain an untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and (iii) any prospectus
forming part of any Exchange Offer Registration Statement, and any supplement to
such prospectus, does not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit
to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading.
If following the date hereof there has been announced a change in
Commission policy with respect to exchange offers that in the reasonable opinion
of counsel to the Company raises a substantial question as to whether the
Registered Exchange Offer is permitted by applicable federal law, the Company
will seek a no-action letter or other favorable decision from the Commission
allowing the Company to consummate the Registered Exchange Offer. The Company
will pursue the issuance of such a decision to the Commission staff level. In
connection with the foregoing, the Company will take all such other actions as
may be requested by the Commission or otherwise required in connection with the
issuance of such decision, including without limitation (i) participating in
telephonic conferences with the Commission, (ii) delivering to the Commission
staff an analysis prepared by counsel to the Company setting forth the legal
bases, if any, upon which such counsel has concluded that the Registered
Exchange Offer should be permitted and (iii) diligently pursuing a resolution
(which need not be favorable) by the Commission staff.
2. Shelf Registration. If, (i) because of any change in law or in
applicable interpretations thereof by the staff of the Commission, the Company
is not permitted to effect a Registered Exchange Offer, as contemplated by
Section 1 hereof, (ii) for any other reason the Registered Exchange Offer is not
consummated within 240 days of the Closing Date, (iii) the Initial Purchaser so
requests with respect to the Initial Securities (or the Private Exchange
Securities) not eligible to be exchanged for Exchange Securities in the
Registered Exchange Offer and held by it following consummation of the
Registered Exchange Offer or (iv) any Holder (other than an Exchanging Dealer)
is not eligible to participate in the Registered Exchange Offer or, in the case
of any Holder (other than an Exchanging Dealer) that participates in the
Registered Exchange Offer, such Holder does not receive freely tradeable
Exchange Securities on the date of the exchange and any such Holder so requests,
the Company shall take the following actions (the date on which any of the
conditions described in the foregoing clauses (i) through (iv) occurs, including
in the case of clauses (iii) or (iv) the receipt of the required notice, being a
"TRIGGER DATE"):
(a) The Company shall promptly (but in no event more than 30
days after the Trigger Date (such 30th day being a "FILING DEADLINE"))
file with the Commission and thereafter use its best efforts to cause
to be declared effective no later than the date (the "EFFECTIVENESS
DATE") that is (1) in the case of clause (i) above, 180 days after the
Issue Date or (2) in the case of clauses (ii), (iii) or (iv) above, 60
days after the Filing Deadline, a registration statement (the "SHELF
REGISTRATION STATEMENT" and, together with the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement, a "REGISTRATION STATEMENT") on an appropriate
form under the Securities Act relating to the offer and sale of the
Transfer Restricted Securities by the Holders thereof from time to time
in accordance with the methods of distribution set forth in the Shelf
Registration Statement and Rule 415 under the Securities Act
(hereinafter, the "SHELF REGISTRATION"); provided, however, that no
Holder (other than the Initial Purchaser) shall be entitled to have the
Securities held by it
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covered by such Shelf Registration Statement unless such Holder agrees
in writing to be bound by all the provisions of this Agreement
applicable to such Holder.
(b) The Company shall use its best efforts to keep the Shelf
Registration Statement continuously effective in order to permit the
prospectus included therein to be lawfully delivered by the Holders of
the relevant Securities, for a period of two years (or for such longer
period if extended pursuant to Section 3(j) below) from the date of its
effectiveness or such shorter period that will terminate when all the
Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement (i) have been
sold pursuant thereto or (ii) are no longer restricted securities (as
defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act, or any successor rule
thereof). The Company shall be deemed not to have used its best efforts
to keep the Shelf Registration Statement effective during the requisite
period if it voluntarily takes any action that would result in Holders
of Securities covered thereby not being able to offer and sell such
Securities during that period, unless such action is required by
applicable law.
(c) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement to
the contrary, the Company shall cause the Shelf Registration Statement
and the related prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, as
of the effective date of the Shelf Registration Statement, amendment or
supplement, (i) to comply in all material respects with the applicable
requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the
Commission and (ii) not to contain any untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
3. Registration Procedures. In connection with any Shelf Registration
contemplated by Section 2 hereof and, to the extent applicable, any Registered
Exchange Offer contemplated by Section 1 hereof, the following provisions shall
apply:
(a) The Company shall (i) furnish to the Initial Purchaser,
prior to the filing thereof with the Commission, a copy of the
Registration Statement and each amendment thereof and each supplement,
if any, to the prospectus included therein and, in the event that the
Initial Purchaser (with respect to any portion of an unsold allotment
from the original offering) is participating in the Registered Exchange
Offer or the Shelf Registration Statement, the Company shall use its
best efforts to reflect in each such document, when so filed with the
Commission, such comments as the Initial Purchaser reasonably may
propose; (ii) include the information set forth in Annex A hereto on
the cover, in Annex B hereto in the "Exchange Offer Procedures" section
and the "Purpose of the Exchange Offer" section and in Annex C hereto
in the "Plan of Distribution" section of the prospectus forming a part
of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement and include the
information set forth in Annex D hereto in the Letter of Transmittal
delivered pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer; (iii) if requested
by the Initial Purchaser, include the information required by Items 507
or 508 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, as applicable, in
the prospectus forming a part of the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement; (iv) include within the prospectus contained in the Exchange
Offer Registration Statement a section entitled "Plan of Distribution,"
reasonably acceptable to the Initial Purchaser, which shall contain a
summary statement of the positions taken or policies made by the staff
of the Commission with respect to the potential "underwriter" status of
any broker-dealer that is the beneficial owner (as defined in Rule
13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
"Exchange Act")) of Exchange Securities received by such broker-dealer
in the Registered Exchange Offer (a "PARTICIPATING BROKER-DEALER"),
whether such positions or policies have been publicly disseminated by
the staff of the Commission or such positions or policies, in the
reasonable judgment of the Initial Purchaser based upon advice of
counsel (which may be in-house counsel), represent the prevailing views
of the staff of the Commission; and (v) in the case of a Shelf
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Registration Statement, include the names of the Holders who propose to
sell Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement as selling
securityholders.
(b) The Company shall give written notice to the Initial
Purchaser, the Holders of the Securities and any Participating
Broker-Dealer from whom the Company has received prior written notice
that it will be a Participating Broker-Dealer in the Registered
Exchange Offer (which notice pursuant to clauses (ii)-(v) hereof shall
be accompanied by an instruction to suspend the use of the prospectus
until the requisite changes have been made):
(i) when the Registration Statement or any amendment
thereto has been filed with the Commission and when the
Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto
has become effective;
(ii) of any request by the Commission for amendments
or supplements to the Registration Statement or the prospectus
included therein or for additional information;
(iii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop
order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement or the initiation of any proceedings for that
purpose;
(iv) of the receipt by the Company or its legal
counsel of any notification with respect to the suspension of
the qualification of the Securities for sale in any
jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any
proceeding for such purpose; and
(v) of the happening of any event that requires the
Company to make changes in the Registration Statement or the
prospectus in order that the Registration Statement or the
prospectus does not contain an untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the
case of the prospectus, in light of the circumstances under
which they were made) not misleading.
(c) The Company shall make every reasonable effort to obtain
the withdrawal at the earliest possible time, of any order suspending
the effectiveness of the Registration Statement.
(d) The Company shall furnish to each Holder of Securities
included within the coverage of the Shelf Registration, without charge,
at least one copy of the Shelf Registration Statement and any
post-effective amendment thereto, including financial statements and
schedules, and, if the Holder so requests in writing, all exhibits
thereto (including those, if any, incorporated by reference).
(e) The Company shall deliver to each Exchanging Dealer and
the Initial Purchaser, and to any other Holder who so requests, without
charge, at least one copy of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement
and any post-effective amendment thereto, including financial
statements and schedules, and, if the Initial Purchaser or any such
Holder requests, all exhibits thereto (including those incorporated by
reference).
(f) The Company shall, during the Shelf Registration Period,
deliver to each Holder of Securities included within the coverage of
the Shelf Registration, without charge, as many copies of the
prospectus (including each preliminary prospectus) included in the
Shelf Registration Statement and any amendment or supplement thereto as
such person may reasonably request. The Company consents, subject to
the provisions of this Agreement, to the use of the prospectus or any
amendment or supplement thereto by each of the selling Holders of the
Securities in
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connection with the offering and sale of the Securities covered by the
prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, included in the
Shelf Registration Statement.
(g) The Company shall deliver to the Initial Purchaser, any
Exchanging Dealer, any Participating Broker-Dealer and such other
persons required to deliver a prospectus following the Registered
Exchange Offer, without charge, as many copies of the final prospectus
included in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement and any amendment
or supplement thereto as such persons may reasonably request. The
Company consents, subject to the provisions of this Agreement, to the
use of the prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto by the
Initial Purchaser, if necessary, any Participating Broker-Dealer and
such other persons required to deliver a prospectus following the
Registered Exchange Offer in connection with the offering and sale of
the Exchange Securities covered by the prospectus, or any amendment or
supplement thereto, included in such Exchange Offer Registration
Statement.
(h) Prior to any public offering of the Securities pursuant to
any Registration Statement, the Company shall register or qualify or
cooperate with the Holders of the Securities included therein and their
respective counsel in connection with the registration or qualification
of the Securities for offer and sale under the securities or "blue sky"
laws of such states of the United States as any Holder of the
Securities reasonably requests in writing and do any and all other acts
or things necessary or advisable to enable the offer and sale in such
jurisdictions of the Securities covered by such Registration Statement;
provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to (i)
qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not
then so qualified or (ii) take any action which would subject it to
general service of process or to taxation in any jurisdiction where it
is not then so subject.
(i) The Company shall cooperate with the Holders of the
Securities to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of
certificates representing the Securities to be sold pursuant to any
Registration Statement free of any restrictive legends and in such
denominations and registered in such names as the Holders may request a
reasonable period of time prior to sales of the Securities pursuant to
such Registration Statement.
(j) Upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by
paragraphs (ii) through (v) of Section 3(b) above during the period for
which the Company is required to maintain an effective Registration
Statement, the Company shall promptly prepare and file a post-effective
amendment to the Registration Statement or a supplement to the related
prospectus and any other required document so that, as thereafter
delivered to Holders of the Securities or purchasers of Securities, the
prospectus will not contain an 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, in light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading. If the Company notifies the
Initial Purchaser, the Holders of the Securities and any known
Participating Broker-Dealer in accordance with paragraphs (ii) through
(v) of Section 3(b) above to suspend the use of the prospectus until
the requisite changes to the prospectus have been made, then the
Initial Purchaser, the Holders of the Securities and any such
Participating Broker-Dealers shall suspend use of such prospectus, and
the period of effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement
provided for in Section 2(b) above and the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement provided for in Section 1 above shall each be extended by the
number of days from and including the date of the giving of such notice
to and including the date when the Initial Purchaser, the Holders of
the Securities and any known Participating Broker-Dealer shall have
received such amended or supplemented prospectus pursuant to this
Section 3(j).
(k) Not later than the effective date of the applicable
Registration Statement, the Company will provide a CUSIP number for the
Initial Securities, the Exchange Securities or the Private Exchange
Securities, as the case may be, and provide the applicable trustee with
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certificates for the Initial Securities, the Exchange Securities or the
Private Exchange Securities, as the case may be, in a form eligible for
deposit with The Depository Trust Company.
(l) The Company will comply with all rules and regulations of
the Commission to the extent and so long as they are applicable to the
Registered Exchange Offer or the Shelf Registration and will make
generally available to its security holders (or otherwise provide in
accordance with Section 11(a) of the Securities Act) an earnings
statement satisfying the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities
Act, no later than 45 days after the end of a 12-month period (or 90
days, if such period is a fiscal year) beginning with the first month
of the Company's first fiscal quarter commencing after the effective
date of the Registration Statement, which statement shall cover such
12-month period.
(m) The Company shall cause the Indenture to be qualified
under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, in a timely manner
and containing such changes, if any, as shall be necessary for such
qualification. In the event that such qualification would require the
appointment of a new trustee under the Indenture, the Company shall
appoint a new trustee thereunder pursuant to the applicable provisions
of the Indenture.
(n) The Company may require each Holder of Securities to be
sold pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement to furnish to the
Company such information regarding the Holder and the distribution of
the Securities as the Company may from time to time reasonably require
for inclusion in the Shelf Registration Statement, and the Company may
exclude from such registration the Securities of any Holder that
unreasonably fails to furnish such information within a reasonable time
after receiving such request.
(o) The Company shall enter into such customary agreements
(including, if requested, an underwriting agreement in customary form)
and take all such other action, if any, as any Holder of the Securities
shall reasonably request in order to facilitate the disposition of the
Securities pursuant to any Shelf Registration.
(p) In the case of any Shelf Registration, the Company shall
(i) make reasonably available for inspection by the Holders of the
Securities, any underwriter participating in any disposition pursuant
to the Shelf Registration Statement and any attorney, accountant or
other agent retained by the Holders of the Securities or any such
underwriter all relevant financial and other records, pertinent
corporate documents and properties of the Company and (ii) cause the
Company's officers, directors, employees, accountants and auditors to
supply all relevant information reasonably requested by the Holders of
the Securities or any such underwriter, attorney, accountant or agent
in connection with the Shelf Registration Statement, in each case, as
shall be reasonably necessary to enable such persons to conduct a
reasonable investigation within the meaning of Section 11 of the
Securities Act; provided, however, that the foregoing inspection and
information gathering shall be coordinated on behalf of the Initial
Purchaser by you and on behalf of the other parties, by one counsel
designated by and on behalf of such other parties as described in
Section 4 hereof.
(q) In the case of any Shelf Registration, the Company, if
requested by any Holder of Securities covered thereby, shall cause (i)
its counsel to deliver an opinion and updates thereof relating to the
Securities in customary form addressed to such Holders and the managing
underwriters, if any, thereof and dated, in the case of the initial
opinion, the effective date of such Shelf Registration Statement (it
being agreed that the matters to be covered by such opinion shall
include, without limitation, the due incorporation and good standing of
the Company and its subsidiaries; the qualification of the Company and
its subsidiaries to transact business as foreign corporations; the due
authorization, execution and delivery of the relevant agreement of the
type referred to in Section 3(o) hereof; the due authorization,
execution, authentication and issuance,
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and the validity and enforceability, of the applicable Securities; the
absence of material legal or governmental proceedings involving the
Company and its subsidiaries; the absence of governmental approvals
required to be obtained in connection with the Shelf Registration
Statement, the offering and sale of the applicable Securities, or any
agreement of the type referred to in Section 3(o) hereof; the
compliance as to form of such Shelf Registration Statement and any
documents incorporated by reference therein and of the Indenture with
the requirements of the Securities Act and the Trust Indenture Act,
respectively; and, as of the date of the opinion and as of the
effective date of the Shelf Registration Statement or most recent
post-effective amendment thereto, as the case may be, the absence from
such Shelf Registration Statement and the prospectus included therein,
as then amended or supplemented, and from any documents incorporated by
reference therein of an untrue statement of a material fact or the
omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading (in the case
of any such documents, in the light of the circumstances existing at
the time that such documents were filed with the Commission under the
Exchange Act); (ii) its officers to execute and deliver all customary
documents and certificates and updates thereof requested by any
underwriters of the applicable Securities; and (iii) its independent
public accountants to provide to the selling Holders of the applicable
Securities and any underwriter therefor a comfort letter in customary
form and covering matters of the type customarily covered in comfort
letters in connection with primary underwritten offerings, subject to
receipt of appropriate documentation as contemplated, and only if
permitted, by Statement of Auditing Standards No. 72.
(r) In the case of the Registered Exchange Offer, if requested
by the Initial Purchaser or any known Participating Broker-Dealer, the
Company shall cause (i) its counsel to deliver to the Initial Purchaser
or such Participating Broker-Dealer a signed opinion in the form set
forth in Section 6(c) of the Purchase Agreement with such changes as
are customary in connection with the preparation of a Registration
Statement and (ii) its independent public accountants to deliver to the
Initial Purchaser or such Participating Broker-Dealer a comfort letter,
in customary form, meeting the requirements as to the substance thereof
as set forth in Section 6(a) of the Purchase Agreement, with
appropriate date changes.
(s) If a Registered Exchange Offer or a Private Exchange is to
be consummated, upon delivery of the Initial Securities by Holders to
the Company (or to such other Person as directed by the Company) in
exchange for the Exchange Securities or the Private Exchange
Securities, as the case may be, the Company shall mark, or caused to be
marked, on the Initial Securities so exchanged that such Initial
Securities are being canceled in exchange for the Exchange Securities
or the Private Exchange Securities, as the case may be; in no event
shall the Initial Securities be marked as paid or otherwise satisfied.
(t) The Company will use its best efforts to (a) if the
Initial Securities have been rated prior to the initial sale of such
Initial Securities, confirm such ratings will apply to the Securities
covered by a Registration Statement or (b) if the Initial Securities
were not previously rated, cause the Securities covered by a
Registration Statement to be rated with the appropriate rating
agencies, if so requested by Holders of a majority in aggregate
principal amount of Securities covered by such Registration Statement,
or by the managing underwriters, if any.
(u) In the event that any broker-dealer registered under the
Exchange Act shall underwrite any Securities or participate as a member
of an underwriting syndicate or selling group or "assist in the
distribution" (within the meaning of the Conduct Rules (the "RULES") of
the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD")) thereof,
whether as a Holder of such Securities or as an underwriter, a
placement or sales agent or a broker or dealer in respect thereof, or
otherwise, the Company will assist such broker-dealer in complying with
the requirements of such Rules, including, without limitation, by (i)
if such Rules, including Rule 2720, shall so require, engaging a
"qualified independent underwriter" (as defined in Rule 2720) to
participate in the
9
preparation of the Registration Statement relating to such Securities,
to exercise usual standards of due diligence in respect thereto and, if
any portion of the offering contemplated by such Registration Statement
is an underwritten offering or is made through a placement or sales
agent, to recommend the yield of such Securities, (ii) indemnifying any
such qualified independent underwriter to the extent of the
indemnification of underwriters provided in Section 5 hereof and (iii)
providing such information to such broker-dealer as may be required in
order for such broker-dealer to comply with the requirements of the
Rules.
(v) The Company shall use its best efforts to take all other
steps necessary to effect the registration of the Securities covered by
a Registration Statement contemplated hereby.
4. Registration Expenses. (a) All expenses incident to the Company's
performance of and compliance with this Agreement will be borne by the Company,
regardless of whether a Registration Statement is ever filed or becomes
effective, including without limitation;
(i) all registration and filing fees and expenses;
(ii) all fees and expenses of compliance with federal
securities and state "blue sky" or securities laws;
(iii) all expenses of printing (including printing
certificates for the Securities to be issued in the Registered Exchange
Offer and the Private Exchange and printing of prospectuses), messenger
and delivery services and telephone;
(iv) all fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company;
(v) all application and filing fees in connection with listing
the Exchange Securities on a national securities exchange or automated
quotation system pursuant to the requirements hereof; and
(vi) all fees and disbursements of independent certified
public accountants of the Company (including the expenses of any
special audit and comfort letters required by or incident to such
performance).
The Company will bear its internal expenses (including, without limitation, all
salaries and expenses of its officers and employees performing legal or
accounting duties), the expenses of any annual audit and the fees and expenses
of any person, including special experts, retained by the Company.
(b) In connection with any Registration Statement required by this
Agreement, the Company will reimburse the Initial Purchaser and the Holders of
Transfer Restricted Securities who are tendering Initial Securities in the
Registered Exchange Offer and/or selling or reselling Securities pursuant to the
"Plan of Distribution" contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement or
the Shelf Registration Statement, as applicable, for the reasonable fees and
disbursements of not more than one counsel, who shall be Cravath, Swaine & Moore
unless another firm shall be chosen by the Holders of a majority in principal
amount of the Transfer Restricted Securities for whose benefit such Registration
Statement is being prepared.
5. Indemnification. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold
harmless each Holder of the Securities, any Participating Broker-Dealer and each
person, if any, who controls such Holder or such Participating Broker-Dealer
within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act (each Holder, any
Participating Broker-Dealer and such controlling persons are referred to
collectively as the "INDEMNIFIED PARTIES") from and against any losses, claims,
damages or liabilities, joint or several, or any actions in respect thereof
(including, but not limited to, any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or
actions relating to purchases and sales of the Securities) to which each
Indemnified Party may become subject under the
10
Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims,
damages, liabilities or actions arise out of or are based upon any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in a
Registration Statement or prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto
or in any preliminary prospectus relating to a Shelf Registration, or arise out
of, or are based 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 shall reimburse, as incurred, the Indemnified
Parties for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in
connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage,
liability or action in respect thereof; provided, however, that (i) the Company
shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that such loss, claim, damage
or liability arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in a Registration
Statement or prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any
preliminary prospectus relating to a Shelf Registration in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information pertaining to such Holder and furnished to
the Company by or on behalf of such Holder specifically for inclusion therein
and (ii) with respect to any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue
statement or omission made in any preliminary prospectus relating to a Shelf
Registration Statement, the indemnity agreement contained in this subsection (a)
shall not inure to the benefit of any Holder or Participating Broker-Dealer from
whom the person asserting any such losses, claims, damages or liabilities
purchased the Securities concerned, to the extent that a prospectus relating to
such Securities was required to be delivered by such Holder or Participating
Broker-Dealer under the Securities Act in connection with such purchase and any
such loss, claim, damage or liability of such Holder or Participating
Broker-Dealer 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 Securities
to such person, a copy of the final prospectus if the Company had previously
furnished copies thereof to such Holder or Participating Broker-Dealer; provided
further, however, that this indemnity agreement will be in addition to any
liability which the Company may otherwise have to such Indemnified Party. The
Company shall also indemnify underwriters, their officers and directors and each
person who controls such underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act
or the Exchange Act to the same extent as provided above with respect to the
indemnification of the Holders of the Securities if requested by such Holders.
(b) Each Holder of the Securities, severally and not jointly, will
indemnify and hold harmless the Company and each person, if any, who controls
the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act from
and against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities or any actions in respect
thereof, to which the Company or any such controlling person may become subject
under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses,
claims, damages, liabilities or actions arise out of or are based upon any
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in a
Registration Statement or prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto
or in any preliminary prospectus relating to a Shelf Registration, or arise out
of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a
material fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but in
each case only to the extent that the untrue statement or omission or alleged
untrue statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with
written information pertaining to such Holder and furnished to the Company by or
on behalf of such Holder specifically for inclusion therein; and, subject to the
limitation set forth immediately preceding this clause, shall reimburse, as
incurred, the Company for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the
Company or any such controlling person in connection with investigating or
defending any loss, claim, damage, liability or action in respect thereof. This
indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which such Holder may
otherwise have to the Company or any of its controlling persons.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 5
of notice of the commencement of any action or proceeding (including a
governmental investigation), such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect
thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section 5,
notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof; but the omission so
to notify the indemnifying party (i) will not relieve the indemnifying party
from liability under paragraph (a) or (b) above unless and to the extent it did
not otherwise learn of such action and the indemnifying party has been
materially prejudiced by such failure and (ii) will not, in any event, relieve
the indemnifying party from any obligations
11
to any indemnified party other than the indemnification obligation provided in
paragraph (a) or (b) above. In case any such action is brought against any
indemnified party, and it notifies the indemnifying party of 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 reasonably 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 5 for any legal or other expenses, other
than reasonable costs of investigation, subsequently incurred by such
indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof. 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 includes an
unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on any claims
that are the subject matter of such action, and does not include a statement as
to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of
any indemnified party.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 5 is
unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under
subsections (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 (or actions in respect thereof) referred to in
subsection (a) or (b) above (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect
the relative benefits received by the indemnifying party or parties on the one
hand and the indemnified party on the other from the exchange of the Securities,
pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer, or (ii) if the allocation provided by
the foregoing clause (i) 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 indemnifying party or
parties on the one hand and the indemnified party on the other in connection
with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages
or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations. The relative fault of the parties 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 on the one hand or
such Holder or such other indemnified party, as the case may be, on the other,
and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and
opportunity to correct or prevent such 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 any other provision of this
Section 5(d), the Holders of the Securities shall not be required to contribute
any amount in excess of the amount by which the net proceeds received by such
Holders from the sale of the Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement
exceeds the amount of damages which such Holders have 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 Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from
any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes
of this paragraph (d), each person, if any, who controls such indemnified party
within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act shall have the same
rights to contribution as such indemnified party and each person, if any, who
controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange
Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company.
(e) The agreements contained in this Section 5 shall survive the sale
of the Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement and shall remain in full
force and effect, regardless of any termination or cancellation of this
Agreement or any investigation made by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
12
6. Additional Interest Under Certain Circumstances. (a) Additional
interest (the "ADDITIONAL INTEREST") with respect to the Securities shall be
assessed as follows if any of the following events occur (each such event in
clauses (i) through (iv) below being herein called a "REGISTRATION DEFAULT"):
(i) any Registration Statement required by this Agreement is not
filed with the Commission on or prior to the applicable Filing
Deadline;
(ii) any Registration Statement required by this Agreement is not
declared effective by the Commission on or prior to the
applicable Effectiveness Deadline;
(iii) the Registered Exchange Offer has not been consummated on or
prior to the Consummation Deadline; or
(iv) any Registration Statement required by this Agreement has been
declared effective by the Commission but (A) such Registration
Statement thereafter ceases to be effective or (B) such
Registration Statement or the related prospectus ceases to be
usable in connection with resales of Transfer Restricted
Securities during the periods specified herein because either
(1) any event occurs as a result of which the related
prospectus forming part of such Registration Statement would
include any 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 (2) it shall be necessary to amend
such Registration Statement or supplement the related
prospectus to comply with the Securities Act or the Exchange
Act or the respective rules thereunder.
Each of the foregoing will constitute a Registration Default whatever the reason
for any such event and whether it is voluntary or involuntary or is beyond the
control of the Company or pursuant to operation of law or as a result of any
action or inaction by the Commission.
Additional Interest shall accrue on the Securities over and above the
interest set forth in the title of the Securities from and including the date on
which any such Registration Default shall occur to but excluding the date on
which all such Registration Defaults have been cured, at a rate of 0.50% per
annum (the "ADDITIONAL INTEREST RATE") for the first 90-day period immediately
following the occurrence of such Registration Default. The Additional Interest
Rate shall increase by an additional 0.50% per annum with respect to each
subsequent 90-day period until all Registration Defaults have been cured, up to
a maximum Additional Interest Rate of 2.0% per annum.
(b) A Registration Default referred to in Section 6(a)(iv) hereof shall
be deemed not to have occurred and be continuing in relation to a Shelf
Registration Statement or the related prospectus if (i) such Registration
Default has occurred solely as a result of (x) the filing of a post-effective
amendment to such Shelf Registration Statement to incorporate annual audited
financial information with respect to the Company where such post-effective
amendment is not yet effective and needs to be declared effective to permit
Holders to use the related prospectus or (y) other material events with respect
to the Company that would need to be described in such Shelf Registration
Statement or the related prospectus and (ii) in the case of clause (y), the
Company is proceeding promptly and in good faith to amend or supplement such
Shelf Registration Statement and related prospectus to describe such events;
provided, however, that in any case if such Registration Default occurs for a
continuous period in excess of 30 days, Additional Interest shall be payable in
accordance with the above paragraph from the day such Registration Default
occurs until such Registration Default is cured.
(c) Any amounts of Additional Interest due pursuant to Section 6(a)
will be payable in cash on the regular interest payment dates with respect to
the Securities. The amount of Additional Interest will be determined by
multiplying the applicable Additional Interest Rate by the principal amount of
the Securities and further multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is
the number of days such Additional Interest
13
Rate was applicable during such period (determined on the basis of a 360-day
year comprised of twelve 30-day months), and the denominator of which is 360.
(d) "TRANSFER RESTRICTED SECURITIES" means each Security until (i) the
date on which such Security has been exchanged by a person other than a
broker-dealer for a freely transferable Exchange Security in the Registered
Exchange Offer, (ii) following the exchange by a broker-dealer in the Registered
Exchange Offer of an Initial Security for an Exchange Note, the date on which
such Exchange Note is sold to a purchaser who receives from such broker-dealer
on or prior to the date of such sale a copy of the prospectus contained in the
Exchange Offer Registration Statement, (iii) the date on which such Security has
been effectively registered under the Securities Act and disposed of in
accordance with the Shelf Registration Statement or (iv) the date on which such
Security is distributed to the public pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities
Act or is saleable pursuant to Rule 144(k) under the Securities Act.
7. Rules 144 and 144A. The Company shall use its best efforts to file
the reports required to be filed by it under the Securities Act and the Exchange
Act in a timely manner and, if at any time the Company is not required to file
such reports, it will, upon the request of any Holder of Securities, make
publicly available other information so long as necessary to permit sales of
their securities pursuant to Rules 144 and 144A. The Company covenants that it
will take such further action as any Holder of Securities may reasonably
request, all to the extent required from time to time to enable such Holder to
sell Securities without registration under the Securities Act within the
limitation of the exemptions provided by Rules 144 and 144A (including the
requirements of Rule 144A(d)(4)). The Company will provide a copy of this
Agreement to prospective purchasers of Initial Securities identified to the
Company by the Initial Purchaser upon request. Upon the request of any Holder of
Initial Securities, the Company shall deliver to such Holder a written statement
as to whether it has complied with such requirements. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, nothing in this Section 7 shall be deemed to require the Company to
register any of its securities pursuant to the Exchange Act.
8. Underwritten Registrations. If any of the Transfer Restricted
Securities covered by any Shelf Registration are to be sold in an underwritten
offering, the investment banker or investment bankers and manager or managers
that will administer the offering ("MANAGING UNDERWRITERS") will be selected by
the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of such Transfer
Restricted Securities to be included in such offering.
No person may participate in any underwritten registration hereunder
unless such person (i) agrees to sell such person's Transfer Restricted
Securities on the basis reasonably provided in any underwriting arrangements
approved by the persons entitled hereunder to approve such arrangements and (ii)
completes and executes all questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities,
underwriting agreements and other documents reasonably required under the terms
of such underwriting arrangements.
14
9. Miscellaneous.
(a) Remedies. The Company acknowledges and agrees that any failure by
the Company to comply with its obligations under Sections 1 and 2 hereof may
result in material irreparable injury to the Initial Purchaser or the Holders
for which there is no adequate remedy at law, that it will not be possible to
measure damages for such injuries precisely and that, in the event of any such
failure, the Initial Purchaser or any Holder may obtain such relief as may be
required to specifically enforce the Company's obligations under Sections 1 and
2 hereof. The Company further agrees to waive the defense in any action for
specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate.
(b) No Inconsistent Agreements. The Company will not on or after the
date of this Agreement enter into any agreement with respect to its securities
that is inconsistent with the rights granted to the Holders in this Agreement or
otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof. The rights granted to the
Holders hereunder do not in any way conflict with and are not inconsistent with
the rights granted to the holders of the Company's securities under any
agreement in effect on the date hereof.
(c) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement may not be
amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from
the provisions hereof may not be given, except by the Company and the written
consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities
affected by such amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or consents.
(d) Notices. All notices and other communications provided for or
permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand delivery, first-class mail,
facsimile transmission, or air courier which guarantees overnight delivery:
(1) if to a Holder of the Securities, at the most current
address given by such Holder to the Company.
(2) if to the Initial Purchaser:
Salomon Smith Barney Inc.
388 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10013
Fax No.: (212) 723-8589
Attention: Stephen P. Cunningham
with a copy to:
Cravath, Swaine & Moore
Worldwide Plaza
825 Eighth Avenue
New York, NY 10019-7475
Fax No.: (212) 474-3700
Attention: Stephen L. Burns, Esq.
(3) if to the Company, at its address as follows:
Chesapeake Energy Corporation
6100 North Western Avenue
Oklahoma City, OK 73118
Fax No.: (405) 848-8588
Attention: Marcus C. Rowland
15
with a copy to:
Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.
2300 First City Tower
1001 Fannin Street
Houston, TX 77002-6760
Fax No.: (713) 758-2346
Attention: Jim Prince, Esq.
All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have been duly
given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; three business
days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed; when receipt
is acknowledged by recipient's facsimile machine operator, if sent by facsimile
transmission; and on the day delivered, if sent by overnight air courier
guaranteeing next day delivery.
(e) Third Party Beneficiaries. The Holders shall be third party
beneficiaries to the agreements made hereunder between the Company, on the one
hand, and the Initial Purchaser, on the other hand, and shall have the right to
enforce such agreements directly to the extent they may deem such enforcement
necessary or advisable to protect their rights or the rights of Holders
hereunder.
(f) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon the
Company and its successors and assigns.
(g) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which
when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken
together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
(h) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of
reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.
(i) Governing Law. THIS 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.
(j) Severability. If any one or more of the provisions contained
herein, or the application thereof in any circumstance, is held invalid, illegal
or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of any such
provision in every other respect and of the remaining provisions contained
herein shall not be affected or impaired thereby.
(k) Securities Held by the Company. Whenever the consent or approval of
Holders of a specified percentage of principal amount of Securities is required
hereunder, Securities held by the Company or its affiliates (other than
subsequent Holders of Securities if such subsequent Holders are deemed to be
affiliates solely by reason of their holdings of such Securities) shall not be
counted in determining whether such consent or approval was given by the Holders
of such required percentage.
16
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our
agreement, please sign and return to the Issuer a counterpart hereof, whereupon
this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement
among the Initial Purchaser, the Issuer and the Guarantors in accordance with
its terms.
Very truly yours,
CHESAPEAKE ENERGY CORPORATION
By: /s/ Martha A. Burger
---------------------------------------
Name: Martha A. Burger
Title: Senior Vice President
SUBSIDIARY GUARANTORS:
THE AMES COMPANY, INC.
CHESAPEAKE ACQUISITION CORPORATION
CHESAPEAKE ROYALTY COMPANY
NOMAC DRILLING CORPORATION
CHESAPEAKE ENERGY LOUISIANA CORPORATION
CHESAPEAKE OPERATING, INC.
CHESAPEAKE MOUNTAIN FRONT CORP.
GOTHIC ENERGY CORPORATION
GOTHIC PRODUCTION CORPORATION
CARMEN ACQUISITION CORP.
SAP ACQUISITION CORP.
CHESAPEAKE KNAN ACQUISITION CORPORATION
CHESAPEAKE ENO ACQUISITION CORP.
CHESAPEAKE BETA CORP.
CHESAPEAKE DELTA CORP.
CHESAPEAKE FOCUS CORP.
By: /s/ Martha A. Burger
---------------------------------------
Name: Martha A. Burger
Title: Vice President
CHESAPEAKE EXPLORATION LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
CHESAPEAKE LOUISIANA, L.P.
CHESAPEAKE PANHANDLE LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
CHESAPEAKE-STAGHORN ACQUISITION L.P.
CHESAPEAKE SIGMA, L.P.
By Chesapeake Operating, Inc., as general
partner of each respective entity
17
By: /s/ Martha A. Burger
--------------------------------------
Name: Martha A. Burger
Title: Vice President
18
The foregoing Registration Rights Agreement
is hereby confirmed and accepted as
of the date first above written.
SALOMON SMITH BARNEY INC.
By: /s/ Steve Cunningham
--------------------------------------
Name: Steve Cunningham
Title: Managing Director
19
ANNEX A
Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its own account
pursuant to the Exchange Offer must acknowledge that it will deliver a
prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities. The Letter
of Transmittal states that by so acknowledging and by delivering a prospectus, a
broker-dealer will not be deemed to admit that it is an "underwriter" within the
meaning of the Securities Act. This Prospectus, as it may be amended or
supplemented from time to time, may be used by a broker-dealer in connection
with resales of Exchange Securities received in exchange for Initial Securities
where such Initial Securities were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of
market-making activities or other trading activities. The Company has agreed
that, for a period of 90 days after the Expiration Date (as defined herein), it
will make this Prospectus available to any broker-dealer for use in connection
with any such resale. See "Plan of Distribution."
1
ANNEX B
Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its own account
in exchange for Initial Securities, where such Initial Securities were acquired
by such broker-dealer as a result of market-making activities or other trading
activities, must acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in connection
with any resale of such Exchange Securities. See "Plan of Distribution."
1
ANNEX C
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its own account
pursuant to the Exchange Offer must acknowledge that it will deliver a
prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities. This
Prospectus, as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, may be used
by a broker-dealer in connection with resales of Exchange Securities received in
exchange for Initial Securities where such Initial Securities were acquired as a
result of market-making activities or other trading activities. The Company has
agreed that, for a period of 90 days after the Expiration Date, it will make
this prospectus, as amended or supplemented, available to any broker-dealer for
use in connection with any such resale. In addition, until , 200 ,
all dealers effecting transactions in the Exchange Securities may be required to
deliver a prospectus.(1)
The Company will not receive any proceeds from any sale of Exchange
Securities by broker-dealers. Exchange Securities received by broker-dealers for
their own account pursuant to the Exchange Offer may be sold from time to time
in one or more transactions in the over-the-counter market, in negotiated
transactions, through the writing of options on the Exchange Securities or a
combination of such methods of resale, at market prices prevailing at the time
of resale, at prices related to such prevailing market prices or negotiated
prices. Any such resale may be made directly to purchasers or to or through
brokers or dealers who may receive compensation in the form of commissions or
concessions from any such broker-dealer or the purchasers of any such Exchange
Securities. Any broker-dealer that resells Exchange Securities that were
received by it for its own account pursuant to the Exchange Offer and any broker
or dealer that participates in a distribution of such Exchange Securities may be
deemed to be an "underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities Act and any
profit on any such resale of Exchange Securities and any commission or
concessions received by any such persons may be deemed to be underwriting
compensation under the Securities Act. The Letter of Transmittal states that, by
acknowledging that it will deliver and by delivering a prospectus, a
broker-dealer will not be deemed to admit that it is an "underwriter" within the
meaning of the Securities Act.
For a period of 90 days after the Expiration Date the Company will
promptly send additional copies of this Prospectus and any amendment or
supplement to this Prospectus to any broker-dealer that requests such documents
in the Letter of Transmittal. The Company has agreed to pay all expenses
incident to the Exchange Offer (including the expenses of one counsel for the
Holders of the Securities) other than commissions or concessions of any brokers
or dealers and will indemnify the Holders of the Securities (including any
broker-dealers) against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the
Securities Act.
- ----------
(1) In addition, the legend required by Item 502(e) of Regulation S-K will
appear on the back cover page of the Exchange Offer prospectus.
1
ANNEX D
[ ] CHECK HERE IF YOU ARE A BROKER-DEALER AND WISH TO RECEIVE 10 ADDITIONAL
COPIES OF THE PROSPECTUS AND 10 COPIES OF ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS THERETO.
Name:
Address:
If the undersigned is not a broker-dealer, the undersigned represents that it is
not engaged in, and does not intend to engage in, a distribution of Exchange
Securities. If the undersigned is a broker-dealer that will receive Exchange
Securities for its own account in exchange for Initial Securities that were
acquired as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities, it
acknowledges that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of
such Exchange Securities; however, by so acknowledging and by delivering a
prospectus, the undersigned will not be deemed to admit that it is an
"underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities Act.
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