UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C.  20549

FORM 10-Q
 
ý QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2015

OR
 
o TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from _____to_____

Commission file number: 001-07964


NOBLE ENERGY, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware
 
73-0785597
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
 
(I.R.S. employer identification number)
1001 Noble Energy Way
 
 
Houston, Texas
 
77070
(Address of principal executive offices)
 
(Zip Code)
(281) 872-3100
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.
Yes ý    No o 
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).
Yes ý    No o
 Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer or a smaller
reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer”, “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company”
in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. 
Large accelerated filer x
Accelerated filer o
Non-accelerated filer o
Smaller reporting company o
 
 
(Do not check if a smaller reporting company)
 
 Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).
Yes o    No ý
 
As of March 31, 2015, there were 387,004,520 shares of the registrant’s common stock,
par value $0.01 per share, outstanding.




Table of Contents
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Part II. Other Information  
 
 
Item 1.  Legal Proceedings 
 
 
Item 1A.  Risk Factors 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Item 6.  Exhibits 
 
 
 
 


2


Part I. Financial Information
Item 1. Financial Statements
Noble Energy, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Operations
(millions, except per share amounts)
(unaudited)
 
Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
2015
 
2014
Revenues
 
 
 
Oil, Gas and NGL Sales
$
740

 
$
1,327

Income from Equity Method Investees
18

 
52

Other
1

 

Total
759

 
1,379

Costs and Expenses
 

 
 

Production Expense
245

 
229

Exploration Expense
65

 
74

Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization
454

 
425

General and Administrative
94

 
140

Asset Impairments
27

 
97

Other Operating Expense, Net
8

 
10

Total
893

 
975

Operating Income (Loss)
(134
)
 
404

Other (Income) Expense
 

 
 

(Gain) Loss on Commodity Derivative Instruments
(150
)
 
75

Interest, Net of Amount Capitalized
57

 
47

Other Non-Operating (Income) Expense, Net
1

 
5

Total
(92
)
 
127

Income (Loss) Before Income Taxes
(42
)
 
277

Income Tax (Benefit) Provision
(20
)
 
77

Net Income (Loss)
$
(22
)
 
$
200

 
 
 
 
Earnings (Loss) Per Share, Basic
$
(0.06
)
 
$
0.56

Earnings (Loss) Per Share, Diluted
$
(0.06
)
 
$
0.55

 
 
 
 
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding
 
 
 
   Basic
370

 
360

   Diluted
370

 
365


The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

3


Noble Energy, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income
(millions)
(unaudited)

 
 
Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
2015
 
2014
Net Income (Loss)
$
(22
)
 
$
200

Other Items of Comprehensive Income
 
 
 
Net Change in Mutual Fund Investment
(11
)
 
1

Less Tax Benefit
3

 

Net Change in Pension and Other
1

 
4

      Less Tax Benefit

 
(2
)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
(7
)
 
3

Comprehensive Income (Loss)
$
(29
)
 
$
203


The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.


4


Noble Energy, Inc.
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(millions)
(unaudited)

 
March 31,
2015
 
December 31,
2014
ASSETS
 
 
 
Current Assets
 
 
 
Cash and Cash Equivalents
$
1,709

 
$
1,183

Accounts Receivable, Net
769

 
857

Commodity Derivative Assets, Current
661

 
710

Other Current Assets
259

 
325

Total Current Assets
3,398

 
3,075

Property, Plant and Equipment
 

 
 

Oil and Gas Properties (Successful Efforts Method of Accounting)
26,337

 
25,599

Property, Plant and Equipment, Other
684

 
630

Total Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross
27,021

 
26,229

Accumulated Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization
(8,559
)
 
(8,086
)
Total Property, Plant and Equipment, Net
18,462

 
18,143

Goodwill
617

 
620

Other Noncurrent Assets
784

 
715

Total Assets
$
23,261

 
$
22,553

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
 
 
 
Current Liabilities
 

 
 

Accounts Payable - Trade
$
1,269

 
$
1,578

Other Current Liabilities
874

 
944

Total Current Liabilities
2,143

 
2,522

Long-Term Debt
6,113

 
6,103

Deferred Income Taxes, Noncurrent
2,491

 
2,516

Other Noncurrent Liabilities
1,157

 
1,087

Total Liabilities
11,904

 
12,228

Commitments and Contingencies

 


Shareholders’ Equity
 

 
 

Preferred Stock - Par Value $1.00 per share; 4 Million Shares Authorized, None Issued

 

Common Stock - Par Value $0.01 per share; 500 Million Shares Authorized; 428 Million and 402 Million Shares Issued, respectively
4

 
4

Additional Paid in Capital
4,761

 
3,624

Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss
(97
)
 
(90
)
Treasury Stock, at Cost; 38 Million Shares
(683
)
 
(671
)
Retained Earnings
7,372

 
7,458

Total Shareholders’ Equity
11,357

 
10,325

Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity
$
23,261

 
$
22,553


The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.


5


Noble Energy, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(millions)
(unaudited)
 
Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
2015
 
2014
Cash Flows From Operating Activities
 
 
 
Net Income (Loss)
$
(22
)
 
$
200

Adjustments to Reconcile Net Income to Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities
 

 
 

Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization
454

 
425

Asset Impairments
27

 
97

Dry Hole Cost
20

 
2

Deferred Income Taxes
(30
)
 
17

Income from Equity Method Investees, Net of Dividends
(18
)
 
(13
)
(Gain) Loss on Commodity Derivative Instruments
(150
)
 
75

Net Cash Received (Paid) in Settlement of Commodity Derivative Instruments
210

 
(33
)
Stock Based Compensation
21

 
23

Other Adjustments for Noncash Items Included in Income
11

 
18

Changes in Operating Assets and Liabilities
 
 
 

Decrease in Accounts Receivable
107

 
28

Increase (Decrease) in Accounts Payable
(71
)
 
57

Increase in Current Income Taxes Payable
3

 
47

Decrease in Other Current Assets and Liabilities, Net
(51
)
 
(24
)
Other Operating Assets and Liabilities, Net
30

 
10

Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities
541

 
929

Cash Flows From Investing Activities
 

 
 

Additions to Property, Plant and Equipment
(1,111
)
 
(1,158
)
Additions to Equity Method Investments
(44
)
 
(12
)
Proceeds from Divestitures
119

 
92

Net Cash Used in Investing Activities
(1,036
)
 
(1,078
)
Cash Flows From Financing Activities
 

 
 

Exercise of Stock Options
4

 
10

Excess Tax Benefits from Stock-Based Awards

 
6

Dividends Paid, Common Stock
(64
)
 
(50
)
Purchase of Treasury Stock
(12
)
 
(15
)
Proceeds from Issuance of Shares of Common Stock to Public, Net of Offering Costs
1,112

 

Proceeds from Credit Facility, Net

 
450

Repayment of Capital Lease Obligation
(19
)
 
(15
)
Net Cash Provided by Financing Activities
1,021

 
386

Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents
526

 
237

Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Period
1,183

 
1,117

Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period
$
1,709

 
$
1,354

 
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.


6



Noble Energy, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Shareholders' Equity
(millions)
(unaudited)

 
Common
Stock
 
Additional
Paid in
Capital
 
Accumulated Other
Comprehensive
Loss
 
Treasury
Stock at
Cost
 
Retained
Earnings
 
Total
Shareholders'
Equity
December 31, 2014
$
4

 
$
3,624

 
$
(90
)
 
$
(671
)
 
$
7,458

 
$
10,325

Net (Loss)

 

 

 

 
(22
)
 
(22
)
Stock-based Compensation

 
21

 

 

 

 
21

Exercise of Stock Options

 
4

 

 

 

 
4

Dividends (18 cents per share)

 

 

 

 
(64
)
 
(64
)
Changes in Treasury Stock, Net

 

 

 
(12
)
 

 
(12
)
Issuance of Shares of Common Stock to Public, Net of Offering Costs

 
1,112

 

 

 

 
1,112

Net Change in Pension and Other

 

 
(7
)
 

 

 
(7
)
March 31, 2015
$
4

 
$
4,761

 
$
(97
)
 
$
(683
)
 
$
7,372

 
$
11,357

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
December 31, 2013
$
4

 
$
3,463

 
$
(117
)
 
$
(659
)
 
$
6,493

 
$
9,184

Net Income

 

 

 

 
200

 
200

Stock-based Compensation

 
23

 

 

 

 
23

Exercise of Stock Options

 
10

 

 

 

 
10

Tax Benefits Related to Exercise of Stock Options

 
6

 

 

 

 
6

Dividends (14 cents per share)

 

 

 

 
(50
)
 
(50
)
Changes in Treasury Stock, Net

 

 

 
(15
)
 

 
(15
)
Net Change in Pension and Other

 

 
3

 

 

 
3

March 31, 2014
$
4

 
$
3,502

 
$
(114
)
 
$
(674
)
 
$
6,643

 
$
9,361



The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

7

Noble Energy, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements


Note 1.  Organization and Nature of Operations
Noble Energy, Inc. (Noble Energy, we or us) is a leading independent energy company engaged in worldwide crude oil and natural gas exploration and production. Our core operating areas are onshore US, primarily in the DJ Basin and Marcellus Shale, in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, offshore Eastern Mediterranean, and offshore West Africa.

Note 2.  Basis of Presentation
Presentation   The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the US (US GAAP) for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and notes required by US GAAP for complete financial statements. The accompanying consolidated financial statements at March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 and for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 contain all normally recurring adjustments considered necessary for a fair presentation of our financial position, results of operations, cash flows and shareholders’ equity for such periods. Certain prior-period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current-period presentation. Operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2015 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2015.
These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014.
Consolidation   Our consolidated accounts include our accounts and the accounts of our wholly-owned subsidiaries.  In addition, we use the equity method of accounting for investments in entities that we do not control but over which we exert significant influence. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated upon consolidation.
Equity Offering On March 3, 2015, we closed an underwritten public offering of 21,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, at a price to the public of $47.50 per share. In addition, on March 25, 2015, we completed the issuance of an additional 3,150,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, in connection with the exercise of the option of the underwriters to purchase additional shares of common stock. The aggregate net proceeds of the offerings were approximately $1.1 billion (after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses). We used approximately $150 million of the net proceeds to repay outstanding indebtedness under our revolving credit facility and the remainder will be used for general corporate purposes, including the funding of our capital investment program.
Increase in Authorized Shares On April 28, 2015, our stockholders approved an amendment to our Certificate of Incorporation to increase the number of authorized shares of our common stock from 500 million to 1 billion.
Update on Core Area Israel In March 2014, we and our partners reached an agreement with the Israel Antitrust Authority on various matters (Consent Decree). The Consent Decree, which was subject to final approval by the Antitrust Tribunal, granted the rights, to us and our partners, to jointly market natural gas from the Leviathan field. Also, as a result of the Consent Decree, we agreed to divest our Tanin and Karish natural gas discoveries.
However, on December 23, 2014, we and our partners in the Leviathan field were advised by the Israel Antitrust Authority of its decision to not submit the Consent Decree to the Antitrust Tribunal for final approval. This is a matter that we believed was resolved some time ago and we had received assurances from the Antitrust Authority that approval was forthcoming. We requested an oral hearing with the Antitrust Authority, which took place on January 27, 2015, and await final disposition.
In the meantime, negotiations are ongoing with the Antitrust Authority and with an inter-ministerial working group, established by the Prime Minister's office for the purpose of agreeing to a comprehensive regulatory framework for investment. We remain prepared to implement the Consent Decree if agreed with the Antitrust Authority but in any case, expect that divestiture of Tanin and Karish will be part of a final regulatory settlement. We therefore continue to hold these assets for sale.
Recently Issued Accounting Standards In April 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2015-03 (ASU 2015-03): Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs, effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2015. ASU 2015-03 requires that all costs incurred to issue debt be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying value of the debt. It is effective retrospectively for first quarter 2016 and is only expected to impact the presentation of our consolidated balance sheet. As of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, we had $48 million and $50 million of capitalized, unamortized debt issuance costs, respectively.
In February 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2015-02 (ASU 2015-02): Consolidation - Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis, effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2015. ASU 2015-02 changes the guidance as to whether an entity is a variable interest entity (VIE) or a voting interest entity and how related parties

8

Noble Energy, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

are considered in the VIE model. We are currently evaluating the provisions of ASU 2015-02 and assessing the impact, if any, it may have on our financial position and results of operations.
In May 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-09 (ASU 2014-09), which creates Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, and supersedes the revenue recognition requirements in Topic 605, Revenue Recognition, including most industry-specific revenue recognition guidance throughout the Industry Topics of the Codification. In addition, ASU 2014-09 supersedes the cost guidance in Subtopic 605-35, Revenue Recognition - Construction-Type and Production-Type Contracts, and creates new Subtopic 340-40, Other Assets and Deferred Costs - Contracts with Customers. In summary, the core principle of Topic 606 is that an entity recognizes revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. Additionally, ASU 2014-09 requires enhanced financial statement disclosures over revenue recognition as part of the new accounting guidance. The amendments in ASU 2014-09 are effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within that reporting period, and early application is not permitted. In April 2015, the FASB proposed to delay the effective date for one year, for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. The proposal will be subject to the FASB's due process requirement. We are currently evaluating the provisions of ASU 2014-09 and awaiting implementation guidance to determine the impact, if any, it may have on our financial position and results of operations.
Estimates   The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with US GAAP requires us to make a number of estimates and assumptions relating to the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ significantly from those estimates. Management evaluates estimates and assumptions on an ongoing basis using historical experience and other factors, including the current economic and commodity price environment.
Statements of Operations Information   Other statements of operations information is as follows: 
 
Three Months Ended
March 31,
(millions)
2015
 
2014
Production Expense
 

 
 

Lease Operating Expense
$
157

 
$
142

Production and Ad Valorem Taxes
32

 
49

Transportation and Gathering Expense
56

 
38

Total
$
245

 
$
229

Other Operating (Income) Expense, Net
 

 
 

Midstream Gathering and Processing Expense
$
4

 
$
3

Other, Net
4

 
7

Total
$
8

 
$
10

Other Non-Operating (Income) Expense, Net
 

 
 

Deferred Compensation Expense (1)
$
2

 
$
4

Other (Income) Expense, Net
(1
)
 
1

Total
$
1

 
$
5

 
(1) 
Amounts represent increases in the fair value of shares of our common stock held in a rabbi trust.


9

Noble Energy, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

Balance Sheet Information   Other balance sheet information is as follows:
(millions)
March 31,
2015
 
December 31,
2014
Accounts Receivable, Net
 
 
 
Commodity Sales
$
303

 
$
405

Joint Interest Billings
343

 
297

Other
140

 
171

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts
(17
)
 
(16
)
Total
$
769

 
$
857

Other Current Assets
 

 
 

Inventories, Materials and Supplies
$
89

 
$
81

Inventories, Crude Oil
28

 
24

Assets Held for Sale (1)
106

 
180

Prepaid Expenses and Other Current Assets
36

 
40

Total
$
259

 
$
325

Other Noncurrent Assets
 

 
 

Equity Method Investments
$
384

 
$
325

Mutual Fund Investments
112

 
111

Commodity Derivative Assets
169

 
180

Other Assets
119

 
99

Total
$
784

 
$
715

Other Current Liabilities
 

 
 

Production and Ad Valorem Taxes
$
119

 
$
110

Income Taxes Payable
182

 
180

Deferred Income Taxes, Current
151

 
158

Accrued Benefit Costs, Current
109

 
125

Asset Retirement Obligations
81

 
81

Interest Payable
83

 
70

Current Portion of Capital Lease Obligations
65

 
68

Other
84

 
152

Total
$
874

 
$
944

Other Noncurrent Liabilities
 

 
 

Deferred Compensation Liabilities
$
224

 
$
218

Asset Retirement Obligations
706

 
670

Accrued Benefit Costs
23

 
24

Other
204

 
175

Total
$
1,157

 
$
1,087

(1) Assets held for sale includes $76 million related to our Tanin and Karish natural gas discoveries, offshore Israel. See Update on Core Area Israel, above.


10

Noble Energy, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

Note 3. Divestitures
Onshore US Properties   During the first three months of 2015, we sold certain onshore US crude oil and natural gas leases. Properties sold generated net proceeds of $119 million, which were applied to the DJ Basin depletable field, with no recognition of gain or loss.
Information regarding assets sold during the first three months of 2014 is as follows:
 
Three Months Ended
March 31,
(millions)
2014
Sales Proceeds
$
92

Less
 
     Net Book Value of Assets Sold
(106
)
     Goodwill Allocated to Assets Sold
(6
)
     Asset Retirement Obligations Associated with Assets Sold
20

     Other Closing Adjustments
(1
)
Gain on Divestitures
$
(1
)
Note 4. Asset Impairments
Pre-tax (non-cash) asset impairment charges were as follows:
 
Three Months Ended
March 31,
(millions)
2015
 
2014
Deepwater Gulf of Mexico
3

 

Eastern Mediterranean
24

 

North Sea

 
92

Non-Core US Property

 
5

Total
$
27

 
$
97

Impairments for 2015 were related to facility costs at South Raton (Deepwater Gulf of Mexico) and increases in expected field abandonment costs for the Noa and Pinnacles fields (Eastern Mediterranean).
Impairments for 2014 were primarily related to an increase in expected field abandonment costs and a change in the timing of abandonment activities at the MacCulloch North Sea field.
See Note 2. Basis of Presentation, Note 7. Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures and Note 9. Asset Retirement Obligations.

11

Noble Energy, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements


Note 5.  Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities
Objective and Strategies for Using Derivative Instruments   We are exposed to fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas prices on the majority of our production. In order to mitigate the effect of commodity price volatility and enhance the predictability of cash flows relating to the marketing of our global crude oil and domestic natural gas, we enter into crude oil and natural gas price hedging arrangements with respect to a portion of our expected production.
While these instruments mitigate the cash flow risk of future decreases in commodity prices, they may also curtail benefits from future increases in commodity prices. See Note 7. Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures for a discussion of methods and assumptions used to estimate the fair values of our derivative instruments.
Unsettled Commodity Derivative Instruments   As of March 31, 2015, we had entered into the following crude oil derivative instruments: 
 
 
 
 
Swaps
 
Collars
Settlement
Period
Type of Contract
Index
Bbls Per
Day
Weighted
Average
Fixed
Price
 
Weighted
Average
 Short Put
 Price
Weighted
Average
Floor
Price
Weighted
Average
 Ceiling
Price
Instruments Entered Into as of March 31, 2015
 
 
 
 
 
 
2015
Swaps
NYMEX WTI
27,000

$
88.80

 
$

$

$

2015
Swaps
Dated Brent
8,000

100.31

 



2015
Two-Way Collars
NYMEX WTI
5,000


 

50.00

64.94

2015
Three-Way Collars
NYMEX WTI
20,000


 
70.50

87.55

94.41

2015
Three-Way Collars
Dated Brent
13,000


 
76.92

96.00

108.49

2016
Swaps
NYMEX WTI
6,000

87.95

 



2016
Swaps
Dated Brent
9,000

97.96

 



2016
Three-Way Collars
NYMEX WTI
6,000


 
61.00

72.50

86.37

2016
Three-Way Collars
Dated Brent
8,000


 
72.50

86.25

101.79

As of March 31, 2015, we had entered into the following natural gas derivative instruments:
 
 
 
 
Swaps
 
Collars
Settlement
Period
Type of Contract
Index
MMBtu
Per Day
Weighted
Average
Fixed
Price
 
Weighted
Average
Short Put
 Price
Weighted
Average
Floor
Price
Weighted
Average
Ceiling
Price
Instruments Entered Into as of March 31, 2015
 
 
 
 
 
 
2015
Swaps
NYMEX HH
140,000
$
4.30

 
$

$

$

2015
Three-Way Collars
NYMEX HH
150,000

 
3.58

4.25

5.04

2016
Swaps (1)
NYMEX HH
40,000
3.60

 



2016
Two-Way Collars
NYMEX HH
30,000

 

3.00

3.50

2016
Three-Way Collars
NYMEX HH
60,000

 
2.88

3.50

4.03

(1) 
We have entered into natural gas derivative contracts which give counterparties the option to extend for an additional 12-month period. Options covering a notional volume of 30,000 MMBtu/d are exercisable on December 22 and 23, 2016. If the counterparties exercise all such options, the notional volume of our existing natural gas derivative contracts will increase by 30,000 MMBtu/d at an average price of $3.50 per MMBtu for each month during the period January 1, 2017 through December 31, 2017.

12

Noble Energy, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

Fair Value Amounts and (Gain) Loss on Commodity Derivative Instruments   The fair values of commodity derivative instruments in our consolidated balance sheets were as follows:
Fair Value of Derivative Instruments
 
Asset Derivative Instruments
 
Liability Derivative Instruments
 
March 31,
2015
 
December 31,
2014
 
March 31,
2015
 
December 31,
2014
(millions)
Balance Sheet Location
 
Fair
Value
 
Balance Sheet Location
 
Fair
 Value
 
Balance Sheet Location
 
Fair
Value
 
Balance Sheet Location
 
Fair
Value
Commodity Derivative Instruments
Current Assets
 
$
661

 
Current Assets
 
$
710

 
Current Liabilities
 
$

 
Current Liabilities
 
$

 
Noncurrent Assets
 
169

 
Noncurrent Assets
 
180

 
Noncurrent Liabilities
 

 
Noncurrent Liabilities
 

Total
 
 
$
830

 
 
 
$
890

 
 
 
$

 
 
 
$


The effect of commodity derivative instruments on our consolidated statements of operations was as follows:
 
Three Months Ended
March 31,
(millions)
2015
 
2014
Cash (Received) Paid in Settlement of Commodity Derivative Instruments
 
 
 
  Crude Oil
$
(185
)
 
$
27

  Natural Gas
(25
)
 
6

Total Cash (Received) Paid in Settlement of Commodity Derivative Instruments
(210
)
 
33

Non-cash Portion of (Gain) Loss on Commodity Derivative Instruments
 
 
 
   Crude Oil
55

 
28

   Natural Gas
5

 
14

Total Non-cash Portion of (Gain) Loss on Commodity Derivative Instruments
60

 
42

(Gain) Loss on Commodity Derivative Instruments
 
 
 
   Crude Oil
(130
)
 
55

   Natural Gas
(20
)
 
20

Total (Gain) Loss on Commodity Derivative Instruments
$
(150
)
 
$
75


13

Noble Energy, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

Note 6. Debt
Debt consists of the following:
 
March 31,
2015
 
 
December 31,
2014
 
(millions, except percentages)
Debt
 
Interest Rate
 
 
Debt
 
Interest Rate
 
Credit Facility, due October 3, 2018
$

 
%
 
 
$

 
%
 
Capital Lease and Other Obligations
419

 
%
 
 
413

 
%
 
8.25% Senior Notes, due March 1, 2019
1,000

 
8.25
%
 
 
1,000

 
8.25
%
 
4.15% Senior Notes, due December 15, 2021
1,000

 
4.15
%
 
 
1,000

 
4.15
%
 
7.25% Senior Notes, due October 15, 2023
100

 
7.25
%
 
 
100

 
7.25
%
 
3.90% Senior Notes, due November 15, 2024
650

 
3.90
%
 
 
650

 
3.90
%
 
8.00% Senior Notes, due April 1, 2027
250

 
8.00
%
 
 
250

 
8.00
%
 
6.00% Senior Notes, due March 1, 2041
850

 
6.00
%
 
 
850

 
6.00
%
 
5.25% Senior Notes, due November 15, 2043
1,000

 
5.25
%
 
 
1,000

 
5.25
%
 
5.05% Senior Notes, due November 15, 2044
850

 
5.05
%
 
 
850

 
5.05
%
 
7.25% Senior Debentures, due August 1, 2097
84

 
7.25
%
 
 
84

 
7.25
%
 
Total
6,203

 
 
 
 
6,197

 
 

 
Unamortized Discount
(25
)
 
 

 
 
(26
)
 
 

 
Total Debt, Net of Discount
6,178

 
 

 
 
6,171

 
 

 
Less Amounts Due Within One Year
 

 
 

 
 
 

 
 

 
Capital Lease Obligations
(65
)
 
 

 
 
(68
)
 
 

 
Long-Term Debt Due After One Year
$
6,113

 
 

 
 
$
6,103

 
 

 
Credit Facility Our Credit Agreement provides for a $4.0 billion unsecured revolving credit facility (Credit Facility), which is available for general corporate purposes. The Credit Facility (i) provides for facility fee rates that range from 12.5 basis points to 30 basis points per year depending upon our credit rating, (ii) includes sub-facilities for short-term loans and letters of credit up to an aggregate amount of $500 million under each sub-facility and (iii) provides for interest rates that are based upon the Eurodollar rate plus a margin that ranges from 100 basis points to 145 basis points depending upon our credit rating.
See Note 7. Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures for a discussion of methods and assumptions used to estimate the fair values of debt.

Note 7.  Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures  
Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis 
Certain assets and liabilities are measured at fair value on a recurring basis in our consolidated balance sheets. The following methods and assumptions were used to estimate the fair values: 
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable   The carrying amounts approximate fair value due to the short-term nature or maturity of the instruments. 
Mutual Fund Investments   Our mutual fund investments, which primarily include assets held in a rabbi trust, consist of various publicly-traded mutual funds that include investments ranging from equities to money market instruments. The fair values are based on quoted market prices for identical assets. 
Commodity Derivative Instruments   Our commodity derivative instruments may include: variable to fixed price commodity swaps, two-way collars, and/or three-way collars. We estimate the fair values of these instruments based on published forward commodity price curves as of the date of the estimate. The discount rate used in the discounted cash flow projections is based on published LIBOR rates, Eurodollar futures rates and interest swap rates. The fair values of commodity derivative instruments in an asset position include a measure of counterparty nonperformance risk, and the fair values of commodity derivative instruments in a liability position include a measure of our own nonperformance risk, each based on the current published credit default swap rates. In addition, for collars, we estimate the option values of the put options sold and the contract floors and ceilings using an option pricing model which takes into account market volatility, market prices and contract terms. See Note 5. Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities
Deferred Compensation Liability   The value is dependent upon the fair values of mutual fund investments and shares of our common stock held in a rabbi trust. See Mutual Fund Investments above. 

14

Noble Energy, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

Measurement information for assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis was as follows: 
 
Fair Value Measurements Using
 
 
 
 
 
Quoted Prices in 
Active Markets
(Level 1) (1)
 
Significant Other
Observable Inputs
(Level 2) (2)
 
Significant
Unobservable
Inputs (Level 3) (3)
 
Adjustment (4)
 
Fair Value Measurement
(millions)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
March 31, 2015
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Financial Assets
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Mutual Fund Investments
$
112

 
$

 
$

 
$

 
$
112

Commodity Derivative Instruments

 
832

 

 
(2
)
 
830

Financial Liabilities
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Commodity Derivative Instruments

 
(2
)
 

 
2

 

Portion of Deferred Compensation Liability Measured at Fair Value
(137
)
 

 

 

 
(137
)
December 31, 2014
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 

Financial Assets
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Mutual Fund Investments
$
111

 
$

 
$

 
$

 
$
111

Commodity Derivative Instruments

 
890

 

 

 
890

Financial Liabilities
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Commodity Derivative Instruments

 

 

 

 

Portion of Deferred Compensation Liability Measured at Fair Value
(134
)
 

 

 

 
(134
)
 
(1) 
Level 1 measurements are fair value measurements which use quoted market prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. We use Level 1 inputs when available as Level 1 inputs generally provide the most reliable evidence of fair value.
(2) 
Level 2 measurements are fair value measurements which use inputs, other than quoted prices included within Level 1, which are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly.
(3) 
Level 3 measurements are fair value measurements which use unobservable inputs.
(4) 
Amount represents the impact of netting provisions within our master agreements that allow us to net cash settle asset and liability positions with the same counterparty.
Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Nonrecurring Basis
Certain assets and liabilities are measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis in our consolidated balance sheets. The following methods and assumptions were used to estimate the fair values:
Asset Impairments Information about impaired assets is as follows:
 
Fair Value Measurements Using
 
 
 
 
Description
Quoted Prices in 
Active Markets
(Level 1)
 
Significant Other
Observable Inputs
(Level 2)
 
Significant
Unobservable
Inputs (Level 3)
 
Net Book Value (1)
 
Total Pre-tax (Non-cash) Impairment Loss
millions
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Three Months Ended March 31, 2015
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Impaired Oil and Gas Properties
$

 
$

 
$

 
$
27

 
$
27

Three Months Ended March 31, 2014
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Impaired Oil and Gas Properties

 

 
6

 
103

 
97

(1) Amount represents net book value at the date of assessment.

15

Noble Energy, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

The fair value of impaired oil and gas properties was determined as of the date of the assessment using a discounted cash flow model based on management’s expectations of future crude oil and natural gas production prior to abandonment date, commodity prices based on NYMEX WTI, NYMEX Henry Hub, and Brent future price curves as of the date of the estimate, estimated operating and abandonment costs, and a risk-adjusted discount rate of 10%. First quarter 2015 impairments were due primarily to increases in asset carrying values associated with increases in estimated abandonment costs. See Note 4. Asset Impairments.
Additional Fair Value Disclosures
Debt   The fair value of public, fixed-rate debt is estimated based on the published market prices for the same or similar issues. As such, we consider the fair value of our public, fixed-rate debt to be a Level 1 measurement on the fair value hierarchy. 
As such, we consider the fair values of our Credit Facility to be a Level 2 measurement on the fair value hierarchy. See Note 6. Debt.
Fair value information regarding our debt is as follows:
 
March 31,
2015
 
December 31,
2014
(millions)
Carrying Amount
 
Fair Value
 
Carrying Amount
 
Fair Value
Total Debt, Net of Unamortized Discount (1)
$
5,759

 
$
6,385

 
$
5,758

 
$
6,179

(1) 
Excludes capital lease and other obligations.
Note 8.  Capitalized Exploratory Well Costs
We capitalize exploratory well costs until a determination is made that the well has found proved reserves or is deemed noncommercial. If a well is deemed to be noncommercial, the well costs are charged to exploration expense as dry hole cost.
Changes in capitalized exploratory well costs are as follows and exclude amounts that were capitalized and subsequently expensed in the same period:
(millions)
Three Months Ended March 31, 2015
Capitalized Exploratory Well Costs, Beginning of Period
$
1,337

Additions to Capitalized Exploratory Well Costs Pending Determination of Proved Reserves
59

Reclassified to Proved Oil and Gas Properties Based on Determination of Proved Reserves
(6
)
Capitalized Exploratory Well Costs Charged to Expense (1)
(17
)
Capitalized Exploratory Well Costs, End of Period
$
1,373


(1) Relates to onshore US exploration activity.

The following table provides an aging of capitalized exploratory well costs based on the date that drilling commenced, and the number of projects that have been capitalized for a period greater than one year: 
(millions)
March 31,
2015
 
December 31,
2014
Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for a Period of One Year or Less
$
272

 
$
247

Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for a Period Greater Than One Year Since Commencement of Drilling
1,101

 
1,090

Balance at End of Period
$
1,373

 
$
1,337

Number of Projects with Exploratory Well Costs That Have Been Capitalized for a Period Greater Than One Year Since Commencement of Drilling
13

 
13

 

16

Noble Energy, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

The following table includes exploratory well costs that have been capitalized for a period greater than one year since the commencement of drilling as of March 31, 2015:
 
 
 
(millions)
Total by Project
Progress
Country/Project:
 
 
Onshore US
 
 
Northeast Nevada
$
26

Analyzing results from our first four exploratory vertical wells and evaluating potential for production tests.
Deepwater Gulf of Mexico
 
 
Troubadour
47

Evaluating development scenarios for this 2013 natural gas discovery including subsea tieback to existing infrastructure.
Offshore Equatorial Guinea (Blocks O and I)
 

 
Diega/Carmen
221

Evaluating regional development scenarios for this 2008 crude oil discovery. We drilled subsequent appraisal wells. During 2014, we conducted additional seismic activity over Blocks O and I and are engaged in processing the newly-acquired seismic data.
Carla
154

Evaluating regional development scenarios for this 2011 crude oil discovery. We drilled subsequent appraisal wells. During 2014, we conducted additional seismic activity over Blocks O and I and are engaged in processing the newly-acquired seismic data.
Felicita
39

Evaluating regional development plans for this 2008 condensate and natural gas discovery. A natural gas development team is working with the governments of Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon to evaluate natural gas monetization options and finalize a data exchange agreement between the two countries.
Yolanda
20

Evaluating regional development plans for this 2007 condensate and natural gas discovery. A natural gas development team is working with the governments of Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon to evaluate natural gas monetization options and finalize a data exchange agreement between the two countries.
Offshore Cameroon
 

 
YoYo
48

Working with the government to assess commercialization of this 2007 condensate and natural gas discovery. A natural gas development team is working with the governments of Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon to evaluate natural gas monetization options and finalize a data exchange agreement between the two countries.
Offshore Israel (1)
 

 
Leviathan
185

During 2014, we received the Leviathan Development and Production Leases, submitted a development plan to the government, completed substantial engineering and procurement activities and engaged in natural gas marketing activities.
Leviathan-1 Deep
79

Well did not reach the target interval; developing future drilling plans to test this deep oil concept, which is held by the Leviathan Development and Production Leases. We are working on potential well design and placement.

17

Noble Energy, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

Dalit
28

Submitted a development plan to the government to develop this 2009 natural gas discovery as a tie-in to existing infrastructure.
Dolphin 1
25

Reviewing regional development scenarios for this 2011 natural gas discovery, including a potential tieback to Leviathan. We have applied to the Israeli government for a commerciality ruling.
Offshore Cyprus
 
 
Cyprus
203

Discussing monetization options with the Cyprus government for this 2011 natural gas discovery. In May 2014, our application for renewal of the PSC for two additional years was approved. We plan to submit a plan of development to the government in 2015.
Other
 

 
Individual Projects Less than $20 million
26

Continuing to drill and evaluate wells.
Total
$
1,101

 
(1) We are currently working to resolve antitrust and other regulatory matters with the Israeli government to enable Leviathan and other development to move forward. See Note 2. Basis of Presentation Update on Core Area Israel.

Note 9.  Asset Retirement Obligations
Asset retirement obligations (ARO) consists primarily of estimated costs of dismantlement, removal, site reclamation and similar activities associated with our oil and gas properties. Changes in ARO are as follows:
 
Three Months Ended
March 31,
(millions)
2015
 
2014
Asset Retirement Obligations, Beginning Balance
$
751

 
$
586

Liabilities Incurred
10

 
1

Liabilities Settled
(8
)
 
(14
)
Revision of Estimate
24

 
72

Accretion Expense (1)
10

 
10

Asset Retirement Obligations, Ending Balance
$
787

 
$
655

(1) Accretion expense is included in DD&A expense in the consolidated statements of operations.
For the three months ended March 31, 2015
Liabilities incurred were due to new wells and facilities and included $4 million for onshore US and $6 million for deepwater Gulf of Mexico. Liabilities settled in 2015 relate primarily to non-core US properties classified as held for sale.
Revisions in estimate for 2015 relate to changes in cost estimates for Eastern Mediterranean.
For the three months ended March 31, 2014
Liabilities settled in 2014 include $24 million for onshore US and deepwater Gulf of Mexico abandonments and $17 million related to properties classified as held for sale, offset by $27 million as a result of reclassifying remaining North Sea assets from held for sale to held and used.
Revision in estimate for 2014 included an increase of $67 million related to the non-operated MacCulloch North Sea field due to an increase in costs and a change in timing. See Note 3. Divestitures.

18

Noble Energy, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

Note 10.  Earnings Per Share
Basic earnings per share of common stock is computed using the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding during each period. The diluted earnings per share of common stock include the effect of outstanding stock options, shares of restricted stock, or shares of our common stock held in a rabbi trust (when dilutive). The following table summarizes the calculation of basic and diluted earnings per share:
 
Three Months Ended
March 31,
(millions, except per share amounts)
2015
 
2014
Net Income (Loss)
$
(22
)
 
$
200

 
 
 
 
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Basic (1)
370

 
360

Incremental Shares from Assumed Conversion of Dilutive Stock Options, Restricted Stock, and Shares of Common Stock in Rabbi Trust (2)

 
5

Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Diluted
370

 
365

Earnings (Loss) Per Share, Basic
$
(0.06
)
 
$
0.56

Earnings (Loss) Per Share, Diluted
(0.06
)
 
0.55

Number of Antidilutive Stock Options, Shares of Restricted Stock, and Shares of Common Stock in Rabbi Trust Excluded from Calculation Above
9

 
6

(1) 
The weighted average number of shares outstanding includes the weighted average shares of common stock issued in connection with the underwritten public offering of 24,150,000 shares of common stock of the Company in first quarter 2015.
(2) 
For the three months ended March 31, 2015, all outstanding options and non-vested restricted shares have been excluded from the calculation of diluted EPS as the Company incurred a loss for the quarter. Therefore, inclusion of outstanding options and non-vested restricted shares in the calculation of diluted EPS would be anti-dilutive.


Note 11.  Income Taxes
The income tax provision relating to continuing operations consists of the following:
 
Three Months Ended
March 31,
(millions)
2015
 
2014
Current
$
10

 
$
60

Deferred
(30
)
 
17

Total Income Tax (Benefit) Provision
$
(20
)
 
$
77

Effective Tax Rate
47.6
%
 
27.6
%

Our effective tax rate (ETR) for the three months ended March 31, 2015 increased as compared with the three months ended March 31, 2014 primarily as a result of a tax benefit divided by a pre-tax loss. In the case of a pre-tax loss, our favorable permanent differences, such as income from equity method investees and increased earnings in our foreign jurisdictions with rates that vary from the US statutory rate, have the effect of increasing the tax benefit which, in turn, increases the ETR.
In our major tax jurisdictions, the earliest years remaining open to examination are as follows: US – 2011, Equatorial Guinea – 2009 and Israel – 2010.

19

Noble Energy, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

Note 12.  Segment Information  
We have operations throughout the world and manage our operations by country. The following information is grouped into four components that are all in the business of crude oil and natural gas exploration, development, production, and acquisition: the United States; West Africa (Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Sierra Leone, and Gabon); Eastern Mediterranean (Israel and Cyprus); and Other International and Corporate. Other International includes the North Sea, China (through June 30, 2014), Falkland Islands, Nicaragua and new ventures. Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes for the United States and West Africa includes gains and losses on commodity derivative instruments.
(millions)
Consolidated
 
United
States
 
West
Africa
 
Eastern
Mediterranean
 
Other Int'l &
Corporate
Three Months Ended March 31, 2015
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Revenues from Third Parties
$
740

 
$
478

 
$
138

 
$
120

 
$
4

Income from Equity Method Investees
18

 
11

 
7

 

 

Gathering, Marketing and Processing
1

 
1

 

 

 

Total Revenues
759

 
490

 
145

 
120

 
4

DD&A
454

 
357

 
77

 
15

 
5

Asset Impairments
27

 
3

 

 
24

 

Gain on Commodity Derivative Instruments 
(150
)
 
(105
)
 
(45
)
 

 

Income (Loss) Before Income Taxes
(42
)
 
(1
)
 
74

 
51

 
(166
)
Three Months Ended March 31, 2014
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Revenues from Third Parties
$
1,327

 
$
842

 
$
323

 
$
112

 
$
50

Income from Equity Method Investees
52

 

 
52

 

 

Total Revenues
1,379

 
842

 
375

 
112

 
50

DD&A
425

 
308

 
76

 
14

 
27

Asset Impairments
97

 
5

 

 

 
92

Loss on Commodity Derivative Instruments
75

 
76

 
(1
)
 

 

Income (Loss) from Before Income Taxes
277

 
183

 
261

 
77

 
(244
)
March 31, 2015
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Total Assets
$
23,261

 
$
16,998

 
$
2,732

 
$
2,840

 
$
691

December 31, 2014
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Total Assets
22,553

 
16,400

 
2,763

 
2,806

 
584



Note 13.  Commitments and Contingencies  
CONSOL Carried Cost Obligation In accordance with our Marcellus Shale joint venture arrangement with a subsidiary of CONSOL Energy Inc. (CONSOL), we agreed to fund one-third of CONSOL's 50% working interest share of future drilling and completion costs, capped at $400 million each year (CONSOL Carried Cost Obligation). The remaining obligation totaled approximately $1.6 billion at March 31, 2015.
The CONSOL Carried Cost Obligation is suspended if average Henry Hub natural gas prices fall and remain below $4.00 per MMBtu in any three consecutive month period and remain suspended until average Henry Hub natural gas prices equal or exceed $4.00 per MMBtu for three consecutive months. The CONSOL Carried Cost Obligation is currently suspended due to low natural gas prices. Based on the March 31, 2015 NYMEX Henry Hub natural gas price curve, we expect that the CONSOL Carried Cost Obligation will be suspended for the next 12 months.
Legal Proceedings  We are involved in various legal proceedings in the ordinary course of business.  These proceedings are subject to the uncertainties inherent in any litigation.  We are defending ourselves vigorously in all such matters and we believe that the ultimate disposition of such proceedings will not have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.



20


Item 2.  Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
 
Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (MD&A) is intended to provide a narrative about our business from the perspective of our management. We use common industry terms, such as thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day (MBoe/d) and million cubic feet equivalent per day (MMcfe/d), to discuss production and sales volumes. Our MD&A is presented in the following major sections:

 
The preceding consolidated financial statements, including the notes thereto, contain detailed information that should be read in conjunction with our MD&A.
 
EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW
We are a worldwide explorer and producer of crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids. We aim to achieve sustainable growth in value and cash flow through exploration success and the development of a high-quality, diversified portfolio of assets with investment flexibility between: onshore unconventional developments and offshore organic exploration leading to major development projects; US and international development projects; and production mix among crude oil, natural gas, and NGLs. We currently focus our efforts in five core operating areas: the DJ Basin and Marcellus Shale (onshore US), deepwater Gulf of Mexico, offshore West Africa, and offshore Eastern Mediterranean, where we have strategic competitive advantage and which we believe generate attractive returns. We also seek to enter potential new core areas, and we are currently conducting exploration activities in domestic and international locations such as Northeast Nevada, the Falkland Islands, Cameroon, and Gabon.
Significant Operating Highlights Included:
record total sales volumes of 318 MBoe/d, an 11% increase over first quarter 2014;
record quarterly US onshore horizontal volumes of 96 MBoe/d;
deepwater Gulf of Mexico major projects remain on schedule and on budget;
first gas sales and purchase agreement for regional export of Eastern Mediterranean natural gas approved;
planning for upcoming exploration opportunities offshore the Falkland Islands and Cameroon; and
a decision to exit our position in Nicaragua following detailed future prospect review.
First Quarter 2015 Financial Results Included:
net loss of $22 million, as compared with net income of $200 million for first quarter 2014;
engagement in cost reduction initiatives, including both operational enhancements and new pricing arrangements with service partners, which we expect will decrease capital and operating costs through the year;
net gain on commodity derivative instruments of $150 million (including $60 million non-cash loss) as compared with a net loss on commodity derivative instruments of $75 million (including $42 million non-cash loss) for first quarter 2014;
asset impairment charges of $27 million, as compared with $97 million for first quarter 2014;
diluted loss per share of $0.06, as compared with diluted earnings per share of $0.55 for first quarter 2014;
cash flow provided by operating activities of $541 million, as compared with $929 million for first quarter 2014; and
capital expenditures (accrual based) of $919 million, as compared with $951 million for first quarter 2014.
Significant Events Impacting Liquidity Included:
net cash proceeds of $1.1 billion received from public offering of shares of common stock.
Quarter-End Key Financial Metrics Included:
ending cash balance of $1.7 billion, as compared with $1.2 billion at December 31, 2014;
total liquidity of $5.7 billion at March 31, 2015, as compared with $5.2 billion at December 31, 2014; and
ratio of debt-to-book capital of 35% at March 31, 2015, as compared with 38% at December 31, 2014
Commodity Price Changes The upstream oil and gas business is cyclical. During 2014, natural gas prices declined steadily, and, during fourth quarter 2014, a significant decline in crude oil prices occurred. During first quarter 2015, crude oil and average realized natural gas prices continued to decline. As a result, our consolidated average realized crude oil price

21


decreased 54% and our consolidated average realized natural gas price decreased 27% for first quarter 2015 as compared with first quarter 2014.
We are unable to predict the extent to which commodity prices may recover during 2015. Prices are likely to remain volatile and could decline further. In addition, we could be entering a period of sustained, lower worldwide crude oil prices.
We plan for these cyclical downturns in our business and feel we are well positioned to withstand current and future commodity price volatility:
we have a high-quality, diversified portfolio of assets which provide investment flexibility;
we have positive operating cash flow (revenues less cash operating expenses), prior to capital expenditures, in each of our core areas;
we have designed a substantially-reduced capital investment program which will allow us to respond to conditions that occur in 2015;
we are well hedged, with approximately 60% of global crude oil and 50% of domestic natural gas production hedged for 2015, with additional quantities hedged into 2016;
we have a strong balance sheet with a ratio of debt-to-book capital of 35% at March 31, 2015; and
we have robust liquidity with total liquidity of $5.7 billion at March 31, 2015.
See Operating Outlook – 2015 Capital Investment Program below.
Major Development Project Updates
We continue to advance our major development projects, which we expect to deliver incremental production over the next several years. Updates on major development projects are as follows:
Sanctioned Ongoing Development Projects
A "sanctioned" development project is one for which a final investment decision has been made.
DJ Basin (Onshore US)   During the quarter, we drilled 57 horizontal wells and commenced production on 48 wells, including 17 extended reach lateral wells. Third-party compression, natural gas processing and transportation capacity continue to expand.
Marcellus Shale (Onshore US)  During the quarter, we drilled 15 operated wells, and commenced production on three operated wells. Our joint venture partner drilled 25 wells and 29 dry gas wells commenced production.
Gunflint (Deepwater Gulf of Mexico)  Development is on track for the Gunflint (31% operated working interest) crude oil discovery, utilizing a two-well subsea tieback to the Gulfstar 1 spar platform. The drilling rig is currently performing development work at Gunflint.  Topsides equipment fabrication is underway for installation in 2015 through early 2016, and first production is targeted for mid-2016.
Big Bend and Dantzler (Deepwater Gulf of Mexico) A co-development project is underway for the Big Bend (54% operated working interest) and Dantzler (45% operated working interest) crude oil discoveries, located in the Rio Grande area of the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, which will tie back to the Thunder Hawk semi-submersible production facility. All drilling and completion activities are complete, and development work is progressing on schedule. First production for Big Bend is targeted for fourth quarter 2015, and first production for Dantzler is targeted for end of 2015.
Tamar Compression (Onshore Israel) The Tamar compression project is near completion. The compression is targeted to increase deliverability at Tamar to approximately 1.2 Bcf/d, gross, beginning in mid-2015.
Tamar Southwest We continue to work with the Israeli government to obtain regulatory approval of our development plan for the Tamar Southwest discovery, which is intended to utilize current Tamar infrastructure. Continuing delays in securing regulatory approvals have placed the project at risk of delay. We have petitioned the Israeli courts to expedite the needed approvals. Timely development of Tamar Southwest is important to maintain well capacity and reliability for our overall Tamar project.
Unsanctioned Development Projects
Tamar Expansion Project (Offshore Israel) We have engaged in the planning phase for an expansion project which would expand Tamar field deliverability to approximately 2.0 Bcf/d. Timing of project sanction depends on satisfactory resolution of antitrust and other regulatory matters. See Update on Core Area – Israel, below.
Leviathan Project (Offshore Israel)   In 2014, we submitted the Plan of Development to the Ministry of National Infrastructures, Energy and Water Resources. The development plan is expected to serve both domestic demand and export. Timing of project sanction depends on satisfactory resolution of antitrust and other regulatory matters, as well as execution of natural gas sales and purchase agreements (GSPAs), which will be subject to, among other conditions, the receipt of regulatory

22


approvals. Project financing will also be required. We are engaged with the governments of the US, Israel, Jordan and Egypt on this project. See Update on Core Area – Israel, below.
Cyprus Project (Offshore Cyprus) We are currently evaluating development scenarios for Block 12 and plan to submit a plan of development to the Cypriot government in 2015. There is also potential for a farm-out arrangement of our working interest.
See Item 1. Financial Statements – Note 8. Capitalized Exploratory Well Costs for additional information on costs incurred related to these projects.
Exploration Program Update
We have numerous exploration opportunities remaining in our core areas and are also engaged in new venture activity in both US and international locations.
We were in the process of drilling and/or evaluating significant exploratory wells at March 31, 2015 (See Item 1. Financial Statements – Note 8. Capitalized Exploratory Well Costs), and expect to conduct additional exploratory activities.
A portion of our 2015 capital investment program is dedicated to exploration and associated appraisal activities. However, we do not always encounter hydrocarbons through our drilling activities. In addition, we may find hydrocarbons but subsequently reach a decision, through additional analysis or appraisal drilling, that a development project is not economically or operationally viable.
In the event we conclude that one of our exploratory wells did not encounter hydrocarbons or that a discovery is not economically or operationally viable, the associated capitalized exploratory well costs would be recorded as dry hole expense. 
Additionally, we may not be able to conduct exploration activities prior to lease expirations. As a result, in a future period, dry hole cost and/or leasehold abandonment expense could be significant. See Operating Outlook – Potential for Future Asset Impairment, Dry Hole or Lease Abandonment Expense, below.
Updates on significant exploration activities are as follows:
Northeast Nevada We have drilled four exploratory wells to date. Further testing is required to assess commercial viability, and we are preparing to conduct production testing of the third well during second quarter 2015. Currently, no exploratory drilling is planned for the remainder of 2015.
Deepwater Gulf of Mexico We currently have an inventory of identified prospects, which are a combination of both high impact subsalt prospects and smaller, high value tie-back opportunities. These prospects are subject to an ongoing technical maturation process and may or may not emerge as drillable options. We are actively assessing exploration and appraisal drilling activity necessary to test the resource potential of our Katmai discovery from third quarter 2014 (Green Canyon Block 40, 50% operated working interest). We anticipate drilling a Katmai appraisal well in 2016. 
Offshore West Africa We are currently processing the results of recently-acquired 3D seismic data across Blocks O and I which will aid in advancing other regional exploration and development opportunities, including Diega/Carmen and Carla.
During first quarter, the Government of Cameroon approved a farmout of a portion of our working interest in the Tilapia PSC to Woodside Energy, Ltd. We remain the operator (46.67% working interest) and plan to drill the Cheetah exploration prospect in the second half of 2015. We are also reprocessing 3D seismic data over our YoYo mining concession.
Offshore Eastern Mediterranean See Update on Core Area – Israel, below.
Offshore Falkland Islands We anticipate drilling operations to begin at the Humpback prospect (35% operated working interest), located in the South Falkland Basin, in May 2015. In addition, we recently acquired a 75% interest and operatorship of the PL001 License in the North Falkland Basin. The PL001 License covers an area of nearly 285,000 gross acres. We have identified the Rhea prospect as the initial target on the PL001 License and expect to commence drilling in third quarter 2015.
Argentine officials have recently filed charges against Noble and other oil and gas companies operating offshore the Falkland Islands. We believe the charges have no merit. Our concessions are offshore the Falkland Islands and our concession contracts are with the Falkland Islands Government.

23


Non-Core Divestiture Program
We have continued our non-core asset divestiture program with the sale of certain smaller onshore US property packages during the first three months of 2015. Divestitures of non-core properties allow us to allocate capital and human resources to high-value and high-growth areas. See Item 1. Financial Statements – Note 3. Divestitures and Operating Outlook - Potential for Future Asset Impairment, Dry Hole or Lease Abandonment Expense, below.
Colorado Air Matter
In August 2013, we received an information request from the EPA under Section 114 of the Clean Air Act regarding several tank batteries used in our DJ Basin operations. The information request relates to our compliance with certain regulatory requirements at those locations, including air emissions of volatile organic compounds in a marginal ozone non-attainment area. We responded to the EPA’s information requests between November 2013 and April 2014 and, in April 2015, reached a settlement with the EPA and the State of Colorado regarding potential noncompliance with the Clean Air Act, Colorado's State Implementation Plan, Colorado's Air Pollution Prevention and Control Act and its implementation regulations. See Part II. Other Information – Item 1. Legal Proceedings.
Update on Core Area – Israel
Noble Energy and its partners have been committed to providing natural gas to Israeli citizens for over a decade. We have delivered approximately 1.3 Tcf, gross, of natural gas to Israeli customers, including the government-owned Israel Electric Corporation (IEC), the largest supplier of electricity in the country.
Since obtaining our first exploration license in 1998, Noble Energy has been the first, and only, oil and natural gas company to successfully explore for significant amounts of hydrocarbons in Israel. We are also the first company to construct, operate and produce from a major development project offshore Israel. We have invested significant amounts of capital in exploration and development activities since 1998. Throughout this time, we have focused on partnering with our customers and the Israeli government to provide a reliable fuel source at reasonable prices to support affordable energy for the country’s citizens.
Since our initial discovery at Mari-B in 2000, we and our partners have continued to reinvest for long-term growth, leasing additional acreage and conducting exploration activities offshore Israel, in pursuit of additional resources to meet increasing demand from Israeli consumers and global markets. Our exploration efforts resulted in numerous natural gas discoveries over the past several years. The Tamar and Leviathan discoveries, in particular, are large scale, high quality reservoirs, of global significance, providing substantial additional resources for the government and citizens of Israel. We developed the Tamar field, with a discovery to production cycle time of approximately four years, which is exceptionally fast by historical industry standards for an offshore natural gas project of this magnitude and complexity.
The quantity of discovered resources at Tamar and Leviathan have positioned Israel to meet domestic needs for years to come and eventually become a significant natural gas exporter. Multiple regional markets are emerging and Israel’s domestic demand is predicted to continue to grow over the next decade. Eastern Mediterranean export projects would be well positioned to supply growing regional and global natural gas demand, which would provide benefits beyond satisfying domestic consumption of natural gas. In fact, we have been working with potential customers to supply natural gas through a regional pipeline system and/or LNG facilities. Government export royalties and tax revenues related to regional export sales would provide material financial benefit for Israel’s citizens.
In addition to our natural gas discoveries, the Levant Basin also has potential for large scale crude oil discoveries, which may exist at greater depths. We have conducted preliminary exploration activities and have been planning to complete our test of two deeper intervals.
We have been working with the Israeli government on plans to develop the Leviathan field and expand the currently-producing Tamar field. However, the regulatory environment in Israel has become increasingly challenging and uncertain. Laws, regulations and guidelines have been modified, sometimes with retroactive impacts, resulting in an unpredictable investment climate. Timing of approval for development plans has been delayed, and consequently our ability to make significant, long-term investment decisions has been stymied.
Since 2011, following the discovery of Leviathan, we have been engaged with the Israeli government, including the Antitrust Commissioner, to reach agreement on various antitrust matters resulting from our significant resource ownership status. During 2014, we and our partners reached an agreement with the Israeli government on the antitrust matters (Consent Decree), which included an agreement to divest two of our natural gas discoveries, Tanin and Karish.
Acting in good faith upon the Consent Decree, we engaged in discussions with potential purchasers of the Tanin and Karish discoveries. We believed that the Consent Decree matter had been resolved and had received assurances from the Antitrust Authority that approval was forthcoming.

24


However, on December 23, 2014, the Israeli Antitrust Commissioner (Commissioner) reversed a decision to submit the agreed Consent Decree to the Israeli Antitrust Tribunal for approval. Subsequently, we requested an oral hearing with the Antitrust Authority. The hearing took place on January 27, 2015, and we are awaiting final disposition.
Because stable fiscal and regulatory regimes are imperative to support ongoing investment and sanction of major development projects, we determined that the resolution of the following items, and greater certainty with respect to Israeli fiscal and regulatory matters, would be required prior to sanction of a Leviathan development project, the Tamar expansion or other future development projects:
Approval of final gas sale and purchase agreements with off-takers, to support financing arrangements;
Clear, economically viable tax rulings, including export tax rulings;
Export approval with reasonable export allocations;
Approvals of Plans of Development;
Acceptable resolution of Leviathan and other pending matters with the Israeli Antitrust Authority;
Timely permitting;
Prompt decisions regarding pipeline onshore landing sites;
Other relevant regulatory terms critical to offshore crude oil and natural gas exploration and production;
Stable fiscal and contract terms that allow for financial returns that are appropriate to support long-term investment by a global exploration and production company; and
Stability clauses and protection from changes in laws and regulations.
In response to this situation, in late 2014, the Prime Minister's office established an inter-ministerial working group, led by the head of the National Economic Council, for the purpose of addressing outstanding regulatory matters and developing a comprehensive regulatory framework to support further investment in natural gas development. We have been engaged with the Israeli government inter-ministerial working group in an attempt to resolve these matters.
During March 2015, general elections were held, and a new coalition government is under formation. Under this new governing coalition, leadership changes in certain of the government ministries could occur, which could impact the timing of decisions regarding natural gas development.
Although our development plans have been delayed as a result of recent government actions, described above, we believe that, given the quality of the natural gas resources and significant associated economic benefit to the citizens of Israel, which could total in the billions of dollars over the life of the fields, it is in the best interest of the Israeli government to ultimately support development, and, we continue to expect that our discoveries will be developed, upon satisfactory resolution of the above matters. Therefore, we believe the risk of loss of our investment is remote as the value of these assets could be realized through ultimate development and/or sale to third parties. In addition, we would pursue any and all remedies for any damages incurred.
As of March 31, 2015, our $2.1 billion investment in Israel includes: approximately $1.3 billion related to the currently-producing Tamar field; approximately $400 million related to the Leviathan natural gas discovery and suspended deep oil test; approximately $300 million related to the Tamar expansion project and previous discoveries which are awaiting sanction of development plans; and $76 million related to the Karish and Tanin discoveries, which are included in assets held for sale. We expect further capital expenditure to be minimized, pending resolution of regulatory matters.
Update on Regulations
DOI Hydraulic Fracturing Rules
Although hydraulic fracturing is regulated primarily at the state level, governments and agencies at all levels from federal to municipal are conducting studies and considering regulations, and some have proposed rules.
On March 26, 2015, the US Interior Department's Bureau of Land Management (BLM) published a final rule regulating hydraulic fracturing on public and Indian lands. The new rules include requirements related to well-bore integrity, wastewater disposal and public disclosure of chemicals. Key components of the rule, which will take effect on June 24, 2015, include:
• provisions for ensuring the protection of groundwater supplies by requiring a validation of well integrity and strong cement barriers between the wellbore and water zones through which the wellbore passes;
• increased transparency by requiring companies to publicly disclose chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing to the Bureau of Land Management through the website FracFocus, within 30 days of completing fracturing operations;
• higher standards for interim storage of recovered waste fluids from hydraulic fracturing to mitigate risks to air, water and wildlife; and
• measures to lower the risk of cross-well contamination with chemicals and fluids used in the fracturing operation, by requiring companies to submit more detailed information on the geology, depth, and location of preexisting wells to afford the BLM an opportunity to better evaluate and manage unique site characteristics.

25


We are currently reviewing the final rules to determine the impacts, including additional costs and reporting burdens and increased cycle time for permit approval, they may have on our operations on federal land, including our federal units in Nevada.
Nevada Regulations
In September 2014, Nevada state regulators finalized regulations for the use of hydraulic fracturing in crude oil and natural gas development. The regulatory program includes requirements for groundwater baseline sampling and monitoring, water resource and wastewater disposal requirements, chemical disclosure requirements and mandates for extra casing for unconventional wells. We actively participated in its development and do not believe it will have a material impact on our activities.
DOI Proposed Offshore Drilling Regulations
On April 13, 2015, the DOI announced proposed regulations which include more stringent design requirements and operational procedures for critical well control equipment used in offshore oil and gas operations.
The proposed rule, which will be open for public comment, addresses the range of systems and equipment related to well control operations. The measures are designed to improve equipment reliability, building upon enhanced industry standards for blowout preventers and blowout prevention technologies. The rule also includes reforms in well design, well control, casing, cementing, real-time well monitoring and subsea containment. We will continue to monitor the development of these new regulations to determine the impacts, including additional costs and reporting burdens, they may have on our deepwater Gulf of Mexico operations.
Endangered Species Act
The US Fish and Wildlife Service (the Agency), under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), has regulatory authority over our exploration for, and production and sale of, crude oil, natural gas and NGLs and activities that may result in the take of any endangered or threatened species or its habitat. The Agency recently listed the northern long-eared bat as threatened under the ESA, which could have an impact on the timing of certain of our operations in the Marcellus Shale.
Colorado Task Force
In 2014, by executive order, Colorado Governor Hickenlooper created the Task Force on State and Local Regulation of Oil and Gas Operations (Task Force) for the purpose of recommending policies and legislation.
The 21-member Task Force, which included a Noble Energy representative, concluded its activities on February 27, 2015.  The Task Force sent nine recommendations to the governor.  The recommendations seek to balance land use issues among communities and oil and gas operators and allow reasonable access to private mineral rights.  Three recommendations are presently being considered by the legislature and the governor is reviewing the remaining recommendations, but has not yet indicated how he plans to proceed.  
In addition to the above, we will continue to monitor proposed and new regulations and legislation in all operating jurisdictions to assess the potential impact on our company. Concurrently, we are engaged in extensive public education and outreach efforts with the goal of engaging and educating the general public and communities about the energy, economic and environmental benefits of safe and responsible crude oil and natural gas development.
Sales Volumes
On a BOE basis, total sales volumes were 11% higher for first quarter 2015 as compared with first quarter 2014, and our mix of sales volumes was 43% global liquids, 25% international natural gas, and 32% US natural gas. See Results of Operations – Revenues, below.
Recently Issued Accounting Standards
OPERATING OUTLOOK
2015 Production   Our expected crude oil, natural gas and NGL production for 2015 may be impacted by several factors including:
overall level and timing of capital expenditures which, as discussed below and dependent upon our drilling success, will impact near-term production volumes;
the level of horizontal drilling activity in the DJ Basin and the Marcellus Shale;
decline in our DJ Basin legacy vertical well production and capacity constraints of midstream facilities serving those wells;
timing of start up of DCP Midstream's Lucerne 2 cryogenic plant and occurrence of other events which impact capacity constraints of midstream facilities serving our DJ Basin horizontal wells;

26


timing of start-up of the Big Bend project (deepwater Gulf of Mexico);
Israeli demand for electricity, which affects demand for natural gas as fuel for power generation and industrial market growth, and which is impacted by unseasonable weather;
variations in West Africa crude oil and condensate sales volumes due to potential Aseng FPSO downtime and timing of liftings, and variations in natural gas sales volumes related to potential downtime at the methanol, LPG and/or LNG plants;
natural field decline in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico and offshore Equatorial Guinea;
potential weather-related volume curtailments due to hurricanes in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, or winter storms and flooding in the DJ Basin and/or Marcellus Shale;
reliability of support equipment and facilities and/or potential pipeline and processing facility capacity constraints which may cause restrictions or interruptions in production and/or mid-stream processing;
pending Alba and Alen field unitizations in West Africa;
potential shut-in of US producing properties if storage capacity becomes unavailable;
potential drilling and/or completion permit delays due to future regulatory changes; and
potential purchases of producing properties or divestments of non-core operating assets.
2015 Capital Investment Program Given the current commodity price environment with low prices and an industry cost structure that has yet to fully reset to lower revenue levels, we have designed a substantially-reduced capital investment program that is appropriate for the environment and will be responsive to conditions that develop during 2015. Our preliminary capital program for 2015 will accommodate an investment level of approximately $2.9 billion which represents an approximate 40% reduction from 2014. The program allocates more than 60% of total investment to core onshore US assets and 35% for global offshore development activities including the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, and approximately 5% for global offshore exploration.
The 2015 investment program allocates approximately $1.8 billion to onshore US development split between DJ Basin and Marcellus Shale drilling programs and continued infrastructure investments. We and our Marcellus Shale joint venture partner continue to work together to determine the optimal investment plan for 2015 and 2016.
Approximately $600 million will be invested in the continued development of our sanctioned Gulf of Mexico projects, and additional amounts have been allocated to the Alba and Tamar compression projects.
The 2015 capital investment program is anticipated to exceed operating cash flows during the first half of 2015 and may be funded from cash flows from operations, cash on hand, proceeds from divestments of non-core assets, borrowings under our Credit Facility and/or other financings. We are targeting a cash neutral position, whereby the capital investment program is at, or below, operating cash flows, by the second half of 2015. See Liquidity and Capital Resources – Financing Activities.
Potential for Future Asset Impairment, Dry Hole or Lease Abandonment Expense
Exploration Activities We have an active exploratory drilling program. In the event we conclude that an exploratory well did not encounter hydrocarbons or that a discovery is not economically or operationally viable, the associated capitalized exploratory well costs would be charged to expense. For example, during first quarter 2015, we recorded dry hole expense of $20 million. See also Item 1. Financial Statements - Note 8. Capitalized Exploratory Well Costs.
Additionally, we may not conduct exploration activities prior to lease expirations. For example, in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, while we continue to mature our prospect portfolio, regulations have become more stringent due to the Deepwater Horizon incident in 2010. In some instances, specifically engineered blowout preventers, rigs, and completion equipment may be required for high pressure environments. Regulatory requirements or lack of readily available equipment could prevent us from engaging in future exploration activities during our current lease terms. We currently have capitalized undeveloped leasehold cost of approximately $308 million related to deepwater Gulf of Mexico prospects that have not yet been drilled. These leases will expire over the years 2015 - 2024.
Producing Properties Commodity prices remain volatile. A decline in future crude oil or natural gas prices could result in impairment charges. The cash flow model that we use to assess proved properties for impairment includes numerous assumptions, such as management’s estimates of future oil and gas production along with operating and development costs, market outlook on forward commodity prices, and interest rates. All inputs to the cash flow model must be evaluated at each date of estimate. However, a decrease in forward crude oil or natural gas prices alone could result in an impairment.
In addition, well decommissioning programs, especially in deepwater or remote locations, are often complex and expensive. It may be difficult to estimate timing of actual abandonment activities, which are subject to regulatory approval and the availability of rigs and services. It may be difficult to estimate costs as rigs and services become more expensive in periods of higher demand. Therefore, our ARO estimates may change, sometimes significantly, and could result in asset impairment.
Divestments We are currently marketing certain non-core onshore US properties. If properties are reclassified as assets held for sale in the future, they will be valued at the lower of net book value or anticipated sales proceeds less costs to sell.

27


Impairment expense would be recorded for any excess of net book value over anticipated sales proceeds less costs to sell. In addition, we would allocate a portion of goodwill to any non-core onshore US property held for sale that constitutes a business, which could potentially decrease any gain or increase any loss recorded on the sale.
In addition, certain assets offshore Israel were classified as held for sale at March 31, 2015. No impairments are indicated at this time. However, failure to achieve acceptable sale terms or delays in closing sales of these properties could result in impairment and/or loss on sale.

28


RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Revenues
Revenues were as follows:
 
 
 
 
 
Increase/(Decrease)
from Prior Year
(millions)
2015
 
2014
 
Three Months Ended March 31,
 
 
 
 
 
Oil, Gas and NGL Sales
$
740

 
$
1,327

 
(44
)%
Income from Equity Method Investees
18

 
52

 
(65
)%
Other
1

 

 
N/M

Total
$
759

 
$
1,379

 
(45
)%
Changes in revenues are discussed below.
Oil, Gas and NGL Sales 
We generally sell crude oil, natural gas, and NGLs under two types of agreements, which are common in our industry. Both types of agreements may include transportation charges. One type of agreement is a netback agreement, under which we sell crude oil and natural gas at the wellhead and receive a price, net of transportation expense incurred by the purchaser. In this case, we record crude oil and natural gas revenue at the net price we received from the purchaser. In the case of NGLs, we may receive a price from the purchaser, which is net of processing costs. In this case, we record NGL revenue at the net price we receive from the purchaser. The second type of agreement is one whereby we pay transportation expense directly. In that case, transportation expense is included within production expense in our consolidated statements of operations.
In addition, commodity prices we receive may be reduced by location basis differentials, which can be significant. As a result of both netback agreements and location basis differentials, our reported sales prices may differ significantly from published commodity price benchmarks for the same period.
Average daily sales volumes and average realized sales prices were as follows:
 
Sales Volumes
 
Average Realized Sales Prices
 
Crude Oil & Condensate
(MBbl/d)
 
Natural
Gas
(MMcf/d)
 
NGLs
(MBbl/d)
 
Total
(MBoe/d) (1)
 
Crude Oil & Condensate
(Per Bbl)
 
Natural
Gas
(Per Mcf)
 
NGLs
(Per Bbl)
Three Months Ended March 31, 2015
United States
73

 
619

 
25

 
201

 
$
44.39

 
$
2.72

 
$
14.65

Equatorial Guinea (2)
30

 
231

 

 
68

 
49.65

 
0.27

 

Israel

 
242

 

 
40

 

 
5.45

 

Other International (3)
1

 

 

 
1

 
52.89

 

 

Total Consolidated Operations
104

 
1,092

 
25

 
310

 
45.96

 
2.81

 
14.65

Equity Investees (4)
2

 

 
6

 
8

 
48.63

 

 
30.17

Total
106

 
1,092

 
31

 
318

 
$
46.01

 
$
2.81

 
$
17.64

Three Months Ended March 31, 2014
United States
64

 
483

 
18

 
163

 
$
97.02

 
$
4.81

 
$
44.50

Equatorial Guinea (2)
34

 
242

 

 
74

 
105.73

 
0.27

 

Israel

 
218

 

 
37

 

 
5.60

 

Other International (3)
5

 

 

 
5

 
104.28

 

 

Total Consolidated Operations
103

 
943

 
18

 
279

 
100.23

 
3.83

 
44.50

Equity Investees (4)
2

 

 
5

 
7

 
104.71

 

 
74.51

Total
105

 
943

 
23

 
286

 
$
100.30

 
$
3.83

 
$
51.54

(1) 
Natural gas is converted on the basis of six Mcf of gas per one barrel of crude oil equivalent. This ratio reflects an energy content equivalency and not a price or revenue equivalency. Given commodity price disparities, the price for a barrel of crude oil equivalent for both natural gas and NGL are significantly less than the price for a barrel of crude oil.

29


(2) 
Natural gas from the Alba field in Equatorial Guinea is under contract for $0.25 per MMBtu to a methanol plant, an LPG plant, an LNG plant and a power generation plant. The methanol and LPG plants are owned by affiliated entities accounted for under the equity method of accounting.
(3) 
Other International includes primarily China (through June 30, 2014). North Sea sales volumes for 2014 and 2015 were de minimis.
(4) 
Volumes represent sales of condensate and LPG from the Alba plant in Equatorial Guinea. See Income from Equity Method Investees, below.
An analysis of revenues from sales of crude oil, natural gas and NGLs is as follows:
 
Sales Revenues
(millions)
Crude Oil & Condensate
 
Natural
Gas
 
NGLs
 
Total
Three Months Ended March 31, 2014
$
928

 
$
325

 
$
74

 
$
1,327

Changes due to
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

Increase in Sales Volumes
11

 
51

 
24

 
86

Decrease in Sales Prices
(508
)
 
(100
)
 
(65
)
 
(673
)
Three Months Ended March 31, 2015
$
431

 
$
276

 
$
33

 
$
740

Crude Oil and Condensate Sales – Revenues from crude oil and condensate sales decreased by $497 million or 54% during first quarter of 2015 as compared with 2014 due to the following:
a 54% decrease in total consolidated average realized prices primarily due to the NYMEX WTI crude oil price decline between June and December 2014, with a similar Brent crude oil price decline, with sales prices continuing to be weak in first quarter 2015;
natural field decline in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico;
lower sales volumes due to the sale of our China assets at the end of second quarter 2014; and
a volume reduction in West Africa due to natural field decline at Aseng;
partially offset by:
higher sales volumes for crude oil and condensate in the DJ Basin and Marcellus Shale.
Natural Gas Sales – Revenues from natural gas sales decreased by $49 million or 15% during first quarter 2015 as compared with 2014 due to the following:
a 43% decrease in US natural gas prices;
partially offset by:
higher sales volumes in the DJ Basin and Marcellus Shale primarily attributable to our horizontal drilling program; and
higher sales volumes in the Eastern Mediterranean from the Tamar field.
NGL Sales – The majority of our US NGL production is currently from the DJ Basin. Additional NGL production from the Marcellus Shale added 4 MBbl/d during first quarter 2015 as compared with 2014, primarily due to increased production from the wet gas acreage. NGL sales in the DJ Basin increased by 2 MBbl/d during first quarter 2015 as compared with 2014. Additionally, consolidated average sales prices decreased 67% for the first three months of 2015 compared to the first three months of 2014.
Income from Equity Method Investees  We have interests in equity method investees that operate midstream assets onshore US and West Africa. Equity method investments are included in other noncurrent assets in our consolidated balance sheets, and our share of earnings is reported as income from equity method investees in our consolidated statements of operations. Within our consolidated statements of cash flows, activity is reflected within cash flows provided by operating activities and cash flows provided by (used in) investing activities.
We recorded income of $11 million related to our investments in CONE Gathering LLC and CONE Midstream Partners LP in first quarter 2015. Our West Africa geographical segment had an 86% decrease in equity method investee income, as compared to first quarter 2014. This decrease is due to expenses related to the 45-day AMPCO methanol plant turnaround. Production at AMPCO was shut down during first quarter 2015, which resulted in a quarterly loss.

30


Operating Costs and Expenses
Operating costs and expenses were as follows:
 
 
 
 
 
Increase (Decrease)
from Prior Year
(millions)
2015
 
2014
 
Three Months Ended March 31,
 
 
 
 
 
Production Expense
$
245

 
$
229

 
7
 %
Exploration Expense
65

 
74

 
(12
)%
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization
454

 
425

 
7
 %
General and Administrative
94

 
140

 
(33
)%
Asset Impairments
27

 
97

 
(72
)%
Other Operating (Income) Expense, Net
8

 
10

 
(20
)%
Total
$
893

 
$
975

 
(8
)%
Changes in operating costs and expenses are discussed below.
Production Expense   Components of production expense were as follows:
(millions, except unit rate)
Total per BOE (1)
 
Total
 
United
States
 
Equatorial Guinea
 
Israel
 
Other Int'l,
Corporate (2)
Three Months Ended March 31, 2015
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lease Operating Expense (3)
$
5.61

 
$
157

 
$
103

 
$
34

 
$
12

 
$
8

Production and Ad Valorem Taxes
1.16

 
32

 
32

 

 

 

Transportation and Gathering Expense
2.00

 
56

 
56

 

 

 

Total Production Expense
$
8.77

 
$
245

 
$
191

 
$
34

 
$
12

 
$
8

Total Production Expense per BOE
 
 
$
8.77

 
$
10.55

 
$
5.55

 
$
3.27

 
N/M

Three Months Ended March 31, 2014
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Lease Operating Expense (3)
$
5.66

 
$
142

 
$
85

 
$
31

 
$
12

 
$
14

Production and Ad Valorem Taxes
1.96

 
49

 
40

 

 

 
9

Transportation and Gathering Expense
1.52

 
38

 
37

 

 

 
1

Total Production Expense
$
9.14

 
$
229

 
$
162

 
$
31

 
$
12

 
$
24

Total Production Expense per BOE
 
 
$
9.14

 
$
11.04

 
$
4.67

 
$
3.65

 
N/M

N/M Amount is not meaningful.
(1) 
Consolidated unit rates exclude sales volumes and expenses attributable to equity method investees.
(2) 
Other International includes primarily China (through June 30, 2014) and corporate expenditures.
(3) 
Lease operating expense includes oil and gas operating costs (labor, fuel, repairs, replacements, saltwater disposal and other related lifting costs) and workover expense.

For first quarter 2015, total production expense increased as compared with 2014 due to the following:
an increase of $15 million in lease operating expense due to increased production in the DJ Basin and Marcellus Shale; and
an increase in transportation and gathering expenses due to an increase in onshore US production.
partially offset by:
decreased lease operating expense due to the sale of our China assets at the end of the second quarter 2014; and
decreased production and ad valorem taxes due to decreased revenues resulting from lower realized prices in the US as well as the sale of our China assets at the end of the second quarter 2014.


31


Exploration Expense   Components of exploration expense were as follows:
(millions)
Total
 
United
States
 
West
  Africa (1)
 
Eastern
Mediter-
ranean (2)
 
Other Int'l,
Corporate (3)
Three Months Ended March 31, 2015
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Dry Hole Cost
$
20

 
$
17

 
$

 
$

 
$
3

Seismic
2

 
2

 

 

 

Staff Expense
30

 
3

 
(3
)
 
7

 
23

Other
13

 
13

 

 

 

Total Exploration Expense
$
65

 
$
35

 
$
(3
)
 
$
7

 
$
26

Three Months Ended March 31, 2014
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Dry Hole Cost
$
2

 
$
3

 
$

 
$

 
$
(1
)
Seismic
23

 
7

 

 
1

 
15

Staff Expense
35

 
8

 
2

 
3

 
22

Other
14

 
14

 

 

 

Total Exploration Expense
$
74

 
$
32

 
$
2

 
$
4

 
$
36

(1) 
West Africa includes Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Sierra Leone, and Gabon.
(2) 
Eastern Mediterranean includes Israel and Cyprus.
(3) 
Other International includes the Falkland Islands and other new ventures.
Exploration expense for first quarter 2015 included:
$13 million of dry hole cost related primarily to onshore US exploratory wells; and
salaries and related expenses for corporate exploration and new ventures personnel.
Exploration expense for first quarter 2014 included the following:
$12 million of seismic expense in the Falkland Islands; and
salaries and related expenses for corporate exploration and new ventures personnel.
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization   DD&A expense was as follows:
 
Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
2015
 
2014
DD&A Expense (millions) (1)
$
454

 
$
425

Unit Rate per BOE (2)
$
16.24

 
$
16.95

(1) 
For DD&A expense by geographical area, see Item 1. Financial Statements – Note 12. Segment Information.
(2) 
Consolidated unit rates exclude sales volumes and expenses attributable to equity method investees.
Total DD&A expense for first quarter 2015 increased as compared with 2014 due to the following:
increase in the DJ Basin and the Marcellus Shale due to higher sales volumes;
partially offset by:
decrease due to the sale of our China assets during 2014.
The decrease in the unit rate per BOE for the first quarter 2015 as compared with 2014 was due primarily to the change in mix of production. Higher-cost production volumes in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico and DJ Basin were offset by an increase in lower cost volumes produced at Tamar, offshore Israel.
Our year-end 2014 proved reserves estimates, upon which we based our first quarter 2015 DD&A calculation, were based on the previous 12-month average commodity prices. Therefore, the significant decline in crude oil prices at the end of 2014 and the continued price weakness into 2015, are not yet fully reflected in our proved reserves estimates. We expect to update our proved reserves estimates as of June 30, 2015. A decline in proved reserves estimates, caused by decreases in the 12-month average commodity prices as of June 30, 2015, could result in an increase in DD&A expense during second quarter 2015.


32


General and Administrative Expense   General and administrative expense (G&A) was as follows:
 
Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
2015
 
2014
G&A Expense (millions)
$
94

 
$
140

Unit Rate per BOE (1)
$
3.36

 
$
5.57

(1) 
Consolidated unit rates exclude sales volumes and expenses attributable to equity method investees.
G&A expense for first quarter 2015 decreased as compared with 2014 primarily due to the following:
a $33 million decrease in short term incentive compensation and related payroll burden;
an $8 million decrease in contractor and consulting services; and
reductions in travel and other discretionary expenses.
Asset Impairment Expense Asset impairment expense was as follows:
 
Three Months Ended
March 31,
(millions)
2015
 
2014
Asset Impairments
$
27

 
$
97

See Item 1. Financial Statements – Note 2. Basis of Presentation, Note 4. Asset Impairments and Note 7. Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures.
Other (Income) Expense
Other (income) expense was as follows:
 
Three Months Ended
March 31,
(millions)
2015
 
2014
(Gain) Loss on Commodity Derivative Instruments
$
(150
)
 
$
75

Interest, Net of Amount Capitalized
57

 
47

Other Non-Operating (Income) Expense, Net
1

 
5

Total
$
(92
)
 
$
127

(Gain) Loss on Commodity Derivative Instruments   (Gain) Loss on commodity derivative instruments is a result of mark-to-market accounting. Many factors impact a gain or loss on commodity derivative instruments including: increases and decreases in the commodity forward price curves compared to the terms of our executed commodity instruments; increases in notional volumes; and the mix of instruments between NYMEX WTI, Dated Brent and NYMEX Henry Hub commodities.  See Item 1. Financial Statements – Note 5. Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities and Note 7. Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures.
Interest Expense and Capitalized Interest   Interest expense and capitalized interest were as follows:
 
Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
2015
 
2014
(millions, except unit rate)
 
 
 
Interest Expense, Gross
$
93

 
$
81

Capitalized Interest
(36
)
 
(34
)
Interest Expense, Net
$
57

 
$
47

Unit Rate per BOE (1)
$
2.05

 
$
1.89

(1) Consolidated unit rates exclude sales volumes and expenses attributable to equity method investees.
The increase in interest expense, gross, for first quarter 2015 as compared with 2014 is due to the issuance of new senior debt in November 2014. During first quarter 2015, we drew down and repaid amounts under our Credit Facility. There have been no other significant changes in our debt.

33



Income Tax Provision
See Item 1. Financial Statements – Note 11. Income Taxes for a discussion of the change in our effective tax rate for first quarter 2015 as compared with 2014.

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
Capital Structure/Financing Strategy
In seeking to effectively fund and monetize our discovered hydrocarbons, we employ a capital structure and financing strategy designed to provide sufficient liquidity throughout the volatile commodity price cycle, including the current downturn in crude oil prices. Specifically, we strive to retain the ability to fund long cycle, multi-year, capital intensive development projects throughout a range of scenarios, while also funding a continuing exploration program and maintaining capacity to capitalize on financially attractive periodic mergers and acquisitions activity.
We endeavor to maintain an investment grade debt rating in service of these objectives, while delivering competitive returns and a growing dividend.  We utilize a commodity price hedging program to reduce the impacts of commodity price volatility and enhance the predictability of cash flows along with a risk and insurance program to protect against disruption to our cash flows and the funding of our business.
We strive to maintain a minimum liquidity level to address volatility and risk. Traditional sources of our liquidity are cash flows from operations, cash on hand, available borrowing capacity under our Credit Facility, and proceeds from sales of non-core properties.
We occasionally access the capital markets to ensure adequate liquidity exists in the form of unutilized capacity under our Credit Facility or to refinance scheduled debt maturities. On March 3, 2015, we closed an underwritten public offering of 21,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, at a price to the public of $47.50 per share. In addition, on March 25, 2015, we completed the issuance of an additional 3,150,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, in connection with the exercise of the option of the underwriters to purchase additional shares of common stock. The aggregate net proceeds of the offerings were approximately $1.1 billion (after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses). We used approximately $150 million of the net proceeds to repay outstanding indebtedness under our revolving credit facility and the remainder will be used for general corporate purposes, including the funding of our capital investment program.
We also consider repatriations of foreign cash to increase our financial flexibility and fund our capital investment program to the extent such cash is not required to fund foreign investment projects and would not incur material incremental US tax. We evaluate potential strategic farm-out arrangements of our working interests for reimbursement of our capital spending and may consider other sources of funding.
Cash on hand at March 31, 2015 totaled $1.7 billion, which includes both domestic and foreign cash, and there were no amounts outstanding under our Credit Facility. See Item 1. Financial Statements – Note 6. Debt and Credit Facility, below.
Expanded development in the DJ Basin and Marcellus Shale, investment in major deepwater development projects, and planned exploration and appraisal drilling activities, as well as the fourth quarter 2014 decline in crude oil prices, resulted in capital expenditures exceeding cash flows from operating activities for first quarter 2015. The extent to which capital investment will exceed operating cash flows depends on the pace of future DJ Basin and Marcellus Shale development activities, timing of future development project sanction, the results of exploration activities, and new business opportunities, as well as external factors such as commodity prices, among others. In particular, the sustained crude oil price decline has a significant negative impact on our cash flows. However, our financial capacity, coupled with our diversified portfolio, provides us with flexibility in our investment decisions including execution of our major development projects and exploration activity.
To support our investment program, we expect that higher production resulting from our core onshore US development programs combined with new production from the Big Bend and Dantzler development projects and additional production from the Tamar compression project, will result in an increase in cash flows which will be available to meet a portion of future capital commitments in 2016 and subsequent years. See Results of Operations above.
We are currently evaluating potential development and/or financing scenarios for our significant natural gas discoveries offshore Eastern Mediterranean. The magnitude of these discoveries presents technical and financial challenges for us due to the large-scale development requirements. Each of these development options, including the development of Leviathan Phase 1, would require a multi-billion dollar investment and require a number of years to complete. We are currently working to resolve antitrust and other regulatory matters with the Israeli government to enable Leviathan and other development to move forward. See Executive Overview – Update on Core Area – Israel, above.

34


Pension Plan Termination We are in the process of terminating our defined benefit pension plan. The Internal Revenue Service has approved the termination, and we expect to liquidate the associated pension obligation through lump-sum payments to participants or the purchase of annuities on their behalf.
As of December 31, 2014, the latest actuarial measurement date for the pension plan, the accumulated benefit obligation totaled $287 million, and the fair value of plan assets was $242 million. Therefore, we expect to make additional contributions to the plan of approximately $50 million during the period leading up to final termination and distribution to the extent necessary to fund the net obligation.
In addition, upon termination of the pension plan, all unamortized prior service cost and net actuarial loss remaining in accumulated other comprehensive loss will be charged to expense. This amount totaled approximately $82 million as of March 31, 2015.
Available Liquidity    Information regarding cash and debt balances is as follows:
 
March 31,
 
December 31,
 
2015
 
2014
(millions, except percentages)
 
 
 
Cash and Cash Equivalents
$
1,709

 
$
1,183

Amount Available to be Borrowed Under Credit Facility (1)
4,000

 
4,000

Total Liquidity
$
5,709

 
$
5,183

Total Debt (2)
$
6,203

 
$
6,197

Total Shareholders' Equity
11,357

 
10,325

Ratio of Debt-to-Book Capital (3)
35
%
 
38
%
(1) 
See Credit Facility, below.
(2) 
Total debt includes capital lease and other obligations and excludes unamortized debt discount.
(3) 
We define our ratio of debt-to-book capital as total debt (which includes long-term debt excluding unamortized discount, the current portion of long-term debt, and short-term borrowings) divided by the sum of total debt plus shareholders’ equity.
Cash and Cash Equivalents   We had approximately $1.7 billion in cash and cash equivalents at March 31, 2015, primarily denominated in US dollars and invested in money market funds and short-term deposits with major financial institutions. Approximately $791 million of this cash is attributable to our foreign subsidiaries and a portion would be subject to US income taxes if repatriated.
Credit Facility   Our Credit Facility matures on October 3, 2018. The commitment is $4.0 billion through the maturity date of the Credit Facility. As of March 31, 2015, no amounts were outstanding under the Credit Facility. Borrowings under our Credit Facility subject us to interest rate risk. See Item 1. Financial Statements –Note 6. Debt and Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.
Commodity Derivative Instruments   We use various derivative instruments in connection with anticipated crude oil and natural gas sales to minimize the impact of product price fluctuations and ensure cash flow for future capital needs. Such instruments may include variable to fixed price commodity swaps, two-way collars, three-way collars and/or extendable swaps.
Current period settlements on commodity derivative instruments impact our liquidity, since we are either paying cash to, or receiving cash from, our counterparties.
A significant portion of the hedged volumes are attributable to three-way collars. When commodities trade below the strike price of the sold put option contract of the three-way collar, the cash settlements received by us are limited. However, we still receive the cash market price plus the delta between the purchased put option floor price of the two-way collar contract and the sold put option strike price.
We net settle by counterparty based on netting provisions within the master agreements. None of our counterparty agreements contain margin requirements. 
Commodity derivative instruments are recorded at fair value in our consolidated balance sheets, and changes in fair value are recorded in earnings in the period in which the change occurs.  As of March 31, 2015, the fair value of our commodity derivative assets was $830 million and we had no derivative liabilities (after consideration of netting provisions within our master agreements).  See Item 1. Financial Statements –Note 7. Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures for a description of the methods we use to estimate the fair values of commodity derivative instruments and Credit Risk, below.
Credit Risk   We monitor the creditworthiness of our trade creditors, joint venture partners, hedging counterparties, and financial institutions on an ongoing basis. Some of these entities are not as creditworthy as we are and may experience credit downgrades or liquidity problems. Counterparty credit downgrades or liquidity problems could result in a delay in our receiving proceeds from commodity sales, reimbursement of joint venture costs, and potential delays in our major development

35


projects. We are unable to predict sudden changes in a party's creditworthiness or ability to perform. Even if we do accurately predict such sudden changes, our ability to negate these risks may be limited and we could incur significant financial losses.
In addition, nonoperating partners often must obtain financing for their share of capital cost for development projects. A partner's inability to obtain financing could result in a delay of our joint development projects.
Credit enhancements have been obtained from some parties in the form of parental guarantees, letters of credit or credit insurance; however, not all of our counterparty credit is protected through guarantees or credit support. Nonperformance by a trade creditor, joint venture partner, hedging counterparty or financial institution could result in significant financial losses.
Contractual Obligations
Exploration Commitments The terms of some of our PSCs, licenses or concession agreements require us to conduct certain exploration activities, including drilling one or more exploratory wells or acquiring seismic data, within specific time periods. At March 31, 2015, we have the following commitments: remaining three-well obligation in Nevada; one-well obligation offshore Cameroon; one-well obligation offshore Cyprus; two-well obligation offshore Falkland Islands; and 3D seismic obligation offshore Gabon. These obligations extend over a period ranging from one to four years. Failure to conduct exploration activities within the prescribed periods could lead to loss of leases or exploration rights.
Ratings Triggers We do not have triggers on any of our corporate debt that would cause an event of default in the case of a downgrade of our credit rating. In addition, there are no existing ratings triggers in any of our commodity hedging agreements that would require the posting of collateral. However, a downgrade or other negative rating action could affect our requirements to post collateral as financial assurance of performance under certain other contractual arrangements such as pipeline transportation contracts, crude oil and natural gas sales contracts, work commitments and certain abandonment obligations.
Cash Flows
Cash flow information is as follows:
 
Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
2015
 
2014
(millions)
 
 
 
Total Cash Provided By (Used in)
 
 
 
Operating Activities
$
541

 
$
929

Investing Activities
(1,036
)
 
(1,078
)
Financing Activities
1,021

 
386

Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents
$
526

 
$
237

Operating Activities   Net cash provided by operating activities for the first three months of 2015 decreased significantly as compared with 2014. Significant decreases in the average realized sales prices of crude oil and domestic natural gas were partially offset by increases in sales volumes, decreases in production expenses, and a decrease in general and administrative expense. Working capital changes contributed $18 million of positive operating cash flow in the first three months of 2015 as compared with a positive impact of $126 million in the first three months of 2014.
Investing Activities   Our investing activities include capital spending on a cash basis for oil and gas properties and investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries accounted for by the equity method. These investing activities may be offset by proceeds from property sales or dispositions, including farm-in arrangements, which may result in reimbursement for capital spending that had occurred in prior periods. Capital spending for property, plant and equipment decreased by $47 million during the first three months of 2015 as compared with 2014, primarily due to a reduced capital spending program. Investing activities included $44 million in CONE Gathering LLC during the first three months of 2015 as compared with $12 million in the first three months of 2014. We received $119 million in proceeds from asset divestitures during the first three months of 2015, as compared with $92 million during the same period in 2014.
Financing Activities   Our financing activities include the issuance or repurchase of our common stock, payment of cash dividends on our common stock, the borrowing of cash and the repayment of borrowings. During the first three months of 2015, funds were provided by cash proceeds from the issuance of shares of Company common stock to the public ($1.1 billion) and the exercise of stock options ($4 million). We used cash to pay dividends on our common stock ($64 million), make principal payments related to capital lease obligations ($19 million) and repurchase shares of our common stock ($12 million).
In comparison, during the first three months of 2014, funds were provided by cash proceeds from, and tax benefits related to, the exercise of stock options ($16 million) and net cash proceeds from our Credit Facility ($450 million). We also used cash to

36


pay dividends on our common stock ($50 million), make principal payments related to capital lease obligations ($15 million) and repurchase shares of our common stock ($15 million).
Investing Activities
Acquisition, Capital and Exploration Expenditures   Information for investing activities (on an accrual basis) is as follows:
 
 
Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
 
2015
 
2014
(millions)
 
 
 
 
Acquisition, Capital and Exploration Expenditures
 
 
 
 
Unproved Property Acquisition (1)
 
$
26

 
$
55

Exploration
 
69

 
90

Development
 
699

 
703

Midstream
 
58

 
44

Corporate and Other 
 
23

 
47

Total
 
$
875

 
$
939

 
 
 
 
 
Other
 
 
 
 
Investment in Equity Method Investee (2)
 
$
44

 
$
12

Increase in Capital Lease Obligations
 
20

 
5

(1) 
Unproved property acquisition cost for 2015 includes $11 million in the DJ Basin and $15 million in the Marcellus Shale. Unproved property acquisition cost for 2014 includes $20 million in the DJ Basin and $35 million in the Marcellus Shale.
(2) 
Investment in equity method investee represents contributions to CONE Gathering LLC which owns and operates the natural gas gathering infrastructure associated with our Marcellus Shale joint venture.

Total expenditures decreased first quarter 2015 as compared with 2014 due to our reduced capital spending program. See Operating Outlook – 2015 Capital Investment Program, above.
Financing Activities
Long-Term Debt   Our principal source of liquidity is our Credit Facility that matures October 3, 2018. At March 31, 2015, there were no borrowings outstanding under the Credit Facility, leaving $4.0 billion available for use. We expect to use the Credit Facility to fund our capital investment program, and may periodically borrow amounts for working capital purposes. See Item 1 Financial Statements – Note 6. Debt.
Our outstanding fixed-rate debt (excluding capital lease and other obligations) totaled approximately $5.8 billion at March 31, 2015. The weighted average interest rate on fixed-rate debt was 5.69%, with maturities ranging from March 2019 to August 2097.
Dividends   We paid total cash dividends of 18 cents per share of our common stock during the first three months of 2015 and 14 cents per share during the first three months of 2014.
On April 27, 2015, the Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of 18 cents per common share, which will be paid on May 26, 2015 to shareholders of record on May 11, 2015. The amount of future dividends will be determined on a quarterly basis at the discretion of our Board of Directors and will depend on earnings, financial condition, capital requirements and other factors.
Exercise of Stock Options   We received cash proceeds from the exercise of stock options of $4 million during the first three months of 2015 and $10 million during the first three months of 2014.
Common Stock Repurchases   We receive shares of common stock from employees for the payment of withholding taxes due on the vesting of restricted shares issued under stock-based compensation plans. We received 249,122 shares with a value of $12 million during the first three months of 2015 and 247,674 shares with a value of $15 million during the first three months of 2014

37


Item 3.    Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
Commodity Price Risk
Derivative Instruments Held for Non-Trading Purposes   We are exposed to market risk in the normal course of business operations, and the volatility of crude oil and natural gas prices continues to impact the oil and gas industry. Due to the volatility of crude oil and natural gas prices, we continue to use derivative instruments as a means of managing our exposure to price changes.
At March 31, 2015, we had entered into various commodity derivative instruments related to crude oil and natural gas sales. Changes in fair value of commodity derivative instruments are reported in earnings in the period in which they occur. Our open commodity derivative instruments were in a net asset position with a fair value of $830 million. Based on the March 31, 2015 published commodity futures price curves for the underlying commodities, a hypothetical price increase of $10.00 per Bbl for crude oil would decrease the fair value of our net commodity derivative asset by approximately $194 million. A hypothetical price increase of $0.50 per MMBtu for natural gas would decrease the fair value of our net commodity derivative asset by approximately $42 million.  Our derivative instruments are executed under master agreements which allow us, in the event of default, to elect early termination of all contracts with the defaulting counterparty. If we choose to elect early termination, all asset and liability positions with the defaulting counterparty would be net cash settled at the time of election. See Item 1. Financial Statements – Note 5. Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities.
Interest Rate Risk
Changes in interest rates affect the amount of interest we pay on borrowings under our Credit Facility and the amount of interest we earn on our short-term investments.
At March 31, 2015, we had approximately $5.8 billion (excluding capital lease and other obligations) of long-term debt outstanding. Of this amount, $5.8 billion was fixed-rate debt with a weighted average interest rate of 5.69%. Although near term changes in interest rates may affect the fair value of our fixed-rate debt, they do not expose us to the risk of earnings or cash flow loss.
There was no variable-rate debt outstanding at March 31, 2015. Variable-rate debt exposes us to the risk of earnings or cash flow loss due to increases in market interest rates. We are also exposed to interest rate risk related to our interest-bearing cash and cash equivalents balances. As of March 31, 2015, our cash and cash equivalents totaled approximately $1.7 billion, approximately 72% of which was invested in money market funds and short-term investments with major financial institutions. A change in the interest rate applicable to our variable-rate debt or our short term investments would have a de minimis impact. We currently have no interest rate derivative instruments outstanding. However, we may enter into interest rate derivative instruments in the future if we determine that it is necessary to invest in such instruments in order to mitigate our interest rate risk.
Foreign Currency Risk
The US dollar is considered the functional currency for each of our international operations. Substantially all of our international crude oil, natural gas and NGL production is sold pursuant to US dollar denominated contracts. Transactions, such as operating costs and administrative expenses that are paid in a foreign currency, are remeasured into US dollars and recorded in the financial statements at prevailing currency exchange rates. Certain monetary assets and liabilities, such as taxes payable in foreign tax jurisdictions, are settled in the foreign local currency. A reduction in the value of the US dollar against currencies of other countries in which we have material operations could result in the use of additional cash to settle operating, administrative, and tax liabilities.
Net transaction gains and losses were de minimis for first quarter of each of 2015 and 2014.
We currently have no foreign currency derivative instruments outstanding. However, we may enter into foreign currency derivative instruments (such as forward contracts, costless collars or swap agreements) in the future if we determine that it is necessary to invest in such instruments in order to mitigate our foreign currency exchange risk.
Disclosure Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This quarterly report on Form 10-Q contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements give our current expectations or forecasts of future events. These forward-looking statements include, among others, the following:
our growth strategies;
our ability to successfully and economically explore for and develop crude oil and natural gas resources;
anticipated trends in our business;
our future results of operations;
our liquidity and ability to finance our exploration and development activities;

38


market conditions in the oil and gas industry;
our ability to make and integrate acquisitions;
the impact of governmental fiscal terms and/or regulation, such as those involving the protection of the environment or marketing of production, as well as other regulations; and
access to resources.
Forward-looking statements are typically identified by use of terms such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” and similar words, although some forward-looking statements may be expressed differently. These forward-looking statements are made based upon our current plans, expectations, estimates, assumptions and beliefs concerning future events impacting us and therefore involve a number of risks and uncertainties. We caution that forward-looking statements are not guarantees and that actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. You should consider carefully the statements under Item 1A. Risk Factors included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, which describe factors that could cause our actual results to differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.  Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 is available on our website at www.nobleenergyinc.com.

Item 4.     Controls and Procedures
Based on the evaluation of our disclosure controls and procedures by our principal executive officer and our principal financial officer, as of the end of the period covered by this quarterly report, each of them has concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures, as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, are effective. There were no changes in internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the quarter covered by this report that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

39



Part II. Other Information
Item 1.    Legal Proceedings
Colorado Air Matter  In April 2015, we entered into a joint consent decree (Consent Decree) with the US Environmental Protection Agency, US Department of Justice, and State of Colorado to improve emission control systems at a number of our condensate storage tanks that are part of our upstream oil and natural gas operations within the Non-Attainment Area of the DJ Basin.  The Consent Decree is subject to a 30 day public comment period before it may be considered for entry by the Court.   
The Consent Decree, which alleges violations of the Colorado Air Pollution Prevention and Control Act and Colorado’s federal approved State Implementation Plan, specifically Colorado Air Quality Control Commission Regulation Number 7, will require the performance of certain injunctive relief activities, completion of mitigation projects and supplemental environmental projects (SEP), and payment of a civil penalty.  The value of the settlement consists of $4.95 million in civil penalties, $4.5 million in mitigation projects, and $4 million in SEPs.  The value associated with the injunctive relief is not yet quantifiable as it will be determined in accordance with the outcome of evaluations on the adequate design, operation, and maintenance of certain aspects of tank systems to handle potential peak instantaneous vapor flow rates between now and mid-2017.
Compliance with the Consent Decree could result in the temporary shut in or permanent plugging and abandonment of certain wells and associated tank batteries.  The Consent Decree sets forth a detailed compliance schedule with deadlines for achievement of milestones through early 2019.  The Consent Decree further contains requirements for ongoing inspection and monitoring, in addition to existing Colorado regulatory requirements.  Inspection and monitoring findings may influence decisions to temporarily shut in or permanently plug and abandon wells and associated tank batteries.     
We have concluded that the penalties, injunctive relief, and mitigation expenditures that resulted from this settlement did not have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows. 


Item 1A.    Risk Factors
There have been no material changes from the risk factors disclosed in Item 1A. Risk Factors of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014.


Item 2.    Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds 
The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, our share repurchase activity: 
Period
Total Number of
Shares
Purchased (1)
 
Average
Price Paid
Per Share
 
Total Number of
Shares Purchased
as Part of Publicly
Announced Plans or
Programs
 
Approximate Dollar
Value of Shares that
May Yet Be
Purchased Under the
Plans or Programs
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(in thousands)
1/1/2015 - 1/31/2015
48,403

 
$
47.74

 

 

2/1/2015 - 2/28/2015
199,705

 
47.74

 

 

3/1/2015 - 3/31/2015
1,014

 
46.94

 

 

Total
249,122

 
$
47.74

 

 

 
(1) 
Stock repurchases during the period related to common stock received by us from employees for the payment of withholding taxes due on shares of common stock issued under stock-based compensation plans, which vested primarily on January 31 and February 1, 2015.


40


Item 3.    Defaults Upon Senior Securities
None.
 
Item 4.    Mine Safety Disclosures
Not applicable.
 
Item 5.    Other Information
None.

Item 6.    Exhibits
The information required by this Item 6 is set forth in the Index to Exhibits accompanying this quarterly report on Form 10-Q.

41


Signatures
 
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
 
 
 
 
 
NOBLE ENERGY, INC.
 
 
 
 
(Registrant)
 
 
 
 
 
Date
 
May 5, 2015
 
/s/ Kenneth M. Fisher
 
 
 
 
Kenneth M. Fisher
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer


42


Index to Exhibits 

Exhibit Number
 
Exhibit
 
 
 
3.1
 
 
 
 
3.2
 
By-Laws of Noble Energy, Inc. (as amended through April 23, 2013), filed as Exhibit 3.2 to the Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2013 and incorporated herein by reference.
 
 
 
10.1
 
 
 
 
10.2
 
 
 
 
12.1
 
 
 
 
31.1
 
 
 
 
31.2
 
 
 
 
32.1
 
 
 
 
32.2
 
 
 
 
101.INS
 
XBRL Instance Document
 
 
 
101.SCH
 
XBRL Schema Document
 
 
 
101.CAL
 
XBRL Calculation Linkbase Document
 
 
 
101.LAB
 
XBRL Label Linkbase Document
 
 
 
101.PRE
 
XBRL Presentation Linkbase Document
 
 
 
101.DEF
 
XBRL Definition Linkbase Document
 


43




Exhibit 3.1
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
NOBLE AFFILIATES, INC.
FIRST. The name of the Corporation is
NOBLE AFFILIATES, INC.
SECOND. The address of its registered office in the State of Delaware is No. 100 West Tenth Street, in the City of Wilmington, County of New Castle. The name of its registered agent at such address is The Corporation Trust Company.
THIRD. The nature of the business or purposes to be conducted or promoted is:
To engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the General Corporation Law of Delaware.
To acquire, and pay for in cash, stock or bonds of this corporation or otherwise, the good will, rights, assets and property, and to undertake or assume the whole or any part of the obligations or liabilities of any person, firm, association or corporation.
To acquire, hold, use, sell, assign, lease, grant licenses in respect of, mortgage or otherwise dispose of letters patent of the United States or any foreign country, patent rights, licenses and privileges, inventions, improvements and processes, copyrights, trade-marks and trade names, relating to or used in connection with any business of this corporation.
To acquire by purchase, subscription or otherwise, and to receive, hold, own, guarantee, sell, assign, exchange, transfer, mortgage, pledge or otherwise dispose of or deal in and with any of the shares of the capital stock, or any voting trust certificates in respect of the shares of capital stock, scrip, warrants, rights, bonds, debentures, notes, trust receipts, and other securities, obligations, choses in action and evidences of indebtedness or interest issued or created by any corporations, joint stock companies, syndicates, associations, firms, trusts or persons, public or private, or by the government of the United States of America, or by any foreign government, or by any state, territory, province, municipality or other political subdivision or by any governmental agency, and as owner thereof to possess and exercise all the rights, powers and privileges of ownership, including the right to execute consents and vote thereon, and to do any and all acts and things necessary or advisable for the preservation, protection, improvement and enhancement in value thereof.
To borrow or raise moneys for any of the purposes of the corporation and, from time to time without limit as to amount, to draw, make, accept, endorse, execute and issue promissory notes, drafts, bills of exchange, warrants, bonds, debentures and other negotiable or non-negotiable instruments and evidences of indebtedness, and to secure the payment of any thereof and of the interest thereon by mortgage upon or pledge, conveyance or assignment in trust of the whole or any part of the property of the corporation, whether at the time owned or thereafter acquired, and to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of such bonds or other obligations of the corporation for its corporate purposes.





To engage in the cultivation and improvement of farms, gardens and agricultural lands, the raising and improving of livestock, and incidentally to own and control under lease, or otherwise, such lands, buildings and personal property necessary to the conduct and operation of such business.
To purchase, receive, take by grant, gift, devise, bequest or otherwise, lease, or otherwise acquire, own, hold, improve, employ, use and otherwise deal in and with real or personal property, or any interest therein, wherever situated, and to sell, convey, lease, exchange, transfer or otherwise dispose of, or mortgage, or pledge, all or any of the corporation’s property and assets, or any interest therein, wherever situated.
In general, to possess and exercise all the powers and privileges granted by the General Corporation Law of Delaware or by any other law of Delaware or by this Certificate of Incorporation, together with any powers incidental thereto, so far as such powers and privileges are necessary or convenient to the conduct, promotion or attainment of the business or purposes of this corporation.
The business and purposes specified in the foregoing clauses shall, except where otherwise expressed, be in nowise limited or restricted by reference to, or inference from, the terms of any other clause in this Certificate of Incorporation, but the business and purposes specified in each of the foregoing clauses of this Article shall be regarded as independent business and purposes.
FOURTH. The total number of shares of stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is four million forty thousand (4,040,000) of which four million (4,000,000) shares of the par value of Five and No/100 Dollars ($5.00) each shall be Common Stock and forty thousand (40,000) shares of the par value of One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) each shall be Preferred Stock, amounting in the aggregate to Twenty-Four Million and No/100 Dollars ($24,000,000.00).
A.    The Preferred Stock shall be issued in one or more series. The Board of Directors is hereby expressly authorized to issue the shares of Preferred Stock in such series, and to fix from time to time before issuance the number of shares to be included in any series, and the designation, relative right, preferences and limitations of all shares of such series. The authority of the Board of Directors with respect to each series shall include, without limitation thereto, the determination of any or all of the following and the shares of each series may vary from the share of any other series in the following respects:
1.
The number of shares constituting such series and the designation thereof to distinguish the shares of such series from the shares of all other series;
2.
The annual dividend rate on the shares of that series and whether such dividends shall be cumulative and, if cumulative, the date from which dividends shall accumulate;
3.
The redemption price or prices for the particular series, if redeemable, and the terms and conditions of such redemption;
4.
The preference, if any, of shares of such series in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the corporation;
5.
The voting rights, if any, in addition to the voting rights prescribed by law and the terms of exercise of such voting rights;
6.
The right, if any, of shares of such series to be converted into shares of any other series or class, and the terms and conditions of such conversion; and
7.
Any other relative rights, preferences and limitations of that series.





B.    Dividends are payable on the Common Stock, when and as, declared out of the unreserved earned surplus remaining after payment of the dividends on the Preferred Stock. Dividends on the Common Stock may be in the form of cash, property or shares of the Common Stock. No dividends are payable on the Common Stock if there are any accrued dividends on the Preferred Stock up to and including the current dividend period for such Preferred Stock which have not been paid or which have been declared and a sum set aside for payment.
C.    In the event of the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or other termination of the Corporation, the holders of shares of the Preferred Stock shall be entitled only to such preference and payment as fixed and determined by the Board of Directors at the time of the issuance of said shares. If so determined by the Board of Directors, such payment shall be made before any distribution is made to the holders of the Common Stock of the Corporation.
D.    The holders of the Preferred Stock shall have no voting rights, except as required by law and except as provided by the Board of Directors at the time of the issuance of such stock. Each holder of the Common Stock shall be entitled to one vote for each share of stock standing in his name on the books of the Corporation.
E.    Both the Common Stock and the Preferred Stock shall be issued for such consideration (but not less than the par value thereof) as shall be fixed from time to time by the Board of Directors. Any shares of the Common or Preferred Stock authorized by the Articles of Incorporation may, in the discretion of the Board of Directors, be issued as bonuses to employees of the Corporation or employees of any subsidiary corporation, or as a dividend upon the Common Stock of the Corporation. In the absence of fraud, the judgment of the Directors as to value of any property or services received in full or partial payment for shares shall be conclusive. When shares are issued upon payment of the consideration fixed by the Board of Directors, such shares shall be taken to be fully paid stock and shall be nonassessable.
F.    Except as may otherwise be provided by the Board of Directors, no holder of any shares of the stock of the Corporation shall have any pre-emptive rights to purchase, subscribe for, or otherwise acquire any shares of stock of the Corporation of any class now or hereafter authorized, or any securities exchangeable for, or convertible into, such shares or any warrants or other instruments evidencing rights or option to subscribe for, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares.
G.    The Corporation shall have the power to create and issue rights, warrants or options (including restricted or qualified stock options to employees) entitling the holders thereof to purchase from the Corporation any shares of its capital stock of any class or classes, upon such terms and conditions, and at such times and prices as the Board of Directors may provide, which terms and conditions shall be incorporated in an instrument or instruments evidencing such rights and may be made appurtenant to Common or Preferred Stock, bonds or debentures of the Corporation or otherwise. In the absence of fraud, the judgment of the Directors as to the adequacy of consideration for the issuance of such rights or options and the sufficiency thereof shall be conclusive.
H.    The Corporation shall not, without the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds in amount of the Preferred Stock present in person or by proxy at a meeting of the Preferred Stock holders called for the purpose (or the written consent of the holders of at least two-thirds in amount of the Preferred Stock at the time outstanding):
1.
Create any shares of stock having preference or priority over the Preferred Stock; or
2.
Issue, assume or guarantee any bonds, notes or other evidence of indebtedness maturing more than one year from the issue, assumption or guaranty thereof, if immediately after the date of issue, assumption or guaranty thereof the aggregate principal amount of all bonds, notes or other evidences of indebtedness issued, assumed or guaranteed by the Corporation and maturing more than one year from such date shall exceed the greater of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) or twenty-five percent (25%) of the capital and surplus of the Corporation.
FIFTH.    The corporation is to have perpetual existence.
SIXTH.    The name and mailing address of each incorporator is as follows:
NAME
MAILING ADDRESS
B. J. Consono
100 West Tenth Street
Wilmington, Delaware
F. J. Obara, Jr.
100 West Tenth Street
Wilmington, Delaware
J. L. Rivera
100 West Tenth Street
Wilmington, Delaware
 
 





SEVENTH.The name and mailing address of each person who is to serve as a Director until the first annual meeting of the stockholders or until a successor is elected and qualified, is as follows:
NAME
MAILING ADDRESS
C. C. Forbes
2200 Fourth National Bank Bldg.

Tulsa, Oklahoma 74119
Edgar Holt
128 South Oakwood

Wichita, Kansas 76218
E. E. Noble
3393 Peachtree Road, N.E.

Atlanta, Georgia 30326
James E. Thompson
302 Lincoln Center
Ardmore, Oklahoma 73401
 
 
EIGHTH.In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by statute, the Board of Directors is expressly authorized:
To make, alter or repeal the By-laws of the Corporation.
To authorize and cause to be executed mortgages and liens upon the real and personal property of the Corporation.
To set apart out of any of the funds of the Corporation available for dividends a reserve or reserves for any proper purpose and to abolish any such reserve in the manner in which it was created.
By a majority of the whole Beard, to designate one or more committees, each committee to consist of two or more of the Directors of the Corporation. The Board may designate one or more Directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. Any such committee, to the extent provided in the resolution or in the By-laws of the Corporation, shall have and may exercise the powers of the Board of Directors in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation, and may authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers which may require it; provided, however, the By-laws may provide that in the absence or disqualification of any member of such committee or committees, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not he or they constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board of Directors to act at the meeting in the place of any such absent or disqualified member.
Only when and as authorized by the affirmative vote of the holders of seventy-five percent (75%) of the stock issued and outstanding having voting power given at a stockholders’ meeting duly called upon such notice as is required by statute, or when authorized by the written consent of the holders of seventy-five percent (75%) of the voting stock issued and outstanding, to merge or consolidate with any other corporation or to sell, lease or exchange all or substantially all of the property and assets of the Corporation, including its good will and its corporate franchises, upon such terms and conditions and for such consideration, which may consist in whole or in part of money or property including shares of stock in, and/or other securities of, any other corporation or corporations, as its Board of Directors shall deem expedient and for the best interests of the Corporation.
NINTH.    Whenever a compromise or arrangement is proposed between this Corporation and its creditors or any class of them and/or between this Corporation and its stockholders or any class of them, any court of equitable jurisdiction within the State of Delaware may, on the application in a summary way of this Corporation or of any creditor or stockholder thereof, or on the application of any receiver or receivers appointed for this Corporation under the provisions of Section 291 of Title 8 of the Delaware Code or on the application of trustees in dissolution or of any receiver or receivers appointed for this Corporation under the provisions of Section 279 of Title 8 of the Delaware Code order a meeting of the creditors or class of creditors, and/or of the stockholders or class of stockholders of this Corporation, as the case may be, to be summoned in such manner as the said court directs. If a majority in number representing three-fourths in value of the creditors or class of creditors, and/or of the stockholders or class of stockholders of this Corporation, as the case may be, agree to any compromise or arrangement and to any reorganization of this Corporation as consequence of such compromise or arrangement, the said compromise or arrangement and the said reorganization shall, if sanctioned by the court to which the said application has been made, be binding on all the creditors or class of creditors, and/or on all of the stockholders or class of stockholders, of this Corporation, as the case may be, and also on this Corporation.
TENTH.    Meetings of stockholders may be held within or without the State of Delaware, as the By-laws may provide. The books of the Corporation may be kept (subject to any provision contained in the statutes) outside the State of Delaware at such place or places as may be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors or in the By-laws of the Corporation. Elections of Directors need not be by written ballot unless the By-laws of the Corporation shall so provide.





ELEVENTH.    The Corporation reserves the right to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in this Certificate of Incorporation, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by statute, and all rights conferred upon stockholders herein are granted subject to this reservation.
WE, THE UNDERSIGNED, being each of the incorporators hereinbefore named for the purpose of forming a corporation pursuant to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware do make this Certificate, hereby declaring and certifying that this is our act and deed and the facts herein stated are true and, accordingly, have hereunto set our hands this 29th day of December, 1969.
/s/ B.J. CONSONO            

/s/ F.J. OBARA, JR.            

/s/ J.L. RIVERA            

STATE OF DELAWARE        )(
                    )( ss
COUNTY OF NEW CASTLE    )(
BE IT REMEMBERED that on this 29th day of December, 1969, personally came before me, a Notary Public for the State of Delaware, B.J. Consono, F. J. Obara, Jr. and J. L. Rivera; all of the parties to the foregoing Certificate of Incorporation, known to me personally to be such and severally acknowledged the said Certificate to be the act and deed of the signers, respectively, and that the facts stated therein are true.
GIVEN under my hand and seal of office the day and year aforesaid.


 
Notary Public
 
 
 
 
My Commission Expires:
 
 
October 27, 1971
 
 







CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT
OF
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
* * * * *

NOBLE AFFILIATES, INC., a Corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, DOES HEREBY CERTIFY.
FIRST: That the Board of Directors of said corporation, at a meeting duly held, adopted resolutions proposing and declaring advisable Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation of said corporation as follows:
“RESOLVED, That the first grammatical paragraph of Paragraph FOURTH of the Certificate of Incorporation of the corporation adopted December 29, 1969, is hereby amended to read as follows:
“FOURTH. The total number of shares of stock which the corporation shall have authority to issue is six million forty thousand (6,040,000) of which six million (6,000,000) shares of the par value of Three Dollars and Thirty-Three and One-Third Cents ($3.33-1/3) each shall be Common Stock and forty thousand (40,000) shares of the par value of One Hundred and No/100 Dollars ($100.00) each shall be Preferred Stock, amounting in the aggregate to Twenty-Four Million and No/100 Dollars ($24,000,000.00).”
Said resolutions further declared:
“Each certificate representing one or more common shares with a par value of $5 a share which shall be issued and outstanding immediately prior to the taking effect of this recapitalization shall thereafter represent the same number of common shares of the par value of $3.33-1/3 a share; and the corporation shall issue to, or upon the order of, each holder of record as of the close of business on the effective date of the recapitalization an additional certificate or certificates representing one common share of the par value of $3.33-1/3 a share for each two common shares of the par value of $5 a share theretofore represented by such outstanding share certificate.
“The aggregate amount of the stated capital of the corporation which shall be represented by the common shares of the par value of $3.33-1/3 a share that shall be issued and outstanding upon the effective date of the change shall be the same as the aggregate amount of the stated capital of the corporation which shall be represented by the common shares with the par value of $5 a share that were issued and outstanding immediately prior to taking effect of the change.”
SECOND: That in lieu of a meeting and vote of stockholders, the stockholders have given unanimous written consent to said Amendment in accordance with the provisions of Section 228 of The General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
THIRD: That the aforesaid Amendment was duly adopted in accordance with the applicable provisions of Sections 242 and 228 of The General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
FOURTH: That the capital of said corporation will not be reduced under, or by reason of, said Amendment.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, said Noble Affiliates, Inc., has caused its corporate seal to be to be hereunto affixed and this Certificate to be signed by SAM NOBLE, its President, and attested by DAVE J. HESS, its Secretary, this 12th day of June, 1972.

NOBLE AFFILIATES, INC.






By    /s/ SAM NOBLE            
President
ATTEST:
/s/ DAVE J. HESS            
Secretary


STATE OF OKLAHOMA        )(
  
)( ss
  
COUNTY OF CARTER        )(

BE IT REMEMBERED that on this 12th day of June, 1972, personally came before me, a Notary Public in and for the County and State aforesaid, SAM NOBLE, President of Noble Affiliates, Inc., a corporation of the State of Delaware, and he duly executed said Certificate before me and acknowledged the said Certificate to be his act and deed and the act and deed of said corporation and the facts stated therein are true; and that the seal affixed to said Certificate and attested by the Secretary of said corporation is the common or corporate seal of said corporation.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office the day and year aforesaid.

/s/ BOBBIE W. CUNNINGHAM    
Notary Public

My Commission Expires:

December 28, 1975    

(SEAL)






CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT
OF
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORTION
* * * * * * * * * *

NOBLE AFFILIATES, INC., a Corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, DOES HEREBY CERTIFY:
FIRST: That the Board of Directors of said Corporation, at a meeting duly held, adopted Resolutions proposing and declaring advisable amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation of said Corporation as follows:
“RESOLVED, that this Board of Directors declares it advisable and hereby proposes, subject to the approval of the Stockholders of the Corporation, that the number of shares of Common Stock which the Corporation is authorized to issue be increased from six million shares to twelve million shares;
RESOLVED FURTHER, that, subject to the approval of the Stockholders of the Corporation, the first grammatical paragraph of Paragraph FOURTH of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation be amended so as to read in its entirety as follows:
‘FOURTH:    The total number of shares of stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is twelve million forty thousand (12,040,000) of which twelve million (l2,000,000) shares of the par value of Three Dollars and Thirty-Three and One-Third Cents ($3.33-1/3) each shall be Common Stock and forty thousand (40,000) shares of the par value of One hundred and No/100 Dollars ($100.00) each shall be Preferred Stock, amounting in the aggregate to Forty-Four Million and No/100 Dollars ($44,000,000.00).’
RESOLVED FURTHER, that the amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation proposed in the foregoing Resolution be presented to the next Annual Meeting of the Stockholders of the Corporation for the purpose of obtaining their authorization and approval thereof, as required by the Delaware Corporation Law;
RESOLVED FURTHER, that after approval of the above amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation by the Stockholders of the Corporation, the President of the Corporation is hereby authorized and directed to execute, on behalf of the Corporation, an instrument captioned ‘Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation’, and the Secretary of the Corporation is hereby authorized and directed to attest such execution and to affix the corporate seal thereto, and, after such execution and attestation, the President of The Corporation is hereby authorized and directed to file such instrument in the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware.”
SECOND: That, pursuant to proxy material dated March 14, 1977, as prepared and filed pursuant to Section 14 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Stockholders of the Corporation of record as of February 18, 1977, were notified that said proposed amendment would be presented to them for authorization and approval at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on April, 12, 1977.
THIRD: That such notice was given in accordance with the provisions of Section 222 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.





FOURTH: That the holders of a majority of the issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon at said Annual Meeting duly held on April 12, 1977, authorized and approved said amendment, in accordance with the provisions of Section 242 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
FIFTH: That the aforesaid amendment was duly adopted in accordance with the applicable provisions of Section 242 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
SIXTH: That the capital of said Corporation will not be reduced under, or by reason of, said amendment.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, said NOBLE AFFILIATES, INC. has caused its corporate seal to be hereunto affixed and the Certificate be signed by ROY BUTLER, its President, and attested by DAVE J. HESS, its Secretary, this 13th day of April, 1977.

NOBLE AFFILIATES, INC.

BY:    /s/ ROY BUTLER            
ROY BUTLER, President
ATTEST:
/s/ DAVE J. HESS            
DAVE J. HESS, Secretary

Certificate of Amendment to
Certificate of Incorporation - Page two





CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT
OF
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORTION
* * * * * * * * * *

NOBLE AFFILIATES, INC., a corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “Corporation”), DOES HEREBY CERTIFY:
FIRST: That the Board of Directors of said Corporation, at a meeting duly held, adopted Resolutions proposing and declaring advisable amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation as follows:
“RESOLVED, that this Board of Directors declares it advisable and hereby proposes, subject to the approval of the Stockholders of the Corporation, that the number of shares of common stock which the Corporation is authorized to issue be increased from twelve million shares to twenty-five million shares;
RESOLVED FURTHER, that, subject to the approval of the Stockholders of the Corporation, the first grammatical paragraph of Paragraph FOURTH of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation be amended so as to read in its entirety as follows:
‘FOURTH:    The total number of shares of stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is twenty-five million forty thousand (25,040,000) of which twenty-five million (25,000,000) shares of the par value of Three Dollars and Thirty-Three and One-Third Cents ($3.33-1/3) each shall be common stock and forty thousand (40,000) shares of the par value of One Hundred and No/100 Dollars ($100.00) each shall be preferred stock, amounting in the aggregate to Eighty-Seven Million Three Hundred Thirty-Three Thousand Three Hundred Thirty-Three and 33/100 Dollars ($87,333,333.33).’
RESOLVED FURTHER, that the amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation proposed in the foregoing Resolution be presented to the next annual meeting of the Stockholders of the Corporation for the purpose of obtaining their authorization and approval thereof, as required by the Delaware Corporation Law;
RESOLVED FURTHER, that after approval of the above amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation by the Stockholders of the Corporation, the President of the Corporation is hereby authorized and directed to execute, on behalf of the Corporation, an instrument captioned “Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Incorporation”, and the Secretary of the Corporation is hereby authorized and directed to attest such execution and to affix the corporate seal thereto, and, after such execution and attestation, the President of the Corporation is hereby authorized and directed to file such instrument in the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware.”
SECOND: That, pursuant to proxy material dated March 15, 1978, as prepared and filed pursuant to Section 14 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the stockholders of the Corporation of record as of February 17, 1978, were notified that said proposed amendment would be presented to them for authorization and approval at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on April 11, 1978.





THIRD: That such notice was given in accordance with the provisions of Section 222 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
FOURTH: That the holders of a majority of the issued and outstanding shares of
  
common stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon at said Annual Meeting duly held on April 11, 1978, authorized and approved said amendment, in accordance with the provisions of Section 242 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
FIFTH: That the aforesaid amendment was duly adopted in accordance with the applicable provisions of Section 242 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
SIXTH: That the capital of the Corporation will not be reduced under, or by reason of, said amendment.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, said NOBLE AFFILIATES, INC. has caused its corporate seal to be hereunto affixed and the Certificate be signed by ROY BUTLER, its President, and attested by BOBBIE W. CUNNINGHAM, its Secretary, this 20th day of April, 1978.

NOBLE AFFILIATES, INC.

By    /s/ ROY BUTLER            
ROY BUTLER, President
ATTEST:
/s/ BOBBIE W. CUNNINGHAM    
BOBBIE W. CUNNINGHAM, Secretary

Certificate of Amendment of
Certificate of Incorporation - Page Two






CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT
OF
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORTION

NOBLE AFFILIATES, INC., a corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, DOES HEREBY CERTIFY:
FIRST: That the Board of Directors of Noble Affiliates, Inc., at a meeting duly held, adopted a resolution proposing and declaring the following amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation of said corporation:
“RESOLVED FURTHER, that, subject to the approval of the stockholders of the Corporation, the first grammatical paragraph of Paragraph FOURTH of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation be amended in its entirety so as to read as follows:
‘FOURTH:    The total number of shares of stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is fifty million forty thousand (50,040,000) of which fifty million (50,000,000) shares of the par value of three and 33-1/3/100 dollars ($3.33-1/3) each shall be common stock and forty thousand (40,000) shares of the par value of one hundred and no/100 dollars ($100.00) each shall be preferred stock, amounting in the aggregate to one hundred seventy million six hundred sixty-six thousand six hundred sixty-six and 67/100 dollars ($170,666,666.67).’”
SECOND: That thereafter, pursuant to resolution of its Board of Directors, the annual meeting of the stockholders of said corporation was duly called and held, upon notice in accordance with Section 222 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware at which meeting the necessary number of shares as required by statute were voted in favor of the amendment.
THIRD: The said amendment was duly adopted in accordance with the provisions of Section 242 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, said Noble Affiliates, Inc. has caused this Certificate to be signed by Roy Butler, its President, and attested by Bobbie W. Cunningham, its Secretary, this 8th day of April, 1980.

NOBLE AFFILIATES, INC.

By    /s/ ROY BUTLER            
ROY BUTLER, President
ATTEST:
BY:    /s/ BOBBIE W. CUNNINGHAM    
BOBBIE W. CUNNINGHAM,
Secretary





CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT
OF
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORTION

NOBLE AFFILIATES, INC., a corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, DOES HEREBY CERTIFY:
FIRST: That the Board of Directors of Noble Affiliates, Inc., at a meeting duly held, adopted a resolution proposing and declaring advisable the following amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation of said corporation:
“RESOLVED, that the first grammatical paragraph of Article Fourth of the Certificate of Incorporation of Noble Affiliates, Inc. be amended in its entirety so as to read as follows:
“‘FOURTH:    The total number of shares of stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is one hundred million forty thousand (100,040,000) of which one hundred million (100,000,000) shares of the par value of three and 33-1/3/100 dollars ($3.33-1/3) each shall be common stock and forty thousand (40,000) shares of the par value of one hundred and no/100 dollars ($100.00) each shall be preferred stock, amounting in the aggregate to three hundred thirty-seven million three hundred thirty-three thousand three hundred thirty-three and 33/100 dollars ($337,333,333.33).’”
SECOND: That thereafter, pursuant to resolution of its Board of Directors, the annual meeting of the stockholders of said corporation was duly called and held, upon notice in accordance with Section 222 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware at which meeting the necessary number of shares as required by statute were voted in favor of the amendment.
THIRD: The said amendment was duly adopted in accordance with the provisions of Section 242 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, said Noble Affiliates, Inc. has caused this Certificate to be signed by Roy Butler, its President, and attested by Bobbie W. Cunningham, its Secretary, this 13th day of April, 1982.

NOBLE AFFILIATES, INC.

By    /s/ ROY BUTLER            
ROY BUTLER, President
ATTEST:
BY:    /s/ BOBBIE W. CUNNINGHAM    
BOBBIE W. CUNNINGHAM,
Secretary






CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT
OF
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
NOBLE AFFILIATES, INC., a corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, DOES HEREBY CERTIFY:
FIRST: That the Board of Directors of Noble Affiliates, Inc., by unanimous consent, adopted a resolution proposing and declaring advisable the following amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation of said corporation:
RESOLVED, that the Certificate of Incorporation of Noble Affiliates, Inc. be amended by adding a new Article TWELFTH as follows:
“‘TWELFTH:    1.    The provisions of this Article TWELFTH shall apply to the adoption or authorization of a business transaction (as hereinafter defined) with any other entity (as hereinafter defined) if, as of the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to notice thereof and to vote thereon or consent thereto, such other entity is the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of twenty percent (20%) or more of the outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation (as hereinafter defined) entitled to vote in elections of directors, considered for the purposes of this Article TWELFTH as one class. The requirements of this Article TWELFTH shall be in addition to the voting requirement set forth in Article EIGHTH hereof for the business transactions described therein and in addition to the statutory voting requirement for or in connection with business transactions other than those described in Article EIGHTH. No business transaction with any such other entity may be effected unless all of the following conditions are complied with:
(a)The cash, or fair market value of other consideration, to be received per share by common stockholders of the Corporation in such business transaction is not less than the highest per share price (including brokerage commissions and/or soliciting dealers’ fees) paid by such other entity in acquiring any of its holdings of the Corporation’s Common Stock.
(b)After completion of the transaction in which such other entity has acquired twenty percent (20%) of the outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote in the election of directors and prior to the consummation of such business transaction, such other entity shall not have acquired any newly issued shares of stock, directly or indirectly, from the Corporation (except upon conversion of convertible securities acquired by it either prior to obtaining twenty percent (20%) of the outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote in the election of directors or as a part of the transaction which results in such other entity acquiring its twenty percent (20%) or greater interest or as a result of a pro rata stock dividend or stock split); and
(c)Such other entity shall not have (i) received the benefit, directly or indirectly (except proportionately as a stockholder), of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges or other financial assistance or tax credits provided by the Corporation, or (ii) made any major change in the Corporation’s business or equity capital structure prior to the consummation of such business transaction.





The provisions of this Article TWELFTH shall also apply to a business transaction with any other entity which at any time has been the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of more than twenty percent (20%) of the outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote in elections of directors, considered for the purposes of this Article TWELFTH as one class, notwithstanding the fact that such other entity has reduced its shareholdings below twenty percent (20%) if at the time the definitive agreement was entered into such other entity was the direct or indirect beneficial owner of such twenty percent (20%) interest or if, as of the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to notice of and to vote on or consent to the business transaction, such other entity is an “affiliate” of the Corporation (as hereinafter defined).
2.    As used in this Article TWELFTH, (a) the term “other entity” shall include any corporation, person or other entity and any other entity with which it or its “affiliate” or “associate” (as defined below) has any agreement, arrangement or understanding, directly or indirectly, for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting or disposing of stock of the Corporation, or which is its “affiliate” or “associate” as those terms are defined in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as in effect on February 1, 1984; (b) an other entity shall be deemed to be the “beneficial owner” of any shares of stock of the Corporation which such other entity has the right to acquire pursuant to any agreement, or upon exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, warrants or options, or otherwise in addition to shares otherwise beneficially owned; (c) the term “outstanding shares of any class of stock of the Corporation” shall include shares deemed owned through application of clause (b) above but shall not include any other shares which may be issuable pursuant to any agreement, or upon exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, warrants or options, or otherwise; (d) the term “business transaction” shall include (i) any merger or consolidation of the Corporation with or into any other corporation, (ii) any sale or lease or other disposition (in one transaction or a series of related transactions) of all or substantially all of the assets of the Corporation to any other entity, (iii) any sale or lease or other disposition (in one transaction or a series of transactions) to the Corporation or any subsidiary thereof in exchange for securities of the Corporation of any assets (except assets having an aggregate fair market value of less than $5,000,000) of any other entity, or (iv) any reclassification or recapitalization of the outstanding shares of any class of stock of the Corporation if at the time there is any other entity which has acquired twenty percent (20%) or more of the outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote in the election of directors and the effect of such transaction is to increase the relative voting power of such other entity; and (e) for the purposes of subparagraph 1(a) of this Article TWELFTH, the term “other consideration to be received” shall mean, in the event of a business transaction with such other entity in which the Corporation is the surviving corporation, Common Stock of the Corporation retained by its existing public stockholders.
3.    A majority of the directors shall have the power and duty, consistent with their fiduciary obligations, to determine for the purposes of this Article TWELFTH on the basis of information known to them whether (a) such other entity beneficially owns more than twenty percent (20%) of the outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote in elections of directors, (b) an other entity is an “affiliate” or “associate” (as defined above) of another, (c) an other entity has an agreement, arrangement or





understanding with another, or (d) the assets being acquired by the Corporation or any subsidiary thereof have an aggregate fair market value of less than $5,000,000.
4.    No amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation shall amend, alter, change or repeal any of the provisions of this Article TWELFTH, unless the amendment effecting such amendment, alteration, change or repeal shall receive the affirmative vote or consent of the holders of at least seventy-five percent (75%) of all shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote in elections of directors, considered for the purposes of this Article TWELFTH as one class.’”
SECOND: That thereafter, pursuant to resolution of its Board of Directors, the annual meeting of stockholders of said corporation was duly held, upon notice in accordance with Section 222 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware at which meeting the necessary number of shares as required by statute were voted in favor of the amendment.
THIRD: That said amendment was duly adopted in accordance with the provisions of Section 242 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, said Noble Affiliates, Inc. has caused this Certificate to be signed by Roy Butler, its President, and attested by Bobbie W. Cunningham, its Secretary, this
16th day of April, 1984.
NOBLE AFFILIATES, INC.
By /s/ Roy Butler        
Roy Butler, President
ATTEST:

/s/ Bobbie W. Cunningham        
Bobbie W. Cunningham, Secretary







CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT
OF
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
NOBLE AFFILIATES, INC.
NOBLE AFFILIATES, INC. (the “Company”), a corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, DOES HEREBY CERTIFY:
FIRST: That at meetings of the Board of Directors of the Company, resolutions were duly adopted setting forth proposed amendments of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, declaring said amendments to be advisable and directing that such proposed amendments be considered at the annual meeting of the shareholders of the Company. The resolutions, as modified, setting forth the aforementioned amendments are as follows:
A.    “RESOLVED, that the Board of Directors of the Corporation hereby declares it advisable and in the best interests of the Corporation and its shareholders to amend the Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation by deleting Article NINTH in its entirety.”
B.    “RESOLVED FURTHER, that the Board of Directors of the Company hereby declares it advisable and in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders to amend the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation by adding a new Article NINTH to read in its entirety as follows:
‘NINTH.    No director of the Corporation shall be personally liable to the Corporation or any of its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability (a) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the Corporation or its stockholders, (b) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (c) under Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, or (d) for any transaction from which the director derived any improper personal benefit. Neither the amendment nor repeal of this Article NINTH, nor the adoption of any provision of the Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation inconsistent with this Article NINTH shall eliminate or reduce the effect of this Article NINTH in respect of any matter occurring, or any cause of action, suit or claim that, but for this Article NINTH, would accrue or arise, prior to such amendment, repeal or adoption of an inconsistent provision.’”
C.    “RESOLVED FURTHER, that the Board of Directors of the Corporation hereby declares it advisable and in the best interests of the Corporation and its shareholders to amend the Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation as follows:
(1)    Article Fourth is amended by deleting the first grammatical paragraph, and paragraphs A, B, C and D, in their entirety, and substituting therefor the following:
‘FOURTH.    The total number of shares of all classes of stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 104,000,000, consisting of (1) 4,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock,





$1.00 par value (“Preferred Stock”), and (2) 100,000,000 shares of Common Stock, $3.33-1/3 par value (“Common Stock”).
A.    The Board of Directors is hereby expressly authorized, by resolution or resolutions, to provide, out of the unissued shares of Preferred Stock, for series of Preferred Stock. Before any shares of any such series are issued, the Board of Directors shall fix, and hereby is expressly empowered to fix, by resolution or resolutions, the following provisions of the shares thereof:
(1)    the designation of such series, the number of shares to constitute such series and the stated value thereof if different from the par value thereof;
(2)    whether the shares of such series shall have voting rights, in addition to any voting rights provided by law, and, if so, the terms of such voting rights, which may be general or limited;
(3)    the dividends, if any, payable on such series, whether any such dividends shall be cumulative, and, if so, from what dates, the conditions and dates upon which such dividends shall be payable, the preference or relation which such dividends shall bear to the dividends payable on any shares of stock of any other class or any other series of this class;
(4)    whether the shares of such series shall be subject to redemption by the Corporation, and, if so, the times, prices and other conditions of such redemption;
(5)    the amount or amounts payable upon shares of such series upon, and the rights of the holders of such series in, the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up, or upon any distribution of the assets, of the Corporation;
(6)    whether the shares of such series shall be subject to the operation of a retirement or sinking fund and, if so, the extent to and manner in which any such retirement or sinking fund shall be applied to the purchase or redemption of the shares of such series for retirement or other corporate purposes and the terms and provisions relative to the operation thereof;
(7)    whether the shares of such series shall be convertible into, or exchangeable for, shares of stock of any other class or any other series of this class or any other securities and, if so, the price or prices or the rate or rates of conversion or exchange and the method, if any, of adjusting the same, and any other terms and conditions of conversion or exchange;





(8)    the limitations and restrictions, if any, to be effective while any shares of such series are outstanding upon the payment of dividends or the making of other distributions on, and upon the purchase, redemption or other acquisition by the Corporation of, the Common Stock or shares of stock of any other class or any other series of this class;
(9)    the conditions or restrictions, if any, upon the creation of indebtedness of the Corporation or upon the issue of any additional stock, including additional shares of such series or of any other series of this class or of any other class; and
(10)    any other powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights, and any qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof.
Without limiting the foregoing, the voting powers of any series of Preferred Stock may include the right, in the circumstances specified in the resolution or resolutions providing for the issuance of such stock, to elect one or more directors who shall be in addition to the number of directors of the Corporation fixed by, or in the manner provided in, the By-laws of the Corporation and who shall serve for such term and have such voting powers as shall be stated in the resolution or resolutions providing for the issuance of such stock. The term of office and voting powers of any director elected in the manner provided in the immediately preceding sentence may be greater than or less than those of any other director or class of directors.
The powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights of each series of Preferred Stock, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, if any, may differ from those of any and all other series at any time outstanding. All shares of any one series of Preferred Stock shall be identical in all respects with all other shares of such series, except that shares of any one series issued at different times may differ as to the dates from which dividends thereon shall be cumulative.
B.    Each holder of Common Stock shall be entitled to one vote for each share of Common Stock held of record on all matters on which stockholders generally are entitled to vote. Subject to the provisions of law and the rights of the holders of any class or series of stock having a preference as to dividends over the Common Stock then outstanding, dividends may be paid on the Common Stock at such times and in such amounts as the Board of Directors shall determine. Upon the dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Corporation, after any preferential amounts to be distributed to the holders of any class or series of stock having a preference over the Common Stock then outstanding have been paid or declared and set apart for payment, the holders of the Common Stock shall be entitled to receive all the remaining assets of the Corporation available for distribution to its stockholders ratably in proportion to the number of shares held by them, respectively.’
(2)    Article Fourth is amended by deleting paragraph H.





(3)
Article Fourth is amended by redesignating paragraphs E, F and G as paragraphs C, D and E, respectively.”
SECOND: That thereafter, pursuant to resolution of the Board of Directors of the Company, the annual meeting of shareholders of the Company was duly called and held, upon notice in accordance with Section 222 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, at which meeting the necessary number of shares as required by statute were voted in favor of each of the amendments listed above.
THIRD: That said amendments were duly adopted in accordance with the provisions of Section 242 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
FOURTH: That the capital of the Company shall not be reduced under or by reason of said amendment.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Noble Affiliates, Inc. has caused this Certificate to be signed by Robert Kelley, its President, and attested by R. P. McCuistion, its Secretary, this 2nd day of June, 1987.
NOBLE AFFILIATES, INC.
By /s/ Robert Kelley        
Robert Kelley, President
Attest:
By /s/ R.P. McCuisition        
R.P. McCuisition, Secretary









CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT
OF
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
NOBLE AFFILIATES, INC.

Noble Affiliates, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “Corporation”),
DOES HEREBY CERTIFY:
FIRST: That on February 1, 2000, at a meeting of the Board of Directors, the Board of Directors of the Corporation adopted resolutions setting forth an amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, declaring said amendment to be advisable and directing that such amendment be submitted to the stockholders of the Corporation for consideration. At the annual meeting of stockholders held April 25, 2000 and reconvened on May 2, 2000, the stockholders of the Corporation approved such amendment. The resolutions setting forth the amendments are as follows:
Relating to Charter Amendments
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that, subject to the requisite approval by the stockholders of the Corporation, the Charter be amended by deleting Article Eighth in its entirety and replacing it with the following:
“EIGHTH. In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by statute, the Board of Directors is expressly authorized:
To make, alter or repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation.
To authorize and cause to be executed mortgages and liens upon the real and personal property of the Corporation.
To set apart out of any of the funds of the Corporation available for dividends a reserve or reserves for any proper purpose and to abolish any such reserve in the manner in which it was created.
By a majority of the whole Board, to designate one or more committees, each committee to consist of two or more of the Directors of the Corporation. The Board may designate one or more Directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. Any such committee, to the extent provided in the resolution or in the Bylaws of the Corporation, shall have and may exercise the powers of the Board of Directors in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation, and may authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers which may require it; provided, however, the Bylaws may provide that in the absence or disqualification of any member of such committee or committees, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not he or they constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board of Directors to act at the meeting in the place of any such absent or disqualified member.”
SECOND: That said amendment was duly adopted in accordance with the provisions of Section 242 of the Delaware General Corporation Law.





IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Noble Affiliates, Inc. has caused this certificate to be signed by its duly authorized officer on this 12th day of May, 2000.
NOBLE AFFILIATES, INC.
By:        /s/ James L. McElvany            
Name:    James L. McElvany                
Title:     Vice President - Finance and Treasury    







CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT
OF
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
NOBLE AFFILIATES, INC.

Noble Affiliates, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “Corporation”),
DOES HEREBY CERTIFY:
FIRST: That on January 29, 2002, at a meeting of the Board of Directors, the Board of Directors of the Corporation adopted a resolution setting forth an amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, declaring said amendment to be advisable and directing that such amendment be submitted to the stockholders of the Corporation for consideration. At the annual meeting of stockholders held April 23, 2002, the stockholders of the Corporation approved such amendment. The resolutions setting forth the amendment are as follows:
Relating to Change of Corporation Name
RESOLVED, that the Board of Directors: (a) finds it advisable and in the best interests of the Corporation and its shareholders to change the Corporation’s name from Noble Affiliates, Inc. to Noble Energy, Inc.; (b) determines it is necessary to amend the Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation to accomplish this result by deleting Article First in its entirety and replacing it with the following: “FIRST. The name of the Corporation is NOBLE ENERGY, INC.”; (c) directs that approval of the above amendment making the referenced Corporation name change be submitted to the Corporation’s stockholders at their 2002 meeting; and (d) authorizes the appropriate Corporation officers to take all action as is necessary or appropriate to carry out the intent and purpose of this resolution and in accordance with the Delaware General Corporation Law.
SECOND: That said amendment was duly adopted in accordance with the provisions of Section 242 of the Delaware General Corporation Law.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Noble Affiliates, Inc. has caused this certificate to be signed by its duly authorized officer on the 24th day of April, 2002.
NOBLE AFFILIATES, INC.

By:    /s/ Albert D. Hoppe            
Albert D. Hoppe
Senior Vice President, General Counsel
and     Secretary







CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT
OF
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
NOBLE ENERGY, INC.
Pursuant to Section 242 of the General Corporate Law of the State of Delaware,
Noble Energy, Inc. (hereinafter called the “Corporation”) does hereby certify as follows:
FIRST: Article FOURTH of the Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation is hereby amended by deleting the first grammatical paragraph and substituting therefor the following:
FOURTH: The total number of shares of all classes of stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 254,000,000, consisting of (1) 4,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, $1.00 par value (“Preferred Stock”), and (2) 250,000,000 shares of Common Stock, $3.33 1/3 par value (“Common Stock”).
The remainder of Article FOURTH of the Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation shall remain unchanged.
The foregoing amendment was duly adopted in accordance with Sections 211, 222 and 242 of the General Corporate Law of the State of Delaware.
[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Certificate to be duly executed in its corporate name this 16th day of May, 2005.
NOBLE ENERGY, INC.
By:    /s/ Charles D. Davidson    
Name: Charles D. Davidson
Title: Chairman of the Board, President and
Chief Executive Officer





CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT
OF
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
NOBLE ENERGY, INC.


Pursuant to Section 242 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware,

Noble Energy, Inc. (hereinafter called the “Corporation”) does hereby certify as follows:

FIRST: Article FOURTH of the Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation is hereby amended by deleting the first grammatical paragraph and substituting therefor the following:

FOURTH: The total number of shares of all classes of stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 504,000,000, consisting of (1) 4,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, $1.00 par value (“Preferred Stock”), and (2) 500,000,000 shares of Common Stock, $0.01 par value (“Common Stock”).

The remainder of Article FOURTH of the Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation shall remain unchanged.

The foregoing amendment was duly adopted in accordance with Sections 211, 222 and 242 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Certificate to be duly executed in its corporate name this 25th day of May, 2012.



NOBLE ENERGY, INC.


By: /s/ Kenneth M. Fisher            
Name:    Kenneth M. Fisher
Title:
Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer





CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT
OF
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
NOBLE ENERGY, INC.

Pursuant to Section 242 of the General Corporate Law of the State of Delaware, Noble Energy, Inc. (hereinafter called the “Corporation”) does hereby certify as follows:
FIRST: That the Corporation's Certificate of Incorporation is hereby amended by adding a new Article THIRTEENTH as follows:
"THIRTEENTH. Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or other employee of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation's stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law, or (iv) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine shall be a state or federal court located within the state of Delaware, in all cases subject to the court's having personal jurisdiction over the indispensible parties named as defendants. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Article THIRTEENTH."
The foregoing amendment was duly adopted in accordance with Sections 211, 222 and 242 of the General Corporate Law of the State of Delaware.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Certificate to be duly executed in its corporate name this 23rd day of April, 2013.
NOBLE ENERGY, INC.

By: /s/ Kenneth M. Fisher            
Name:    Kenneth M. Fisher
Title:
Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer








CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT
OF
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
NOBLE ENERGY, INC.

Pursuant to Section 242 of the General Corporate Law of the State of Delaware,

Noble Energy, Inc. (hereinafter called the “Corporation”) does hereby certify as follows:

FIRST: Article FOURTH of the Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation is hereby amended by deleting the first grammatical paragraph and substituting therefor the following:

FOURTH: The total number of shares of all classes of stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 1,004,000,000, consisting of (1) 4,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, $1.00 par value (“Preferred Stock”), and (2) 1,000,000,000 shares of Common Stock, $0.01 par value (“Common Stock”).

The remainder of Article FOURTH of the Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation shall remain unchanged.

The foregoing amendment was duly adopted in accordance with Sections 211, 222 and 242 of the General Corporate Law of the State of Delaware.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Certificate to be duly executed in its corporate name this 29th day of April, 2015.


NOBLE ENERGY, INC.

 
 
By:
/s/ Aaron G. Carlson
 
 
 
Aaron G. Carlson
 
 
 
Assistant Secretary








Exhibit 10.1
NOBLE ENERGY, INC.

1992 STOCK OPTION AND RESTRICTED
STOCK PLAN

(As Amended and Restated Effective April 28, 2015)

Section 1. Purpose

The purpose of this Plan is to assist Noble Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation, in attracting and retaining, as officers and key employees of the Company and its Affiliates, persons of training, experience and ability and to furnish additional incentive to such persons by encouraging them to become owners of Shares of the Company’s capital stock, by granting to such persons Incentive Options, Nonqualified Options, Restricted Stock, or any combination of the foregoing.

Section 2. Definitions

Unless the context otherwise requires, the following words as used herein shall have the following meanings:

(a)“Affiliate” means any corporation or other type of entity in a chain of corporations or other entities in which each corporation or other entity has a controlling interest in another corporation or other entity in the chain, starting with the Company and ending with the corporation or other entity that has a controlling interest in the corporation or other entity for which the Employee provides direct services. For purposes of this Affiliate definition, the term “controlling interest” has the same meaning as provided in Treasury Regulation section 1.414(c)-2(b)(2)(i), except that the phrase “at least 50 percent” shall be used instead of the phrase “at least 80 percent” in each place the phrase “at least 80 percent” appears in Treasury Regulation section 1.414(c)-2(b)(2)(i).

(b)“Agreement” means the written agreement (i) between the Company and the Optionee evidencing the Option and any SARs that relate to such Option granted by the Company and the understanding of the parties with respect thereto or (ii) between the Company and a recipient of a Restricted Stock award, a Cash Award or a Performance Award evidencing the restrictions, terms and conditions applicable to such award and the understanding of the parties with respect thereto. In the event of any inconsistency between the Plan and an Agreement, the Plan shall govern.

(c)“Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company as the same may be constituted from time to time.

(d)“Cash Award” means an award for the payment of a cash bonus that has been awarded pursuant to Section 16 of the Plan.

(e)A “Change in Control” shall have occurred if:

(i)    individuals who, as of April 28, 2015, constitute the Board (the “Incumbent Board”) cease for any reason to constitute at least fifty-one percent (51%) of the Board, provided that any person becoming a director subsequent to April 28, 2015 whose election, or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then comprising the Incumbent Board shall be, for purposes of this Plan, considered as though such person were a member of the Incumbent Board;

(ii)    the consummation of a reorganization, merger or consolidation, in each case, with respect to which persons who were the stockholders of the Company immediately prior to such reorganization, merger or consolidation do not, immediately thereafter, own outstanding voting securities representing at least fifty-one percent (51%) of the combined voting power entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (“Voting Securities”) of the reorganized, merged or consolidated company;

(iii)    the stockholders of the Company shall approve a liquidation or dissolution of the Company or a sale of all or substantially all of the stock or assets of the Company; or






(iv)    any “person,” as that term is defined in Section 3(a)(9) of the Exchange Act (other than the Company, any of its subsidiaries, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any entity organized, appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of such a plan), together with all “affiliates” and “associates” (as such terms are defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act) of such person (as well as any “Person” or “group” as those terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act), shall become the “beneficial owner” or “beneficial owners” (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing in the aggregate twenty-five percent (25%) or more of either (A) the then outstanding Shares or (B) the Voting Securities of the Company, in either such case other than solely as a result of acquisitions of such securities directly from the Company. Without limiting the foregoing, a person who, directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise has or shares the power to vote, or to direct the voting of, or to dispose, or to direct the disposition of, Shares or other Voting Securities of the Company shall be deemed the beneficial owner of such Shares or Voting Securities.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, a “Change in Control” shall not be deemed to have occurred for purposes of subparagraph (iv) of this Section 2(e) solely as the result of an acquisition of securities by the Company which, by reducing the number of Shares or other Voting Securities of the Company outstanding, increases (1) the proportionate number of Shares beneficially owned by any person to twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the Shares then outstanding or (2) the proportionate voting power represented by the Voting Securities of the Company beneficially owned by any person to twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the combined voting power of all then outstanding Voting Securities; provided, however, that if any person referred to in clause (1) or (2) of this sentence shall thereafter become the beneficial owner of any additional Shares or other Voting Securities of the Company (other than a result of a stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction), then a Change in Control shall be deemed to have occurred for purposes of subparagraph (iv) of this Section 2(e).

(f)“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

(g)“Committee” means the Committee provided for in Section 3 of the Plan as the same may be constituted from time to time.

(h)“Company” means Noble Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

(i)“Corporate Transaction” shall have the meaning as defined in Section 8 of the Plan.

(j)“Disability” means the termination of an employee’s employment with the Company or an Affiliate because of a medically determinable physical or mental impairment (i) that prevents the employee from performing his or her employment duties in a satisfactory manner and is expected either to result in death or to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve months as determined by the Committee, or (ii) for which the employee is eligible to receive disability income benefits under a long-term disability insurance plan maintained by the Company or an Affiliate.

(k)“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

(l)“Fair Market Value” means, except as provided in the next sentence with respect to grants and awards made prior to April 26, 2011, the closing sales price per Share on the New York Stock Exchange on the date in question (or if there was no reported sale on the New York Stock Exchange on such date, then on the last preceding day on which any reported sale occurred on the New York Stock Exchange). With respect to an Option or SAR that relates to such Option that was granted prior to April 26, 2011, or Shares of Restricted Stock that were awarded prior to April 26, 2011, the following shall apply: “Fair Market Value” means the fair market value per Share as determined by the Committee in good faith; provided, however, that if a Share is listed or admitted to trading on a securities exchange registered under the Exchange Act, the Fair Market Value per Share shall be the average of the reported high and low sales price on the date in question (or if there was no reported sale on such date, on the last preceding date on which any reported sale occurred) on the principal securities exchange on which such Share is listed or admitted to trading, or if a Share is not listed or admitted to trading on any such exchange but is listed as a national market security on the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotations System (“NASDAQ”) or any similar system then in use, the Fair Market Value per Share shall be the average of the reported high and low sales price on the date in question (or if there was no reported sale on such date, on the last preceding date on which any reported sale occurred) on such system, or if a Share is not listed or admitted to trading on any such exchange and is not listed as a national market security on NASDAQ but is quoted on NASDAQ or any similar system then in use, the Fair Market Value per Share shall be the average of the closing high bid and low asked quotations on such system for such Share on the date in question; and, provided further, that for purposes of valuing Shares to be made subject to Incentive Options, the Fair Market Value per Share shall be determined without regard to any restriction other than one which, by its terms, will never lapse.






(m)“Good Reason” means any of the following actions if taken by the Company or its Affiliate, as applicable, with respect to and without the prior consent of an Optionee or a recipient of a Restricted Stock award, a Cash Award or a Performance Award:

(i)    a material reduction in the individual’s base compensation;

(ii)    a material change in the location at which the individual must perform services for the Company or its Affiliate;

(iii)    a material reduction in the individual's authority, duties or responsibilities or in the authority, duties or responsibilities of the supervisor to whom the individual is required to report; or

(iv)    a material reduction in the budget over which the individual retains authority.

(a) “Incentive Option” means an Option that is intended to satisfy the requirements of Section 422(b) of the Code.

(a)“Nonqualified Option” means an Option that does not qualify as a statutory stock option under Section 422 or 423 of the Code.

(a)“Non-Employee Director” means a director of the Company who satisfies the definition thereof under Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act.

(a)“Option” means an option to purchase one or more Shares granted under and pursuant to the Plan. Such Option may be either an Incentive Option or a Nonqualified Option.

(a)“Optionee” means a person who has been granted an Option and who has executed an Agreement with the Company.

(a)“Outside Director” means a director of the Company who is an outside director within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

(a)“Performance Award” means any Restricted Stock award or Cash Award that has been designated at the time of award as a Performance Award in accordance with the provisions of Section 15 of the Plan.

(a)“Plan” means this Noble Energy, Inc. 1992 Stock Option and Restricted Stock Plan, as amended from time to time.

(a)“Restricted Stock” means Shares issued or transferred pursuant to Section 14 of the Plan.

(a)“Retirement” means a termination of employment with the Company or an Affiliate either (i) on a voluntary basis by a person who (A) is at least 55 years of age with five years of credited service with the Company or one or more Affiliates or (B) has at least 20 years of credited service with the Company or one or more Affiliates, immediately prior to such termination of employment or (ii) otherwise with the written consent of the Committee in its sole discretion.

(a)“SARs” means stock appreciation rights granted pursuant to Section 7 of the Plan.

(a)“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

(a)“Share” means a share of the Company’s present common stock, par value $0.01 per share, and any share or shares of capital stock or other securities of the Company hereafter issued or issuable in respect of or in substitution or exchange for each such present share. Such Shares may be unissued or reacquired Shares, as the Board, in its sole and absolute discretion, shall from time to time determine.

(a)“Termination for Cause” means the termination by the Company or an Affiliate of the employment of an Optionee or the recipient of a Restricted Stock award, a Cash Award or a Performance Award on account of (i) fraud or intentional misrepresentation, or (ii) embezzlement, misappropriation or conversion of assets or opportunities of the Company or its Affiliates.






Section 3. Administration

The Plan shall be administered by, and the decisions concerning the Plan shall be made solely by, a Committee of two or more directors of the Company, all of whom are both Non-Employee Directors and Outside Directors. Each member of the Committee shall be appointed by and shall serve at the pleasure of the Board. The Board shall have the sole continuing authority to appoint members of the Committee. In making grants or awards, the Committee shall take into consideration the contribution the person has made or may make to the success of the Company or its Affiliates and such other considerations as the Board may from time to time specify.

Except to the extent already appointed by the Board, the Committee shall elect one of its members as its chairman, and shall hold its meetings at such times and places as it may determine. A majority of the members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum. All decisions and determinations of the Committee shall be made by the majority vote or decision of the members present at any meeting at which a quorum is present; provided, however, that any decision or determination reduced to writing and signed by all members of the Committee shall be as fully effective as if it had been made by a majority vote or decision at a meeting duly called and held. The Committee may appoint a secretary (who need not be a member of the Committee) who shall keep minutes of its meetings. The Committee may make any rules and regulations for the conduct of its business that are not inconsistent with the express provisions of the Plan, the bylaws or certificate of incorporation of the Company or any resolutions of the Board.

All questions of interpretation or application of the Plan, or of a grant of an Option and any SARs that relate to such Option or of a Restricted Stock award, Cash Award or Performance Award, including questions of interpretation or application of an Agreement, shall be subject to the determination of the Committee, which determination shall be final and binding upon all parties.

Subject to the express provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall have the authority, in its sole and absolute discretion:

(a)    to adopt, amend or rescind administrative and interpretive rules and regulations relating to the Plan;

(b)    to construe the Plan;

(c)    to make all other determinations necessary or advisable for administering the Plan;

(d)    to determine the terms and provisions of the respective Agreements (which need not be identical), including provisions defining or otherwise relating to (i) the term and the period or periods and extent of exercisability of Options, (ii) the extent to which transfer restrictions shall apply to Shares issued upon exercise of Options or any SARs that relate to such Options, (iii) the effect of termination of employment upon the exercisability of Options, and (iv) the effect of approved leaves of absence upon the exercisability of Options;

(e)    to accelerate, regardless of whether the Agreement so provides, (i) the time of exercisability of any Option and SAR that relates to such Option, (ii) the time of the lapsing of restrictions on any Restricted Stock award that is not a Performance Award, or (iii) the time of the lapsing of restrictions on or for the vesting or payment of any Cash Award that is not a Performance Award (provided that such acceleration does not subject the benefits payable under such Cash Award to the tax imposed by Section 409A of the Code);

(f)    subject to Section 13 of the Plan, to amend any Agreement provided that such amendment does not (i) adversely affect the Optionee or awardee under such Agreement in a material way without the consent of such Optionee or awardee, or (ii) cause any benefit provided or payable under such Agreement that is intended to comply with or be exempt from Section 409A of the Code, or intended to be qualified performance-based compensation within the meaning of Treasury Regulation section 1.162-27(e), to fail to comply with or be exempt from Section 409A of the Code or to fail to be qualified performance-based compensation within the meaning of Treasury Regulation section 1.162-27(e), respectively;
(g)    to construe the respective Agreements; and

(h)    to exercise the powers conferred on the Committee under the Plan.
The Committee may correct any defect or supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan in the manner and to the extent it shall deem expedient to carry it into effect, and it shall be the sole and final judge of such expediency. The determinations of the Committee on the matters referred to in this Section 3 shall be final and conclusive.






Section 4. Shares Subject to the Plan

(a)    The total number of Shares available for grants or awards made under the Plan shall not exceed a maximum of 77,400,000 Shares in the aggregate (the “Plan Share Limit”), which consists of the 71,600,000 Shares available under the Plan prior to this amendment and restatement (as adjusted for prior stock splits) plus an additional 5,800,000 Shares. The total number of Shares that may be issued on or after April 26, 2011, pursuant to Incentive Options shall not exceed a maximum of 14,000,000 Shares in the aggregate. The total number of Shares for which Options and SARs may be granted, and which may be awarded as Restricted Stock, to any one person during any calendar year shall not exceed a maximum of 800,000 Shares in the aggregate. Each such maximum number of Shares shall be increased or decreased as provided in Section 17 of the Plan.

(b)    At any time and from time to time after the Plan takes effect, the Committee, pursuant to the provisions herein set forth, may grant Options and any SARs that relate to such Options and award Restricted Stock until the maximum number of Shares shall be exhausted or the Plan shall be sooner terminated.

(c)    For the purpose of determining the number of Shares available for grants or awards made under the Plan:

(i)    with respect to grants or awards made under the Plan prior to April 26, 2011, each Share subject to an Option (whether with or without a related SAR), and each Share awarded as Restricted Stock, shall count against the Plan Share Limit as one (1) Share,

(ii)    with respect to grants or awards made under the Plan on or after April 26, 2011, each Share subject to an Option (whether with or without a related SAR) shall count against the Plan Share Limit as one (1) Share, and each Share awarded as Restricted Stock shall count against the Plan Share Limit as 2.39 Shares,

(iii)    Shares subject to Options (whether with or without related SARs) that expire or are terminated or forfeited prior to exercise, and Shares awarded as Restricted Stock that are forfeited, shall remain available for grants or awards made under the Plan and shall be added back to the number of Shares available for such grants or awards on the same numerical basis as previously counted against the Plan Share Limit,

(iv)    Shares (I) tendered or withheld to satisfy an exercise price or tax withholding obligation pertaining to an Option, SAR or Restricted Stock, or (II) repurchased by the Company using Option proceeds, shall not be available for grants or awards made under the Plan and shall not be added to the number of Shares available for grants or awards made under the Plan, and

(v)    Upon exercise of an SAR, a corresponding number of Shares subject to option under the related Option shall be canceled. Such canceled Shares shall be charged against the Shares reserved for the Plan, as provided in Section 4 of the Plan, as if the Option had been exercised to such extent and shall not be available for future Option grants or Restricted Stock awards hereunder.

Section 5. Eligibility

The persons who shall be eligible to receive grants of Options and any SARs that relate to such Options, and to receive Restricted Stock awards, Cash Awards or Performance Awards, shall be regular salaried officers or other employees of the Company or one or more of its Affiliates.

Section 6. Grant of Options

(a)    From time to time while the Plan is in effect, the Committee may, in its sole and absolute discretion, select from among the persons eligible to receive a grant of Options under the Plan (including persons who have already received such grants of Options) such one or more of them as in the opinion of the Committee should be granted Options. The Committee shall thereupon, likewise in its sole and absolute discretion, determine the number of Shares to be allotted for option to each person so selected.

(b)    Each person so selected shall be granted an Option to purchase the number of Shares so allotted to him, upon such terms and conditions, consistent with the provisions of the Plan, as the Committee may specify. Each such person shall have a reasonable period of time, to be fixed by the Committee, within which to accept or reject the granted Option. Failure to accept within the period so fixed may be treated as a rejection.






(c)    Each person who accepts an Option offered to him shall enter into an Agreement with the Company, in such form as the Committee may prescribe, setting forth the terms and conditions of the Option. Each Option Agreement shall contain such provisions (including, without limitation, restrictions or the removal of restrictions upon the exercise of the Option and any SARs that relate to such Option and the transfer of Shares thereby acquired) as the Committee shall deem advisable. In the event a person is granted both one or more Incentive Options and one or more Nonqualified Options, such grants shall be evidenced by separate Agreements, one for each Incentive Option grant and one for each Nonqualified Option grant. Unless a subsequent effective date of grant is specified by the Committee, the date on which the Committee approves the grant of an Option to a person, including the specification of the number of Shares to be subject to the Option, shall constitute the date on which the Option covered by such Agreement is granted. Such person shall be notified of his or her grant as soon as practicable following the Committee’s approval of such grant, but in no event shall an Optionee gain any rights in addition to those specified by the Committee in its grant, regardless of the time that may pass between the grant of the Option and the actual signing of the Agreement by the Company and the Optionee.

(d)    At the time an Option is granted, the Committee may, in its sole and absolute discretion, designate such Option as an Incentive Option intended to qualify under Section 422(b) of the Code; provided, however, that Incentive Options may be granted only to employees of the Company or a “parent corporation” or a “subsidiary corporation” of the Company (which terms, for the purposes of this Section and any Incentive Option granted under the Plan, shall have the meanings set forth in Section 424(e) and (f) of the Code, respectively), and that Incentive Options may not be granted more than 10 years after March 17, 2011, the date the prior Plan restatement was adopted by the Board. Each Agreement relating to an Incentive Option shall contain such limitations and restrictions upon the exercise of the Incentive Option as shall be necessary for the Incentive Option to which such Agreement relates to constitute an incentive stock option, as defined in Section 422(b) of the Code. Any provision of the Plan to the contrary notwithstanding:

(i)    no Incentive Option shall be granted to any person who, at the time such Incentive Option is granted, owns shares possessing more than 10 percent of the total combined voting power of all classes of shares of the Company or of its parent or subsidiary corporation (within the meaning of Section 422(b)(6) of the Code) unless the option price under such Incentive Option is at least 110 percent of the Fair Market Value of the Shares subject to the Incentive Option at the date of its grant and such Incentive Option is not exercisable after the expiration of five years from the date of its grant; and

(ii)    to the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined as of the date the Incentive Option is granted) of the Shares subject to an Incentive Option granted to an Optionee and the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined as of the date the option is granted) of the shares of the Company and its parent and subsidiary corporations (or a predecessor corporation of the Company or any such parent or subsidiary corporation) subject to any other incentive stock option (within the meaning of Section 422(b) of the Code) of the Company and its parent and subsidiary corporations (or a predecessor corporation of the Company or any such parent or subsidiary corporation) granted to such Optionee, that may become exercisable for the first time during any calendar year, exceeds $100,000, such excess portion of the Option shall be treated as a Nonqualified Option.

(e)    Each Agreement that includes SARs in addition to an Option shall comply with the provisions of Section 7 of the Plan.

Section 7. Grant of SARs

The Committee may from time to time grant SARs in conjunction with all or any portion of any Option either (i) at the time of the initial Option grant (not including any subsequent modification that may be treated as a new grant of an Incentive Option for purposes of Section 424(h) of the Code) or (ii) with respect to Nonqualified Options, at any time after the initial Option grant while the Nonqualified Option is still outstanding. SARs shall not be granted other than in conjunction with an Option granted hereunder.

SARs granted hereunder shall comply with the following conditions and also with the terms of the Agreement governing the Option in conjunction with which they are granted:

(a)    The SAR shall expire no later than the expiration of the underlying Option.

(b)    Upon the exercise of an SAR, the Optionee shall be entitled to receive payment equal to the excess of the aggregate Fair Market Value of the Shares with respect to which the SAR is then being exercised (determined as of





the date of such exercise) over the aggregate purchase price of such Shares as provided in the related Option. Payment may be made in Shares, valued at their Fair Market Value on the date of exercise, or in cash, or partly in Shares and partly in cash, as determined by the Committee in its sole and absolute discretion.
(c)    SARs shall be exercisable (i) only at such time or times and only to the extent that the Option to which they relate shall be exercisable, (ii) only when the Fair Market Value of the Shares subject to the related Option exceeds the purchase price of the Shares as provided in the related Option, and (iii) only upon surrender of the related Option or any portion thereof with respect to the Shares for which the SARs are then being exercised.

Section 8. Option Price

The option price for each Share covered by an Option shall not be less than the greater of (a) the par value of such Share or (b) the Fair Market Value of such Share at the time such Option is granted. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, if the Company or an Affiliate agrees to substitute a new Option under the Plan for an old option, or to assume an old option, by reason of a corporate merger, consolidation, acquisition of property or stock, separation, reorganization, or liquidation (any of such events being referred to herein as a “Corporate Transaction”), the option price of the Shares covered by each such new Option or assumed Option may be other than the Fair Market Value of the Shares at the time the Option is granted as determined by reference to a formula, established at the time of the Corporate Transaction, which will give effect to such substitution or assumption; provided, however, in no event shall:

(a)    the excess of the aggregate Fair Market Value of the Shares subject to the Option immediately after the substitution or assumption over the aggregate option price of such Shares be more than the excess of the aggregate Fair Market Value of all Shares subject to the option immediately prior to the substitution or assumption over the aggregate option price of such Shares;

(b)    in the case of an Incentive Option, the new Option or the assumption of the old option give the Optionee additional benefits that he would not have under the old option; or

(c)    the ratio of the option price to the Fair Market Value of the stock subject to the Option immediately after the substitution or assumption be more favorable to the Optionee than the ratio of the option price to the Fair Market Value of the stock subject to the old option immediately prior to such substitution or assumption, on a Share by Share basis.

Notwithstanding the above, the provisions of this Section 8 with respect to the option price in the event of a Corporate Transaction shall, in the case of an Incentive Option, be subject to the requirements of Section 424(a) of the Code and the Treasury regulations and other applicable guidance promulgated thereunder, and in the case of a Nonqualified Option, be subject to the requirements for stock rights exempt from the application of Section 409A of the Code. In the event of a conflict between the terms of this Section 8 and the above cited statutes, regulations and rulings, or in the event of an omission in this Section 8 of a provision required by said laws, the latter shall control in all respects and are hereby incorporated herein by reference as if set out at length.

Section 9. Option Period and Terms of Exercise

(a)    Each Option shall be exercisable during such period of time as the Committee may specify, but in no event for longer than 10 years from the date when the Option is granted; provided, however, that, unless provided otherwise in an Agreement:

(i)    All rights to exercise an Option and any SARs that relate to such Option shall, subject to the provisions of subsection (c) of this Section 9, terminate one year after the date the Optionee ceases to be employed by at least one of the employers in the group of employers consisting of the Company and its Affiliates, for any reason other than death, Disability or Retirement, except that, in the event of the Optionee’s Termination for Cause, the Option and any SARs that relate to such Option shall thereafter be null and void for all purposes. Employment shall not be deemed to have ceased by reason of the transfer of employment, without interruption of service, between or among the Company and any of its Affiliates.

(ii)    If the Optionee ceases to be employed by at least one of the employers in the group of employers consisting of the Company and its Affiliates, by reason of his death, Disability or Retirement, all rights to exercise such Option and any SARs that relate to such Option shall, subject to the provisions of subsection (c) of this Section 9, terminate five years thereafter.






(b)    If an Option is granted with a term shorter than 10 years, the Committee may extend the term of the Option and any SARs that relate to such Option, but for not more than 10 years from the date when the Option was originally granted.

(c)    In no event may an Option or any SARs that relate to such Option be exercised after the expiration of the term thereof.

Section 10. Transferability of Options and SARs

Except as provided in this Section 10, no Option or any SARs that relate to an Option shall be (i) transferable otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and distribution, or (ii) exercisable during the lifetime of the Optionee by anyone other than the Optionee. A Nonqualified Option granted to an Optionee, and any SARs that relate to such Nonqualified Option, may be transferred by such Optionee to a permitted transferee (as defined below), provided that (i) there is no consideration for such transfer (other than receipt by the Optionee of interests in an entity that is a permitted transferee); (ii) the Optionee (or such Optionee’s estate or representative) shall remain obligated to satisfy all income or other tax withholding obligations associated with the exercise of such Nonqualified Option or SARs; (iii) the Optionee shall notify the Company in writing that such transfer has occurred and disclose to the Company the name and address of the permitted transferee and the relationship of the permitted transferee to the Optionee; and (iv) such transfer shall be effected pursuant to transfer documents in a form approved by the Committee. A permitted transferee may not further assign or transfer any such transferred Nonqualified Option or any SARs that relate to such Nonqualified Option otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and distribution. Following the transfer of an Nonqualified Option and any SARs that relate to such Nonqualified Option to a permitted transferee, such Nonqualified Option and SARs shall continue to be subject to the same terms and conditions that applied to them prior to their transfer by the Optionee, except that they shall be exercisable by the permitted transferee to whom such transfer was made rather than by the transferring Optionee. For the purposes of the Plan, the term “permitted transferee” means, with respect to an Optionee, (I) any child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent, grandparent, spouse, former spouse, sibling, niece, nephew, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law or sister-in-law of the Optionee, including adoptive relationships, (II) any person sharing the Optionee’s household (other than a tenant or an employee), (III) a trust in which the Optionee and/or persons described in clauses (I) and (II) above have more than fifty percent of the beneficial interest, (IV) a foundation in which the Optionee and/or persons described in clauses (I) and (II) above control the management of assets, and (V) any other entity in which the Optionee and/or persons described in clauses (I) and (II) above own more than fifty percent of the voting interests.

Section 11. Exercise of Options and SARs

(a)    In the event of an Optionee’s death, any then exercisable portion of an Option that has been granted to such Optionee, and any SARs that relate to such Option, may be exercised, within the period ending with the earlier of the fifth anniversary of the date of the Optionee’s death or the date of the termination of such Option, by the duly authorized representative of the deceased Optionee’s estate or the permitted transferee to whom such Option and SARs have been transferred.

(b)    At any time, and from time to time, during the period when any Option and any SARs that relate to such Option, or a portion thereof, are exercisable, such Option or SARs, or portion thereof, may be exercised in whole or in part; provided, however, that in an Agreement the Committee may require any Option or SAR that is partially exercised to be so exercised with respect to at least a stated minimum number of Shares.

(c)    Each exercise of an Option, or a portion thereof, shall be evidenced by a notice in writing to the Company accompanied by payment in full of the option price of the Shares then being purchased. Payment in full shall mean payment of the full amount due: (i) in cash, (ii) by certified check or cashier’s check, (iii) with Shares owned by the exercising Optionee or permitted transferee having a Fair Market Value at least equal to the aggregate option price payable in connection with such exercise, or (iv) by any combination of clauses (i) through (iii). If the exercising Optionee or permitted transferee chooses to remit Shares in payment of all or any portion of the option price, then (for purposes of payment of the option price) those Shares shall be deemed to have a cash value equal to their aggregate Fair Market Value determined as of the date the exercising Optionee or permitted transferee exercises such Option.

Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, at the request of an exercising Optionee or permitted transferee and to the extent permitted by applicable law, the Committee shall approve arrangements with a brokerage firm or firms under which any such brokerage firm shall, on behalf of the exercising Optionee or permitted transferee, make payment in full to the Company of the option price of the Shares then being purchased, and the Company, pursuant to an irrevocable notice in writing from the exercising Optionee or permitted transferee, shall make prompt delivery of one or more certificates for the appropriate number of Shares to such brokerage firm. Payment in full for purposes of





the immediately preceding sentence shall mean payment of the full amount due, either in cash or by certified check or cashier’s check.

(d)    Each exercise of SARs, or a portion thereof, shall be evidenced by a notice in writing to the Company.

(e)    Each Optionee must take whatever affirmative actions are required, in the opinion of the Committee, to enable the Company or appropriate Affiliate to satisfy its Federal income tax and FICA and any applicable state and local withholding obligations incurred as a result of such Optionee’s (or his or her permitted transferee’s) exercise of an Option granted to such Optionee or any SARs that relate to such Option. Upon the exercise of an Option or SARs requiring tax withholding, an exercising Optionee or permitted transferee may (i) direct the Company to withhold from the Shares to be issued to the exercising Optionee or permitted transferee the number of Shares (based upon the aggregate Fair Market Value of the Shares at the date of exercise) necessary to satisfy the Company’s obligation to withhold taxes, (ii) deliver to the Company sufficient Shares (based upon the aggregate Fair Market Value of the Shares at the date of exercise) to satisfy the Company’s tax withholding obligations, (iii) deliver sufficient cash to the Company to satisfy the Company’s tax withholding obligations, or (iv) any combination of clauses (i) through (iii). In the event the Committee subsequently determines that the aggregate Fair Market Value (as determined above) of any Shares withheld as payment of any tax withholding obligation is insufficient to discharge that tax withholding obligation, then the Optionee to whom the Option and SARs in question were granted shall pay (or cause the permitted transferee to whom such Option and SARs were transferred to pay) to the Company, immediately upon the Committee’s request, the amount of that deficiency.

(f)    No Shares shall be issued upon exercise of an Option until full payment therefor has been made, and an exercising Optionee or permitted transferee shall have none of the rights of a shareholder until Shares are issued to him.
(g)    Nothing herein or in any Agreement shall require the Company to issue any Shares upon exercise of an Option or SAR if such issuance would, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, constitute a violation of the Securities Act or any similar or superseding statute or statutes, or any other applicable statute or regulation, as then in effect. Upon the exercise of an Option or SAR (as a result of which the exercising Optionee or permitted transferee receives Shares), or portion thereof, the exercising Optionee or permitted transferee shall give to the Company satisfactory evidence that he is acquiring such Shares for the purposes of investment only and not with a view to their distribution; provided, however, if or to the extent that the Shares delivered to the exercising Optionee or permitted transferee shall be included in a registration statement filed by the Company under the Securities Act, such investment representation shall be abrogated.

(h)    An Optionee shall immediately notify the Company in writing of any disqualifying disposition (within the meaning of Section 421(b) of the Code) of Shares received upon the exercise of an Incentive Option.

Section 12. Delivery of Stock Certificates

As promptly as may be practicable after an Option or SAR (as a result of the exercise of which the exercising Optionee or permitted transferee is entitled to receive Shares), or a portion thereof, has been exercised as hereinabove provided, the Company shall make delivery of the appropriate number of Shares. In the event that an Optionee exercises both (i) an Incentive Option or SARs that relate to such Option (as a result of which the Optionee receives Shares), or a portion thereof, and (ii) a Nonqualified Option or SARs that relate to such Option (as a result of which the Optionee receives Shares), or a portion thereof, separately identifiable Shares shall be issued in certificate or book-entry form for the Shares subject to the Incentive Option and for the Shares subject to the Nonqualified Option.

Section 13. Modification of Options and SARs

Subject to the terms and conditions of and within the limitations of the Plan, the Committee may modify, extend or renew outstanding Options and any SARs that relate to such Options granted under the Plan. The Committee shall not have authority to accept the surrender or cancellation of any Options and any SARs that relate to such Options outstanding hereunder (to the extent not theretofore exercised) and grant new Options and any SARs that relate to such new Options hereunder in substitution therefor (to the extent not theretofore exercised) at an Option Price that is less than the Option Price of the Options surrendered or canceled. Nor shall the Committee have authority to accept the surrender or cancellation of any Option and any SARs that relate to such Option outstanding hereunder (to the extent not theretofore exercised) at a time at which the Fair Market Value of the Shares subject to the Option is less than the option price, in return for any cash or other consideration. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 13, no modification of an outstanding Option and any SARs that relate to such Option granted hereunder shall, without the consent of the Optionee, adversely affect the holder thereof in a material way, except as may be





necessary, with respect to Incentive Options, to satisfy the requirements of Section 422(b) of the Code, or with respect to Nonqualified Options to satisfy the requirements for stock rights exempt from Section 409A of the Code.

Section 14. Restricted Stock

(a)    The Committee may from time to time, in its sole and absolute discretion, award Shares of Restricted Stock to such persons as it shall select from among those persons who are eligible under Section 5 of the Plan to receive awards of Restricted Stock. Any award of Restricted Stock shall be made from Shares subject hereto as provided in Section 4 of the Plan.

(b)    A Share of Restricted Stock shall be subject to such restrictions, terms and conditions, including forfeitures, if any, as may be determined by the Committee, which may include, without limitation, the rendition of services to the Company or its Affiliates for a specified time or the achievement of specific goals, and to the further restriction that no such Share may be sold, assigned, transferred, discounted, exchanged, pledged or otherwise encumbered or disposed of until the terms and conditions set by the Committee at the time of the award of the Restricted Stock have been satisfied. A Restricted Stock award may be a Performance Award or an award that is not a Performance Award. Each recipient of an award of Restricted Stock shall enter into an Agreement with the Company, in such form as the Committee shall prescribe, setting forth the restrictions, terms and conditions of such award.

If a person is awarded Shares of Restricted Stock, whether or not escrowed as provided below, the person shall be the record owner of such Shares and shall have all the rights of a shareholder with respect to such Shares (except to the extent that the escrow agreement, if any, or the Agreement specifically provides otherwise), including the right to vote and the right to receive dividends or other distributions made or paid with respect to such Shares. Any certificate or certificates representing Shares of Restricted Stock shall bear a legend similar to the following:

The shares represented by this certificate have been issued pursuant to the terms of the Noble Energy, Inc. 1992 Stock Option and Restricted Stock Plan and may not be sold, assigned, transferred, discounted, exchanged, pledged or otherwise encumbered or disposed of in any manner except as set forth in the terms of the agreement embodying the award of such shares dated ____________________, ______.

In order to enforce the restrictions, terms and conditions that may be applicable to a person’s Shares of Restricted Stock, the Committee may require the person, upon the receipt of a certificate or certificates representing such Shares or the issuance of such Shares in book-entry form, or at any time thereafter, to deposit such certificate or certificates, together with stock powers and other instruments of transfer, appropriately endorsed in blank, with the Company or an escrow agent designated by the Company under an escrow agreement, or to enter into an escrow agreement pertaining to Shares issued in book-entry form, in such form as by the Committee shall prescribe.

After the satisfaction of the restrictions, terms and conditions set by the Committee at the time of an award of Restricted Stock to a person, the Share certificate legend set forth above and any similar evidence of a transfer restriction applicable to a Share issued in book-entry form shall be removed with respect to the number of Shares that are no longer subject to such restrictions, terms and conditions.

The Committee shall have the authority (and the Agreement evidencing an award of Restricted Stock may so provide) to cancel all or any portion of any outstanding restrictions prior to the expiration of such restrictions with respect to any or all of the Shares of Restricted Stock awarded to a person hereunder on such terms and conditions as the Committee may deem appropriate, provided that such cancellation does not cause any Shares of Restricted Stock that were awarded as a Performance Award to fail to be qualified performance-based compensation within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.162-27(e).

(c)    Unless otherwise provided by the Committee in the Agreement pertaining to an award of Restricted Stock, if the a person to whom such Restricted Stock has been awarded ceases to be employed by at least one of the employers in the group of employers consisting of the Company and its Affiliates, for any reason, prior to the satisfaction of any terms and conditions of an award, any Restricted Stock remaining subject to restrictions shall thereupon be forfeited by the person and transferred to, and reacquired by, the Company or an Affiliate at no cost to the Company or the Affiliate; provided, however, if the cessation is due to the person’s death, Disability or Retirement, the Committee may, in its sole and absolute discretion, deem that the terms and conditions have been met for all or part of such remaining portion (except such discretionary authority shall not extend to any Shares of Restricted Stock that were awarded as a Performance Award if such discretion would cause the award to fail to be qualified performance-based compensation within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.162-27(e)). In the event of such forfeiture, the person, or in the event of his death, his





personal representative, shall forthwith deliver to the Secretary of the Company the certificates for the Shares of Restricted Stock remaining subject to such restrictions, accompanied by such instruments of transfer, if any, as may reasonably be required by the Secretary of the Company.

(d)    In case of any consolidation or merger of another corporation into the Company in which the Company is the surviving corporation and in which there is a reclassification or change (including a change to the right to receive cash or other property) of the Shares (other than a change in par value, or from par value to no par value, or as a result of a subdivision or combination, but including any change in such shares into two or more classes or series of shares), to the extent the Committee determines that such is necessary to reflect such corporate action, the Committee shall take such further actions, if any, as it determines to be appropriate to provide that Restricted Stock shall take the form of the kind and amount of shares of stock and other securities (including those of any new direct or indirect parent of the Company), property, cash or any combination thereof receivable upon such consolidation or merger.

Section 15. Performance Awards

(a)    The Options and SARs granted pursuant to the Plan are granted under terms that are designed to provide for the payment of qualified performance-based compensation within the meaning of Treasury Regulation section 1.162-27(e). In addition, at the time of awarding any Restricted Stock award or Cash Award the Committee may, in its sole and absolute discretion, and subject to the limitations on Shares and amounts applicable thereto, designate such award to be a Performance Award that is intended to satisfy the requirements for the payment of qualified performance-based compensation within the meaning of Treasury Regulation section 1.162-27(e) (such requirements the “162(m) Requirements”). The compensation payable under Performance Awards shall be provided or paid solely on account of the attainment of one or more preestablished, objective performance goals during a specified performance period that shall not be shorter than one year, and shall comply with the 162(m) Requirements.

(b)    Each Agreement embodying a Performance Award shall set forth (i) the maximum amount that may be earned thereunder in the form of cash or Shares, as applicable, (ii) the performance goal or goals and level of achievement applicable to such Performance Award, (iii) the performance period over which performance is to be measured, and (iv) such other terms and conditions as the Committee may determine that are not inconsistent with the Plan or the 162(m) Requirements.

(c)    The performance goal or goals for a Performance Award shall be established in writing by the Committee based on one or more performance goals as set forth in this Section 15 not later than 90 days after commencement of the performance period with respect to such award, provided that the outcome of the performance in respect of the goal or goals remains substantially uncertain as of such time. At the time of the award of a Performance Award, and to the extent permitted under Section 162(m) of the Code and the Treasury regulations and other guidance promulgated thereunder, the Committee may provide for the manner in which the performance goals will be measured in light of specified corporate transactions, extraordinary events, accounting changes and other similar occurrences.
(d)    The performance goal or goals to be used for the purposes of Performance Awards may be described in terms of objectives that are related to the particular eligible employee to whom the award is being made, or objectives that are Company-wide or related to a subsidiary, division, department, region, function or business unit of the Company in which such person is employed or with respect to which such person performs services, and may consist of one or more or any combination of the following criteria: (a) an amount or level of earnings or cash flow, (b) earnings or cash flow per share (whether on a pre-tax, after-tax, operational or other basis), (c) return on equity or assets, (d) return on capital or invested capital and other related financial measures, (e) cash flow or EBITDA, (f) revenues, (g) income, net income or operating income, (h) expenses or costs or expense levels or cost levels (absolute or per unit), (i) proceeds of sale or other disposition, (j) share price, (k) total shareholder return, (l) operating profit, (m) profit margin, (n) capital expenditures, (o) net borrowing, debt leverage levels, credit quality or debt ratings, (p) the accomplishment of mergers, acquisitions, dispositions, or similar business transactions, (q) net asset value per share, (r) economic value added, (s) individual business objectives, (t) growth in reserves or production, (u) finding and development costs, and/or (v) safety results. The performance goals based on these performance measures may be made relative to the performance of peers or other business entities.

(e)    Prior to the payment of any compensation pursuant to a Performance Award, the Committee shall certify in writing that the applicable performance goal or goals and other material terms of the Award have been satisfied. The Committee in its sole and absolute discretion shall have the authority to reduce, but not to increase, the amount payable in cash and the number of Shares to be issued, retained or vested pursuant to a Performance Award.

Section 16. Cash Awards






The Committee may, in its sole and absolute discretion, award Cash Awards to such persons as it shall select from among those persons who are eligible under Section 5 of the Plan to receive Cash Awards. A Cash Award shall provide for the payment of a cash bonus upon the achievement of specified performance goals. A Cash Award may be a Performance Award or an award that is not a Performance Award. The Committee shall specify the terms, conditions, restrictions and limitations that apply to a Cash Award (which need not be identical among the persons to whom such awards are made). Any provision of this Plan to the contrary notwithstanding, the maximum amount that may be paid under all Cash Awards awarded to any one person pursuant to this Plan during any one calendar year shall not exceed $4,000,000. The Committee’s authority and discretion to grant Cash Awards pursuant to this Plan is not intended to and does not replace, modify, limit or otherwise affect the ability of the Company and its Affiliates to pay or make grants of compensation under other programs and arrangements of the Company and its Affiliates, including without limitation the Company’s annual short-term incentive plans.
Section 17. Changes in Company’s Shares and Certain Corporate Transactions; Change in Control

If at any time while the Plan is in effect there shall be any increase or decrease in the number of issued and outstanding Shares of the Company effected without receipt of consideration therefor by the Company, through the declaration of a stock dividend or through any recapitalization or merger or otherwise in which the Company is the surviving corporation, resulting in a stock split-up, combination or exchange of Shares of the Company, then and in each such event:

(a)    An appropriate adjustment shall be made in the maximum number of Shares then subject to being optioned or awarded as Restricted Stock under the Plan, to the end that the same proportion of the Company’s issued and outstanding Shares shall continue to be subject to being so optioned and awarded;

(b)    Appropriate adjustment shall be made in the number of Shares and the option price per Share thereof then subject to purchase pursuant to each Option previously granted and then outstanding, to the end that the same proportion of the Company’s issued and outstanding Shares in each such instance shall remain subject to purchase at the same aggregate option price; and

(c)    In the case of Incentive Options, any such adjustments shall in all respects satisfy the requirements of Section 424(a) of the Code and the Treasury regulations and other guidance promulgated thereunder. In the case of Nonqualified Options, any such adjustments shall in all respects satisfy the requirements applicable to stock rights that are exempt from the application of Section 409A of the Code.

Except as is otherwise expressly provided herein, the issue by the Company of shares of its capital stock of any class, or securities convertible into shares of capital stock of any class, either in connection with a direct sale or upon the exercise of rights or warrants to subscribe therefor, or upon conversion of shares or obligations of the Company convertible into such shares or other securities, shall not affect, and no adjustment by reason thereof shall be made with respect to, the number of or option price of Shares then subject to outstanding Options granted under the Plan. Furthermore, the presence of outstanding Options granted under the Plan shall not affect in any manner the right or power of the Company to make, authorize or consummate (i) any or all adjustments, recapitalizations, reorganizations or other changes in the Company’s capital structure or its business; (ii) any merger or consolidation of the Company; (iii) any issue by the Company of debt securities or preferred stock that would rank above the Shares subject to outstanding Options granted under the Plan; (iv) the dissolution or liquidation of the Company; (v) any sale, transfer or assignment of all or any part of the assets or business of the Company; or (vi) any other corporate act or proceeding, whether of a similar character or otherwise. All adjustments made pursuant to this Section 17 or any other provision of this Plan shall be made in a manner that satisfies the requirements for such adjustments under Sections 409A and 424 of the Code, as applicable, and the Treasury regulations and other guidance promulgated thereunder.

Any provision of the Plan to the contrary notwithstanding, in the event of a Change in Control while an Optionee or other holder of an award made pursuant to the Plan is employed by the Company or an Affiliate, followed by the termination of such Optionee’s or holder’s employment (i) by the Company or its Affiliate, as applicable, for reasons other than a Termination for Cause, or (ii) by such Optionee or holder on account of Good Reason, within the 24-month period following the date of such Change in Control, each such award outstanding under this Plan to such Optionee or holder that was granted on or after April 28, 2015 shall become immediately vested and fully exercisable upon such termination and any restrictions applicable to the award shall lapse as of such date; provided, however, that notwithstanding the preceding, any award that is a Performance Award with performance-based vesting will vest upon such termination of employment according to performance achieved as measured through, the last day of the month immediately proceeding the date of such termination of employment. For purposes of this paragraph, in order to terminate on account of Good Reason, an Optionee or other holder of an award must provide written notice to the Company or its Affiliate, as applicable, of his or her belief that Good Reason exists within 60 days of the initial existence of the Good Reason condition, and that notice must describe in reasonable detail the condition(s) believed to constitute Good Reason. The Company or its Affiliate, as applicable, then shall have 30 days to remedy the Good Reason condition(s). If not





remedied within that 30-day period, the Optionee or other holder may submit a notice of termination to the Company or its Affiliate, as applicable; provided, however, that the notice of termination invoking the option to terminate employment for Good Reason must be given no later than 100 days after the date the Good Reason condition first arose; otherwise, the Optionee or other holder shall be deemed to have accepted the condition(s), or the correction of such condition(s) that may have given rise to the existence of Good Reason.

Section 18. Effective Date

The Plan was originally adopted by the Board on January 28, 1992, and has been amended by the Board and approved by the shareholders of the Company at various times thereafter. The amendment and restatement of the Plan was approved by the Board on February 18, 2015. This amendment and restatement of the Plan will become effective as of April 28, 2015, if it is approved by the shareholders of the Company by at least a majority of votes cast (including abstentions to the extent abstentions are counted as voting under applicable State law) at a duly held meeting of the shareholders of the Company to be held on April 28, 2015 at which a quorum representing a majority of outstanding Shares entitled to vote is, either in person or by proxy, present and voting on the Plan. If this amendment and restatement of the Plan is not so approved at such meeting, then the Noble Energy, Inc. 1992 Stock Option and Restricted Stock Plan as in effect immediately prior to such meeting shall remain in effect.
Section 19. Amendment, Suspension or Termination

The Board may at any time amend, suspend or terminate the Plan; provided, however, that after the shareholders have approved and ratified the Plan in accordance with Section 18 of the Plan, the Board may not, without approval of the shareholders of the Company, amend the Plan so as to (a) increase the maximum number of Shares subject thereto, as specified in Sections 4(a) and 17 of the Plan, (b) reduce the option price for Shares covered by Options granted hereunder below the price specified in Section 8 of the Plan, or (c) permit the “repricing” of Options and any SARs that relate to such new Options, or permit the cancellation of “underwater” Options and any SARs that relate to such Options in return for cash or other consideration, in contravention of Section 13 of the Plan; and provided further, that the Board may not, without the consent of the holder thereof, amend or cancel any outstanding Agreement in a manner that adversely affects the holder thereof in a material way.

Section 20. Requirements of Law

Notwithstanding anything contained herein or in any Agreement to the contrary, the Company shall not be required to sell or issue Shares under any Option or SAR if the issuance thereof would constitute a violation by the Optionee or the Company of any provision of any law or regulation of any governmental authority or any national securities exchange; and as a condition of any sale or issuance of Shares upon exercise of an Option or SAR, the Company may require such agreements or undertakings, if any, as the Company may deem necessary or advisable to assure compliance with any such law or regulation.

Section 21. General

(a)    The proceeds received by the Company from the sale of Shares pursuant to Options shall be used for general corporate purposes.

(b)    Nothing contained in the Plan or in any Agreement shall confer upon any Optionee or recipient of Restricted Stock the right to continue in the employ of the Company or any Affiliate, or interfere in any way with the rights of the Company or any Affiliate to terminate his employment at any time, with or without cause.

(c)    Neither the members of the Board nor any member of the Committee shall be liable for any act, omission or determination taken or made in good faith with respect to the Plan or any Option and any SARs that relate to such Option granted hereunder or any Restricted Stock, Cash Award or Performance Award awarded hereunder; and the members of the Board and the Committee shall be entitled to indemnification and reimbursement by the Company in respect of any claim, loss, damage or expenses (including counsel fees) arising therefrom to the full extent permitted by law and under any directors’ and officers’ liability or similar insurance coverage that may be in effect from time to time.

(d)    Any payment of cash or any issuance or transfer of Shares to an exercising Optionee or permitted transferee, or to his legal representative, heir, legatee or distributee, in accordance with the provisions hereof, shall, to the extent thereof, be in full satisfaction of all claims of such persons hereunder. The Committee may require an exercising Optionee or permitted transferee, legal representative, heir, legatee or distributee, as a condition precedent to such payment, to execute a release and receipt therefor in such form as it shall determine.

(e)    Neither the Committee, the Board nor the Company guarantees the Shares from loss or depreciation.






(f)    All expenses incident to the administration, termination or protection of the Plan, including, but not limited to, legal and accounting fees, shall be paid by the Company or its Affiliates.

(g)    Records of the Company and its Affiliates regarding a person’s period of employment, termination of employment and the reason therefor, leaves of absence, re-employment and other matters shall be conclusive for all purposes hereunder, unless determined by the Committee to be incorrect.

(h)    Any action required of the Company shall be by resolution of its Board or by a person authorized to act by resolution of the Board. Any action required of the Committee shall be by resolution of the Committee or by a person authorized to act by resolution of the Committee.

(i)    If any provision of the Plan or any Agreement is held to be illegal or invalid for any reason, the illegality or invalidity shall not affect the remaining provisions of the Plan or such Agreement, as the case may be, but such provision shall be fully severable and the Plan or such Agreement, as the case may be, shall be construed and enforced as if the illegal or invalid provision had never been included herein or therein.

(j)    Whenever any notice is required or permitted hereunder, such notice must be in writing and personally delivered or sent by mail. Any notice required or permitted to be delivered hereunder shall be deemed to be delivered on the date on which it is personally delivered, or, whether actually received or not, on the third business day after it is deposited in the United States mail, certified or registered, postage prepaid, addressed to the person who is to receive it at the address which such person has theretofore specified by written notice delivered in accordance herewith. The Company, an Optionee or a recipient of Restricted Stock may change, at any time and from time to time, by written notice to the other, the address that it or he had theretofore specified for receiving notices. Until changed in accordance herewith, the Company and each Optionee and recipient of Restricted Stock shall specify as its and his address for receiving notices the address set forth in the Agreement pertaining to the Shares to which such notice relates.

(k)    Any person entitled to notice hereunder may waive such notice.

(l)    The Plan shall be binding upon the Optionee or the recipient of Restricted Stock or a Cash Award, his or her heirs, legatees, distributees, legal representatives and permitted transferees, upon the Company, its successors and assigns, and upon the Committee, and its successors.

(m)    The titles and headings of Sections and paragraphs are included for convenience of reference only and are not to be considered in the construction of the provisions hereof.

(n)    All questions arising with respect to the provisions of the Plan shall be determined by application of the laws of the State of Texas except to the extent Texas law is preempted by Federal law.

(o)    Words used in the masculine shall apply to the feminine where applicable, and wherever the context of the Plan dictates, the plural shall be read as the singular and the singular as the plural.

(p)    The compensation payable by the Company to or with respect to an Optionee or awardee pursuant to this Plan is intended to be compensation that is not subject to the tax imposed by Section 409A of the Code, and the Plan and Agreements shall be administered and construed to the fullest extent possible to reflect and implement such intent; provided, however, that any provision of this Plan or an Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, the Committee, the Company and its Affiliates and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents do not guarantee any particular tax treatment with respect to the compensation payable pursuant to the Plan or an Agreement, and shall not be responsible or liable for any such treatment.

(q)    Except as provided in Section 10, no right or interest of an Optionee or an awardee under any Restricted Stock award, Cash Award or Performance Award may be assigned, transferred or alienated, in whole or in part, either directly or by operation of law (except, with respect to awards other than Incentive Options, pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order within the meaning of Section 414(p) of the Code or a similar domestic relations order under applicable foreign law), and no such right or interest shall be liable for or subject to any debt, obligation or liability of such Optionee or awardee.

(r)    Any provision of this Plan to the contrary notwithstanding, any provision in this Plan setting forth a requirement for delivery of a written notice, agreement, consent, acknowledgement, or other documentation in writing, including a written signature, may be satisfied by electronic delivery of such notice, agreement, consent, acknowledgment,





or other documentation, in a manner that the Committee has prescribed or that is otherwise acceptable to the Committee, provided that evidence of the intended recipient’s receipt of the electronic delivery is available to the Committee and that such delivery is not prohibited by applicable laws and regulations.

Section 22. UK Sub-Plan

Any provision of this Plan to the contrary notwithstanding, the Committee may grant to the employees of the Company or one of its Affiliates whose compensation from the Company or such Affiliate is subject to taxation under the laws of the United Kingdom Options which (i) will terminate one year after the Optionee’s death, (ii) cannot be transferred to a permitted transferee pursuant to the provisions of Section 10, (iii) cannot be exercised using a means of payment other than cash or a certified check or cashier’s check, and (iv) will not be adjusted pursuant to Section 17 without the approval of the Board of Inland Revenue of the United Kingdom.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this amendment and restatement of the Noble Energy, Inc. 1992 Stock Option and Restricted Stock Plan has been executed by the Company on this 30th day of April, 2015, to be effective as provided in Section 18 above.


 
 
NOBLE ENERGY, INC.

 
 
By:
/s/ Andrea Lee Robison
 
 
 
Andrea Lee Robison
 
 
 
Senior Vice President







Exhibit 10.2
2015 STOCK PLAN
FOR NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTORS
OF
NOBLE ENERGY, INC.
RECITALS
A.    The Board of Directors of Noble Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), hereby adopts this 2015 Stock Plan for Non-Employee Directors of Noble Energy, Inc. (the “Plan”). This Plan supersedes and replaces the 2005 Stock Plan for Non-Employee Directors of Noble Energy, Inc. (the “2005 Plan”) that terminates at the close of business on March 31, 2015; provided, however, that awards granted pursuant to the 2005 Plan prior to its termination shall remain in effect in accordance with the provisions of the 2005 Plan.
B.    The purposes of the Plan are to provide to each of the directors of the Company who is not an employee of the Company or one of its affiliates an added incentive to continue in the service of the Company and a more direct interest in the future success of the operations of the Company by granting to such directors (i) options to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock (the “Common Stock”), and (ii) awards of restricted shares of Common Stock, in each case subject to the terms and conditions set forth below.
C.    The Plan will become effective upon the termination of the 2005 Plan at the close of business on March 31, 2015 (the “Effective Date”), but is subject to the approval of the Company’s stockholders as provided in Section 6.05. Any Options and Stock Awards granted after the Effective Date but prior to such stockholder approval shall be contingent upon such approval of the Plan by the Company’s stockholders and shall be null and void if the stockholders of the Company fail to approve this Plan.
ARTICLE I
GENERAL
1.01    Definitions. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, when used in this Plan:
(a)“Affiliate” means any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, association, trust or other organization which, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, the Company.
(b)“Awardee” means, with respect to a Stock Award, the Non-Employee Director to whom the Stock Award has been granted pursuant to the Plan.
(c)“Board of Directors” means the Board of Directors of the Company.
(d)“Common Stock” means the Company’s common stock.
(e)“Company” means Noble Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
(f)“Effective Date” means March 31, 2015.
(g)“Employee” means an individual who, at the time of the performance of his or her services for the Company or one of its Affiliates, is treated by the Company or such Affiliate as an employee for federal income tax purposes.
(h)“Fair Market Value” means, with respect to a share of Common Stock, the closing sales price per share of Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange on the date in question (or, if there was no reported sale on the New York Stock Exchange on such date, then on the last preceding day on which any reported sale occurred on the New York Stock Exchange).





(i)“Holder” means, with respect to an Option, the Non-Employee Director to whom the Option has been granted pursuant to the Plan.
(j)“Non-Employee Director” means an individual who (i) is a member of the Board of Directors by virtue of being elected to the Board of Directors by the stockholders of the Company or by the Board of Directors under applicable corporate law, and (ii) is not an Employee of the Company or one of its Affiliates.
(k)“Option” means an option to purchase shares of Common Stock granted pursuant to Article III of the Plan.
(l)“Permitted Transferee” means, with respect to a Holder, (i) any child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent, grandparent, spouse, former spouse, sibling, niece, nephew, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law or sister-in-law of the Holder, including adoptive relationships, (ii) any person sharing the Holder’s household (other than a tenant or an employee), (iii) a trust in which the Holder and/or persons described in clauses (i) and (ii) above have more than fifty percent of the beneficial interest, (iv) a foundation in which the Holder and/or persons described in clauses (i) and (ii) above control the management of assets, and (v) any other entity in which the Holder and/or persons described in clauses (i) and (ii) above own more than fifty percent of the voting interests.
(m)“Plan” means this 2015 Stock Plan for Non-Employee Directors of Noble Energy, Inc. as in effect from time to time.
(n)“Restricted Period” means, with respect to a Stock Award, the period during which the restrictions, terms and conditions applicable to the shares of Common Stock granted under such Stock Award have not been satisfied.
(o)“Stock Award” means an award of restricted shares of Common Stock granted pursuant to Article IV of the Plan.
(p)“2005 Plan” means the 2005 Stock Plan for Non-Employee Directors of Noble Energy, Inc., as amended.
(q)“Termination for Cause” means the termination by the Company of a Non-Employee Director’s membership on the Board of Directors on account of (i) fraud or intentional misrepresentation, or (ii) embezzlement, misappropriation or conversion of assets or opportunities of the Company or its Affiliates.
1.02    Construction. The titles to the Articles and the headings of the Sections in this Plan are placed herein for convenience of reference only, and shall not be deemed to be material or relevant to the construction or interpretation of the Plan. Terms in masculine, feminine and neuter genders shall be construed to include any other gender, and words in the singular form shall be construed to include the plural form, and vice versa, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
ARTICLE II
ADMINISTRATION
The Plan shall be administered by the Board of Directors. Subject to the express provisions of the Plan, the Board of Directors shall have the authority, in its discretion, to (a) determine which Non-Employee Directors will be granted Options and Stock Awards, (b) determine the number of shares of Common Stock to be made subject to each Option or Stock Award, (c) determine the exercise price for the shares of Common Stock to be made subject to each Option (which exercise price per share shall not be less than the Fair Market Value of such share on the date such Option is granted), (d) determine the period within which each Option may be exercised (which exercise period shall not exceed ten years from the date such Option is granted), (e) determine the restrictions (including forfeiture restrictions), terms and conditions to be applicable to each Option or Stock Award, (f) construe and interpret the provisions of the Plan and any agreement evidencing an Option or Stock Award, (g) amend the agreement evidencing the grant of any Option or Stock Award to accelerate its exercisability or the lapse of its restrictions or otherwise modify the restrictions, terms and conditions applicable to such Option or Stock Award, and (h) adopt such rules and procedures, appoint such agents and take all such other action as the Board of Directors may deem to be necessary or appropriate for the proper administration of the Plan. The decisions of the Board of Directors with respect to the Plan and any Option or Stock





Award shall be final and binding upon the Company, the Holders and Awardees, and all other persons having or claiming to have an interest in the Plan or an Option or Stock Award granted pursuant to the Plan. No member of the Board of Directors shall incur any liability by reason of any action taken or omitted in good faith with respect to the Plan or an Option or Stock Award granted pursuant to the Plan.
ARTICLE III
OPTIONS
3.01    Grant of Options. At any time and from time to time the Board of Directors in its discretion may grant an Option to any Non-Employee Director; provided, however, that the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that may be subject to Options granted to a particular Non-Employee Director during any calendar year shall not exceed 22,400. Each Option granted pursuant to the Plan shall be subject to the restrictions, terms and conditions set forth in Section 3.02 below, and to such other restrictions (including forfeiture restrictions), terms and conditions not inconsistent therewith or with the other provisions of the Plan as shall be determined by the Board of Directors in its discretion at the time of the granting of such Option.
3.02    Option Terms and Agreement. The price at which each share of Common Stock that is subject to an Option may be purchased shall be the Fair Market Value of such share on the date of the grant of such Option. Each Option shall be exercisable from time to time over the period of time commencing one year from the date of the grant of such Option and ending, unless terminated earlier pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.02(a) hereof, upon the expiration date specified for such Option by the Board of Directors at the time of the grant of such Option; provided, however, that each Option granted to a Holder shall become exercisable in full in accordance with the provisions of Section 3.02(a)(ii) hereof. Each Option granted under the Plan shall be evidenced by a written agreement entered into by the Company and the Non-Employee Director to whom the Option is granted, which agreement shall be in such form as the Board of Directors may prescribe, and shall include, incorporate or conform to the following terms and conditions, and such other terms and conditions not inconsistent therewith or with the other provisions of the Plan, as the Board of Directors may deem to be appropriate:
(a)    Termination of Service, Death, Etc. The agreement evidencing the grant of an Option shall provide as follows with respect to the exercise of such Option in the event that the Holder ceases to be a Non-Employee Director for the reasons set forth below:
(i)     If the Holder experiences a Termination for Cause, then the Option shall automatically terminate and be of no further force or effect as of the date the Holder’s directorship terminated;
(ii)     If the Holder dies or becomes disabled (within the meaning of section 22(e)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, as determined by the Board of Directors in its discretion) while a director of the Company, or retires as a regular director of the Company because of age in accordance with the mandatory retirement provisions of Article III of the By-laws of the Company, the Option shall become exercisable in full and may be exercised prior to the earlier of (A) the expiration of five years after such death or disability, or (B) the expiration of the exercise period applicable to such Option, but not thereafter, by the executor or administrator of the estate of the Holder, or by the person or persons who shall have acquired the Option by bequest or inheritance or permitted transfer; or
(iii)    If the directorship of a Holder is terminated within the exercise period applicable to such Option for any reason other than a reason specified in paragraphs (i) and (ii) of this Section 3.02(a), such Option may be exercised, to the extent the Holder was able to do so at the date of termination of the directorship, prior





to the earlier of (A) the expiration of five years after such termination, or (B) the expiration of the exercise period applicable to such Option, but not thereafter.
(b)    Transferability. Except as provided in this Section, no Option granted under the Plan shall be (i) transferable otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and distribution, or (ii) exercisable during the lifetime of the Holder by anyone other than the Holder. An Option granted under the Plan to a Holder may be transferred by such Holder to a Permitted Transferee, provided that (i) there is no consideration for such transfer (other than receipt by the Holder of interests in an entity that is a Permitted Transferee); (ii) the Holder (or such Holder’s estate or representative) shall remain obligated to satisfy all income or other tax withholding obligations associated with the exercise of such Option; (iii) the Holder shall notify the Company in writing that such transfer has occurred and disclose to the Company the name and address of the Permitted Transferee and the relationship of the Permitted Transferee to the Holder; and (iv) such transfer shall be effected pursuant to transfer documents in a form approved by the Board of Directors. A Permitted Transferee may not further assign or transfer any such transferred Option otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and distribution. Following the transfer of an Option to a Permitted Transferee, such Option shall continue to be subject to the same terms and conditions that applied to it prior to its transfer by the Holder, except that it shall be exercisable by the Permitted Transferee to whom such transfer was made rather than by the transferring Holder.
(c)    Agreement to Continue in Service. Each Holder shall agree to remain in the continuous service of the Company, at the pleasure of the Company’s stockholders, at least until the earlier of one year after the date of the grant of any Option or the mandatory retirement of the Holder as a regular director because of age in accordance with Article III of the By-laws of the Company, at the retainer rate and fee schedule then in effect or at such changed rate or schedule as the Company from time to time may establish.
(d)    Exercise and Payments. Each agreement evidencing the grant of an Option shall provide that such Option may be exercised by delivery to the President of the Company of, or by sending by United States registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the Company (for the attention of its President), a written notice signed by Holder specifying the number of shares of Common Stock with respect to which such Option is being exercised. Such notice shall be accompanied by the full amount of the exercise price of such shares. Any such notice shall be deemed to be given on the date on which the same was deposited in a regularly maintained receptacle for the deposit of United States mail, addressed and sent as above-stated. In addition to the foregoing, promptly after demand by the Company, the exercising Holder shall pay to the Company an amount equal to any applicable withholding taxes due in connection with such exercise. The foregoing provisions of this paragraph to the contrary notwithstanding, at the request of an exercising Holder or Permitted Transferee and to the extent permitted by applicable law, the Company shall approve arrangements with a brokerage firm or firms under which any such brokerage firm shall, on behalf of the exercising Holder or Permitted Transferee, make payment in full to the Company of the exercise price of the shares of Common Stock then being purchased, and the Company, pursuant to an irrevocable notice in writing from the exercising Holder or Permitted Transferee, shall make prompt delivery of one or more certificates for the appropriate number of shares of Common Stock to such brokerage firm. Payment in full for purposes of the immediately preceding sentence shall mean payment of the full amount due, either in cash or by certified check or cashier’s check.





ARTICLE IV
STOCK AWARDS
4.01    Grant of Stock Awards. At any time and from time to time the Board of Directors may grant a Stock Award to any Non-Employee Director; provided, however, that the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that may be subject to Stock Awards granted to a particular Non-Employee Director during any calendar year shall not exceed 9,600. Each Stock Award granted pursuant to the Plan shall be subject to the restrictions, terms and conditions set forth in Sections 4.02 and 4.03 below, and to such other restrictions (including forfeiture restrictions), terms and conditions not inconsistent therewith or with the other provisions of the Plan as shall be determined by the Board of Directors in its discretion at the time of the granting of such Stock Award.
4.02    Stock Award Restrictions. The shares of Common Stock granted under each Stock Award shall be restricted for a period of at least one year from the date of the grant of such Stock Award. No share of Common Stock granted under a Stock Award may be sold, assigned, transferred, discounted, exchanged, pledged or otherwise encumbered or disposed of until all of the restrictions, terms and conditions applicable to such shares have been satisfied. Each Stock Award granted under the Plan shall be evidenced by a written agreement entered into by the Company and the Non-Employee Director to whom the Stock Award is granted, which agreement shall be in such form as the Board of Directors may prescribe, and shall include, incorporate or conform to the following terms and conditions, and such other terms and conditions not inconsistent therewith or with the other provisions of the Plan, as the Board of Directors may deem to be appropriate:
(a)    Termination of Service, Death, Etc. Each agreement evidencing a Stock Award shall provide as follows in the event that during the Restricted Period applicable to such Stock Award the Awardee thereof ceases to be a Non-Employee Director for the reasons described below:
(i)     If the Awardee experiences a Termination for Cause, then all of the shares of Common Stock granted under such Stock Award shall be forfeited by the Awardee to the Company, and shall be transferred to the Company by the Awardee.
(ii)    If the Awardee dies or becomes disabled (within the meaning of section 22(e)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, as determined by the Board of Directors in its discretion) while a director of the Company, or retires as a regular director of the Company because of age in accordance with the mandatory retirement provisions of Article III of the By-laws of the Company, all restrictions, terms and conditions applicable to the shares of Common Stock granted under such Stock Award shall terminate, and such shares shall be delivered to the Awardee (or in the event of the Awardee’s death, to the Awardee’s estate) free of such restrictions, terms and conditions.
4.03    Additional Conditions. An Awardee shall be the record owner of the shares of Common Stock granted under a Stock Award and shall have all the rights of a stockholder with respect to such shares, including the right to vote and the right to receive dividends or other distributions made or paid with respect to such shares. During the Restricted Period applicable to the shares of Common Stock granted under a Stock Award, the certificate or certificates representing such shares shall bear a legend similar to the following:
The shares represented by this certificate have been issued pursuant to the terms of the 2015 Stock Plan for Non-Employee Directors of Noble Energy, Inc., and may not be sold, assigned, transferred, discounted, exchanged, pledged





or otherwise encumbered or disposed of in any manner except as set forth in the terms of the agreement embodying the award of such shares dated ____________________, ______.
In order to enforce the restrictions, terms and conditions that are applicable to the shares of Common Stock granted under a Stock Award, the Board of Directors may require the Awardee thereof, upon the receipt of a certificate or certificates representing such shares, or at any time thereafter during the Restricted Period applicable to such Stock Award, to deposit such certificate or certificates, together with stock powers and other instruments of transfer, appropriately endorsed in blank, with the Company or an escrow agent designated by the Company under an escrow agreement in such form as by the Board of Directors shall prescribe. After the satisfaction of the restrictions, terms and conditions applicable to such shares, a new certificate, without the legend set forth above, for the number of shares that are no longer subject to such restrictions, terms and conditions shall be delivered to the Awardee. Any provision of this Plan to the contrary notwithstanding, the Board of Directors shall have the authority in its discretion to cancel at any time all or any portion of any outstanding restrictions, terms and conditions applicable to all or any portion of the shares of Common Stock granted under a Stock Award.
ARTICLE V
AUTHORIZED COMMON STOCK
5.01    Common Stock.
(a)    Subject to adjustment from and after the Effective Date in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.02 hereof, the total number of shares of Common Stock as to which Options and Stock Awards may be granted pursuant to the Plan shall be (i) the number of shares of Common Stock remaining available for grants of “Options” and “Stock Awards” under the 2005 Plan immediately prior to its termination at the close of business on March 31, 2015, plus (ii) the number of shares of Common Stock allocable to the unexercised portion of any “Options” granted under the 2005 Plan that expire or terminate for any reason after the Effective Date.
(b)    If any outstanding Option under the Plan shall expire or be terminated for any reason before the end of the exercise period applicable to such Option, the shares of Common Stock allocable to the unexercised portion of such Option may again be subject to the Plan. The Company shall, at all times during the existence of outstanding Options, retain as authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock at least the number of shares from time to time subject to the outstanding Options or otherwise assure itself of its ability to perform its obligation under the Plan.
(c)    Shares of Common Stock repurchased by the Company using Option proceeds shall not be added to the number of shares of Common Stock available for grants of Options or Stock Awards under the Plan. Except as provided above in subsections (a) and (b) of this Section 5.01 with respect to shares of Common Stock allocable to the unexercised portion of an outstanding Option granted under this Plan or an “Option” granted under the 2005 Plan that expires or is terminated for any reason before the end of the exercise period applicable thereto, no other shares of Common Stock shall be added back to the total number of shares of Common Stock as to which Options and Stock Awards may be granted pursuant to this Plan, and no other share recycling shall be permitted.
5.02    Adjustments Upon Changes in Common Stock. In the event the Company shall effect a split of the outstanding shares of Common Stock or pay a dividend in shares of Common Stock, or in the event the outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be combined into a smaller number of shares, (a) the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that may be subject to Options or Stock Awards granted to a particular Non-Employee Director during any calendar year pursuant to the provisions of





Section 3.01 or 4.01 hereof, and (b) the maximum number of shares of Common Stock as to which Options and Stock Awards may be granted under the Plan as provided in Section 5.01 hereof, shall be increased or decreased proportionately. In the event that before delivery by the Company of all of the shares of Common Stock in respect of which any Option has been granted under the Plan, the Company shall have effected such a split, dividend or combination, the shares still subject to the Option shall be increased or decreased proportionately and the purchase price per share shall be increased or decreased proportionately so that the aggregate purchase price for all of the then optioned shares shall remain the same as immediately prior to such split, dividend or combination. In the event of a reclassification of the shares of Common Stock not covered by the foregoing, or in the event of a liquidation or reorganization, including a merger, consolidation or sale of assets, the Board of Directors of the Company shall make such adjustments, if any, as it may deem appropriate in the number, purchase price and kind of shares covered by the unexercised portions of Options theretofore granted under the Plan. The provisions of this Section 5.02 shall only be applicable if, and only to the extent that, the application thereof does not conflict with any valid governmental statute, regulation or rule.
ARTICLE VI
GENERAL PROVISIONS
6.01    Change in Control. In the event of a Change in Control while a Holder of an outstanding Option is a member of the Board of Directors, followed by the involuntary termination of such Holder’s membership on the Board of Directors, including a failure to re-nominate such Holder for election to the Board of Directors, for reasons other than a Termination for Cause within the 24-month period following the date of such Change in Control, such Option shall become exercisable in full. In the event of a Change in Control during the Restricted Period applicable to a Stock Award while the associated Awardee is a member of the Board of Directors, followed by the involuntary termination of such Awardee’s membership on the Board of Directors, including a failure to re-nominate such Awardee for election to the Board of Directors, for reasons other than a Termination for Cause within the 24-month period following the date of such Change in Control, all of the restrictions, terms and conditions applicable to the shares of Common Stock granted under such Stock Award shall terminate, and such shares shall be delivered to the Awardee of such Stock Award free of such restrictions, terms and conditions. For the purposes of this Plan, a “Change in Control” shall be deemed to have occurred if:
(a)    individuals who, as of the Effective Date, constitute the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Incumbent Board”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board of Directors of the Company, provided that any person becoming a director subsequent to the Effective Date whose election, or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then comprising the Incumbent Board shall be, for purposes of this Plan, considered as though such person were a member of the Incumbent Board;
(b)    consummation of a reorganization, merger or consolidation, in each case, with respect to which persons who were the stockholders of the Company immediately prior to such reorganization, merger or consolidation do not, immediately thereafter, own outstanding voting securities representing at least fifty-one percent (51%) of the combined voting power entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (“Voting Securities”) of the reorganized, merged or consolidated company;
(c)    the stockholders of the Company shall approve a liquidation or dissolution of the Company or a sale of all or substantially all of the stock or assets of the Company; or
(d)    any “person,” as that term is defined in Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) (other than the Company, any of its subsidiaries, any employee benefit plan of the Company





or any of its subsidiaries, or any entity organized, appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of such a plan), together with all “affiliates” and “associates” (as such terms are defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act) of such person (as well as any “Person” or “group” as those terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act), shall become the “beneficial owner” or “beneficial owners” (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing in the aggregate twenty-five percent (25%) or more of either (i) the then outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (ii) the Voting Securities of the Company, in either such case other than solely as a result of acquisitions of such securities directly from the Company. Without limiting the foregoing, a person who, directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise has or shares the power to vote, or to direct the voting of, or to dispose, or to direct the disposition of, Common Stock or other Voting Securities of the Company shall be deemed the beneficial owner of such Common Stock or Voting Securities.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, a “Change in Control” of the Company shall not be deemed to have occurred for purposes of subparagraph (d) of this Section 6.01 solely as the result of an acquisition of securities by the Company which, by reducing the number of shares of Common Stock or other Voting Securities of the Company outstanding, increases (i) the proportionate number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by any person to twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding or (ii) the proportionate voting power represented by the Voting Securities of the Company beneficially owned by any person to twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the combined voting power of all then outstanding Voting Securities; provided, however, that if any person referred to in clause (i) or (ii) of this sentence shall thereafter become the beneficial owner of any additional shares of Common Stock or other Voting Securities of the Company (other than a result of a stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction), then a Change in Control of the Company shall be deemed to have occurred for purposes of subparagraph (d) of this Section 6.01.
6.02    Termination of the Plan. The Board of Directors shall have the right and power to terminate this Plan at any time. If not sooner terminated by such action of the Board of Directors, the Plan shall terminate at the close of business on March 31, 2025. No Option or Stock Award shall be granted under the Plan after its termination. Except as otherwise provided in Section 6.05 hereof, after the termination of the Plan an Option or Stock Award that has been granted prior to such termination shall remain in effect in accordance with the provisions of the agreement evidencing such Option or Stock Award.
6.03    Amendment of the Plan. Subject to the limitations set forth in this Section 6.03, the Board of Directors may at any time and from time to time amend, modify or suspend the Plan. No such amendment, modification or suspension shall (a) adversely affect an Option or Stock Award theretofore granted to any Holder or Awardee, or deprive any Holder or Awardee of any shares of Common Stock he or she has acquired or may acquire under such an Option or Stock Award, without his or her written consent, or (b) be made without the approval of the stockholders of the Company if such amendment, modification or suspension would (i) expand the types of grants or awards that may be made under the Plan, (ii) increase the total number of shares of Common Stock that may be granted under the Plan or decrease the exercise price of Options granted or to be granted under the Plan (other than as provided in Section 5.02 hereof), (iii) materially expand the class of persons eligible to be granted Options or Stock Awards under the Plan, (iv) materially increase the benefits accruing to Holders or Awardees under the Plan, (v) extend the term of the Plan or the exercise period applicable to an Option, or (vi) constitute a material revision of the Plan requiring stockholder approval under the New York Stock Exchange Corporate Governance Listing Standards or applicable law.
6.04    Treatment of Proceeds. Proceeds from the sales of Common Stock pursuant to the exercise of Options shall constitute general funds of the Company.





6.05    Effectiveness. This Plan shall become effective as of the close of business on March 31, 2015 provided that the Plan is approved by the stockholders of the Company at their 2015 regular meeting to be held on April 28, 2015. If the Plan is not so approved by the stockholders of the Company, the Plan will terminate and any Options and Stock Awards granted hereunder will be null and void.
6.06    Electronic Notice. Any provision of this Plan or an agreement evidencing an Option or Stock Award to the contrary notwithstanding, any provision in this Plan or in an agreement evidencing the grant of an Option or Stock Award setting forth a requirement for delivery of a written notice, agreement, consent, acknowledgment, or other documentation in writing, including a written signature, may be satisfied by electronic delivery of such notice, agreement, consent, acknowledgment, or other documentation, in a manner that the Board of Directors has prescribed or that is otherwise acceptable to the Board of Directors, provided that evidence of the intended recipient’s receipt of the electronic delivery is available to the Board of Directors and that such delivery is not prohibited by applicable laws and regulations.
6.07    Internal Revenue Code Section 409A. The compensation payable by the Company to or with respect to a Holder or an Awardee pursuant to this Plan is intended to be compensation that is not subject to the tax imposed by Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the Plan and the agreements evidencing the Options and Stock Awards shall be administered and construed to the fullest extent possible to reflect and implement such intent; provided, however, that any provision of this Plan or an agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company and its Affiliates and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents do not guarantee any particular tax treatment with respect to the compensation payable pursuant to the Plan or an agreement, and shall not be responsible or liable for any such treatment.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Plan on this 30th day of April, 2015.


 
 
NOBLE ENERGY, INC.

 
 
By:
/s/ Andrea Lee Robison
 
 
 
Andrea Lee Robison
 
 
 
Senior Vice President








Exhibit 12.1
Noble Energy, Inc.
Calculation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges
 
 
Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
Year Ended December 31,
 
 
2015
 
2014
 
2013
 
2012
 
2011
(millions)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Income (Loss) From Continuing Operations Before Income Tax and Income From Equity Investees
 
$
(60
)
 
$
1,540

 
$
1,138

 
$
1,170

 
$
309

Add (Deduct)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Fixed Charges
 
100

 
349

 
296

 
288

 
207

Capitalized Interest
 
(36
)
 
(116
)
 
(121
)
 
(151
)
 
(132
)
Distributed Income From Equity Investees
 
4

 
382

 
204

 
204

 
225

Earnings as Defined
 
$
8

 
$
2,155

 
$
1,517

 
$
1,511

 
$
609

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Net Interest Expense
 
57

 
210

 
158

 
125

 
65

Capitalized Interest
 
36

 
116

 
121

 
151

 
132

Interest Portion of Rental Expense
 
7

 
23

 
17

 
12

 
10

Fixed Charges as Defined
 
$
100

 
$
349

 
$
296

 
$
288

 
$
207

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges
 
0.1

 
6.2

 
5.1

 
5.2

 
2.9

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Amount by Which Earnings Were Insufficient to Cover Fixed Charges
 
$
92

 
$

 
$

 
$

 
$








Exhibit 31.1
Certification Pursuant to
Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
(18 U.S.C. Section 7241)
I, David L. Stover, certify that:
1.
I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of Noble Energy, Inc.;
2.
Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;
3.
Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;
4.
The registrant’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:
a)Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;
b)Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;
c)Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and
d)Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and
5.
The registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):
a)All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting, which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and
b)Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.
Date:
May 5, 2015
 
 
 
 
 
/s/ David L. Stover
 
David L. Stover
 
Chief Executive Officer
 







Exhibit 31.2
Certification Pursuant to
Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
(18 U.S.C. Section 7241)
I, Kenneth M. Fisher, certify that:
1.
I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of Noble Energy, Inc.;
2.
Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;
3.
Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;
4.
The registrant’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:
a)Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;
b)Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;
c)Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and
d)Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and
5.
The registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):
a)All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting, which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and
b)Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.
Date:
May 5, 2015
 
 
 
 
 
/s/ Kenneth M. Fisher
 
Kenneth M. Fisher
 
Chief Financial Officer
 







Exhibit 32.1
Certification Pursuant to
Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
(18 U.S.C. Section 1350)
In connection with the accompanying Quarterly Report of Noble Energy, Inc. (the “Company”) on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2015 (the “Report”), I, David L. Stover, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, hereby certify that to my knowledge:
(1)
The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78m or 78o(d)); and
(2)
The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.
Date:
May 5, 2015
 
/s/ David L. Stover
 
 
 
David L. Stover
 
 
 
Chief Executive Officer







Exhibit 32.2
Certification Pursuant to
Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
(18 U.S.C. Section 1350)
In connection with the accompanying Quarterly Report of Noble Energy, Inc. (the “Company”) on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2015 (the “Report”), I, Kenneth M. Fisher, Chief Financial Officer of the Company, hereby certify that to my knowledge:
(1)
The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78m or 78o(d)); and
(2)
The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.
Date:
May 5, 2015
 
/s/ Kenneth M. Fisher
 
 
 
Kenneth M. Fisher
 
 
 
Chief Financial Officer



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