--12-31 false 0001831481 0001831481 2024-02-14 2024-02-14 0001831481 us-gaap:WarrantMember 2024-02-14 2024-02-14 0001831481 us-gaap:CommonStockMember 2024-02-14 2024-02-14

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR SECTION 15(D)

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): February 14, 2024

 

 

Sable Offshore Corp.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   001-40111   85-3514078

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

  (Commission
File Number)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

700 Milam Street, Suite 3300

Houston, Texas 77002

(713) 579-6106

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

Flame Acquisition Corp.

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation to the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of each class

 

Trading
Symbols

 

Name of each exchange
on which registered

Common stock, par value $0.0001 per share   SOC   The New York Stock Exchange
Warrants, each whole warrant exercisable for one share of common stock at an exercise price of $11.50 per share   SOC.WS   The New York Stock Exchange

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

Emerging growth company 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. 

 

 

 


INTRODUCTORY NOTE

Unless the context otherwise requires, “we,” “us,” “our,” “Sable” and the “Company” refer to Sable Offshore Corp., a Delaware corporation (f/k/a Flame Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation), and its consolidated subsidiaries following the Closing (as defined below). Unless the context otherwise requires, references to “Flame” refer to Flame Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation, prior to the Closing. All references herein to the “Board” refer to the board of directors of the Company.

Terms used in this Current Report on Form 8-K (this “Report”) but not defined herein, or for which definitions are not otherwise incorporated by reference herein, shall have the meaning given to such terms in the Proxy Statement (as defined below) in the section entitled “Frequently Used Terms” beginning on page 1 thereof, the section entitled “Glossary” beginning on page 8 thereof or elsewhere in the Proxy Statement, and such definitions are incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 1.01.

Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

Business Combination

As disclosed under the section entitled “Proposal No. 1—The Business Combination Proposal” beginning on page 134 of the proxy statement (the “Proxy Statement”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) by Flame on January 31, 2024, Flame entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”), dated as of November 2, 2022 (as amended on December 22, 2022 and June 30, 2023), with Sable Offshore Corp., a Texas corporation (“SOC”), and Sable Offshore Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and parent company of SOC (“Holdco” and together with SOC, “Legacy Sable”). Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, on February 14, 2024, (i) Holdco merged with and into Flame, with Flame surviving such merger (the “Holdco Merger”) and (ii) SOC merged with and into Flame, with Flame surviving such merger (the “SOC Merger” and, together with the Holdco Merger, the “Mergers” and, along with the other transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, the “Business Combination”). In connection with the Business Combination, Flame changed its name to “Sable Offshore Corp.”

Special Meeting and Closing of the Transactions

On February 12, 2024, Flame held a special meeting of stockholders (the “Special Meeting”), at which the Flame stockholders considered and adopted, among other matters, a proposal to approve the Business Combination, including (a) adopting the Merger Agreement and (b) approving the other transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement.

Pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement, following the Special Meeting, on February 14, 2024 (the “Closing Date”), the Business Combination was consummated (the “Closing”).

Item 2.01 of this Report discusses the consummation of the Business Combination and the entry into agreements relating thereto and is incorporated herein by reference.

PIPE Subscription Agreements

As previously disclosed on November 2, 2022, July 21, 2023, July 27, 2023, August 3, 2023, December 18, 2023 and January 16, 2024, in connection with the Business Combination, Holdco and Flame entered into subscription agreements (collectively, as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified, the “Initial PIPE Subscription Agreements”) with certain investors (the “PIPE Investors”) for an aggregate commitment amount of $520,000,000 (the “Initial PIPE Investments”), pursuant to which such investors agreed to purchase an aggregate of 52,000,000 shares of common stock of the Company, par value of $0.0001 per share (“Common Stock”), at a price of $10.00 per share upon the consummation of the Business Combination.

On February 12, 2024, following the Special Meeting, a PIPE Investor that subscribed for $125,000,000 of the Initial PIPE Investment informed the Company that it would not be able to fund that subscribed amount by the Closing due to difficulties it is experiencing related to receiving called capital from certain of its foreign investors. The inability of that PIPE Investor to fund its commitment did not relieve the obligations of the other PIPE Investors to fund their commitments in connection with the Closing.

On February 12, 2024 and February 13, 2024, the Company entered into subscription agreements (collectively, the “Additional PIPE Subscription Agreements” and, together with the Initial PIPE Subscription Agreements, the “PIPE Subscription Agreements”) (including an additional $25,000,000 commitment from James C. Flores, our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer) on substantially the same terms as those contained in the Initial PIPE Subscription Agreements to replace, in the aggregate, $55,000,000 of the amount previously committed by the PIPE Investor described above (the “Additional PIPE Investments” and, together with the Initial PIPE Investments, the “PIPE Investments”).

The Company will continue to seek additional investments, to be funded shortly after the Closing, to provide additional liquidity following the Closing. The Company may not be able to obtain additional funds to account for such shortfall on favorable terms or at all, and any financing shortfall would reduce the amount of funds that the Company has available following the Closing.

On February 14, 2024, immediately following the Closing, the Company issued 44,024,910 shares of Common Stock of the Company, at a price of $10.00 per share for an aggregate PIPE Investment of $440,249,100 in accordance with the terms of the PIPE Subscription Agreements. The shares of Common Stock issued in the PIPE Investments were offered in a private placement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), pursuant to the PIPE Subscription Agreements.

Working Capital Loans

On the Closing Date, in connection with the consummation of the Business Combination, the Company issued an aggregate of 3,306,370 private placement warrants pursuant to the Working Capital Loans (as defined in the Proxy Statement) (the “Working Capital Loan Issuance”) to James C. Flores, Gregory Patrinely, J. Caldwell Flores and Anthony Duenner after each of them elected, at each of their option, to convert their respective outstanding amounts into private placement warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant. The above description of the Working Capital Loans does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of each Working Capital Loan, copies of which are filed as Exhibit 10.17, 10.18, 10.19, 10.20, 10.21, 10.23, 10.24, 10.25 and 10.26 hereto and incorporated herein by reference.


Registration Rights Agreement

On the Closing Date, in connection with the consummation of the Business Combination and as contemplated by the Merger Agreement, the holders of the limited liability company interests in Holdco designated as Holdco Class A shares entered into that certain Registration Rights Agreement (the “Registration Rights Agreement”). The material terms of the Registration Rights Agreement are described in the section of the Proxy Statement beginning on page 164 titled “Related Agreements—Registration Rights Agreement.” Such description is qualified in its entirety by the text of the Registration Rights Agreement, which is included as Exhibit 10.31 to this Report and is incorporated herein by reference.

Sable-EM Purchase Agreement and Term Loan Agreement

As previously disclosed in the section of the Proxy Statement beginning on page 146 titled “Related Agreements—Sable-EM Purchase Agreement,” SOC entered into a Purchase and Sale Agreement (the “Sable-EM Purchase Agreement”) on November 1, 2022 (as amended on June 13, 2023 and December 15, 2023) with Exxon Mobil Corporation (“Exxon”) and Mobil Pacific Pipeline Company (“MPPC,” and together with Exxon, “EM”) pursuant to which SOC agreed to acquire from EM certain assets constituting the Santa Ynez field in Federal waters offshore California and associated onshore processing and pipeline assets (such “Assets,” as defined in the Sable-EM Purchase Agreement, the “SYU Assets”).

Pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Sable-EM Purchase Agreement, the transactions contemplated by the Sable-EM Purchase Agreement were consummated on February 14, 2024 (the “Sable-EM Closing Date”) immediately after the Closing, as a result of which the Company purchased the SYU Assets, effective as of January 1, 2022, at 12:00:01 a.m. (Houston time).

On the Sable-EM Closing Date, in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Sable-EM Purchase Agreement, the Company entered into a five-year secured term loan with Exxon (the “Term Loan Agreement”), pursuant to which SOC agreed to pay to Exxon, on or before the payment due date, $622,886,982.

The Term Loan Agreement, among other things:

 

   

provides for a $606,250,000 term loan before certain specified purchase price adjustments;

 

   

will bear interest at ten percent (10.0%) per annum (computed on a 360-day year);

 

   

provides that, unless the Company elects in writing prior to an applicable interest payment date to pay accrued but unpaid interest in cash, all such accrued and unpaid interest will be compounded annually on January 1st of each year by adding the relevant amount to the then outstanding principal amount of the term loan;

 

   

will mature on the earliest to occur of (i) January 1, 2027, (ii) ninety days after “Restart Production” (i.e., one hundred eighty (180) days after resumption of actual production from the wells) under the Sable-EM Purchase Agreement or (iii) acceleration of the term loan in accordance with the terms of the Term Loan Agreement;

 

   

provides for obligations that will be guaranteed by all subsidiaries of the Company, and secured by substantially all of the assets of the Company and such subsidiaries, which include certain oil and gas property and other related oil and gas assets conveyed to the Company under the Sable-EM Purchase Agreement, all of the equity interests in the subsidiaries of the Company, including Pacific Offshore Pipeline Company, a California corporation, and Pacific Pipeline Company, a Delaware corporation, the 901/903 Pipeline and the other 901/903 Assets (each as defined in the Sable-EM Purchase Agreement), as well as other specified assets (subject to certain limited exclusions) (collectively, “Collateral”);

 

2


   

requires the Company to make mandatory prepayments of the term loan, subject to certain exceptions and reinvestment rights, with (i) 100% of the net cash proceeds upon certain non-permitted dispositions of property by the Company or any guarantor that results in net cash proceeds exceeding $1 million, (ii) 100% of the net cash proceeds upon receipt of insurance proceeds following a loss, casualty, or damage to or final taking or condemnation of any property of the Company or any guarantor, where such proceeds are in excess of $1 million and (iii) 100% of the net proceeds from the incurrence or issuance of any non-permitted debt by the Company or any guarantor;

 

   

permits the Company to voluntarily prepay the term loan (in whole or in part) without premium or penalty, subject to certain specific requirements, provided that amounts repaid or prepaid under the Term Loan Agreement may not be reborrowed;

 

   

provides that upon the exercise by EM of the Reassignment Option (as defined in the Sable-EM Purchase Agreement) under the Sable-EM Purchase Agreement and the consummation thereof in accordance with the Sable-EM Purchase Agreement, the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the term loan (including interest added thereto) and all accrued but unpaid interest thereon will be deemed to be repaid in full;

 

   

contains a number of negative covenants that, among other things, restrict, subject to certain exceptions and/or qualifications, the ability of the Company and its subsidiaries to (i) engage in mergers, consolidations, liquidations, or dissolutions, (ii) create or incur debt or liens, (iii) pay dividends, distributions, management fees or certain other restricted payments, (iv) make investments, acquisitions, loans, or purchase oil and gas properties, (v) sell, assign, farm-out or dispose of properties, (vi) enter into certain transactions with affiliates, (vii) enter into certain burdensome agreements, (viii) prepay certain subordinated debt, (ix) amend their organizational documents and material contracts and (x) change the nature of its business;

 

   

contains certain specified representations and warranties (subject to certain knowledge qualifiers or materiality qualifiers), affirmative covenants, and events of default (including a change of control); and

 

   

provides that during the continuance of an event of default, Exxon may exercise all remedies available under the financing documents or applicable law or equity, including, among other things, accelerating the term loan and foreclosing or otherwise causing the sale of Collateral (including cash and any other assets not acquired pursuant to the Sable-EM Purchase Agreement, subject to limited exceptions) or imposing default interest in certain cases.

The above descriptions of the Sable-EM Purchase Agreement and the Term Loan Agreement are qualified in their entirety by the text of the Sable-EM Purchase Agreement and the Term Loan Agreement, respectively, which are included as Exhibits 10.27 and 10.1, respectively, to this Report and are incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 2.01.

Completion of Acquisition or Disposition of Assets.

As described in Item 1.01 above, on February 12, 2024, Flame held the Special Meeting, at which the Flame stockholders considered and adopted, among other matters, a proposal to approve the Merger Agreement and the Business Combination. On February 14, 2024, the parties consummated the Business Combination. In connection with the Closing, the Company changed its name from Flame Acquisition Corp. to Sable Offshore Corp.

In connection with the Special Meeting, holders of 150,823 shares of Flame’s Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Flame Class A Common Stock”), sold in its initial public offering (the “Initial Shares”) properly exercised their right to have such shares redeemed for a full pro rata portion of the trust account holding the proceeds from Flame’s initial public offering, calculated as of two business days prior to the consummation of the Business Combination, which was approximately $10.44 per share, or approximately $1.6 million in the aggregate.

As a result of the Business Combination, the limited liability company interests in Holdco designated as Holdco Class A shares were converted into the right to receive 3,000,000 shares of Common Stock.

As described in Item 1.01 above, on February 14, 2024, pursuant to the PIPE Subscription Agreements, the Company issued and sold to the PIPE Investors an aggregate of 44,024,910 shares of Common Stock.

 

3


After giving effect to the Business Combination and the redemption of Initial Shares as described above, there are currently 60,166,269 shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding.

The Common Stock and warrants will commence trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) under the symbols “SOC” and “SOC.WS,” respectively, on February 15, 2024, subject to ongoing review of the Company’s satisfaction of all listing criteria following the Business Combination.

As noted above, an aggregate of approximately $1.6 million was paid from the Company’s trust account to holders that properly exercised their right to have Initial Shares redeemed in conjunction with the Business Combination, and the remaining balance immediately prior to the Closing of approximately $62.3 million remained in the trust account. The remaining amount in the trust account was released to the Company.

 

4


FORM 10 INFORMATION

Item 2.01(f) of Form 8-K states that if the registrant was a shell company, as the Company was immediately before the Business Combination, then the registrant must disclose the information that would be required if the registrant were filing a general form for registration of securities on Form 10. As a result of the consummation of the Business Combination, and as discussed below in Item 5.06 of this Report, the Company has ceased to be a shell company. Accordingly, the Company is providing below the information that would be included on Form 10 if it were to file a Form 10. Please note that the information provided below relates to the combined company after the consummation of the Business Combination, unless otherwise specifically indicated or the context otherwise requires.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This Report includes statements that express the Company’s opinions, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or projections regarding future events or future results and therefore are, or may be deemed to be, “forward-looking statements.” These forward-looking statements can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the terms “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “predicts,” “projects,” “forecasts,” “may,” “might,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “seeks,” “plans,” “scheduled,” “possible,” “continue,” “potential,” “anticipates” or “intends” or, in each case, their negative or other variations or comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements include all matters that are not historical facts. They appear in a number of places throughout this Report (including in information that is incorporated by reference into this Report) and include statements regarding our intentions, beliefs or current expectations concerning, among other things, the benefits of the Business Combination, including results of operations, financial condition, liquidity, prospects, growth, strategies and the markets in which the Company operates. Such forward-looking statements are based on available current market material and management’s expectations, beliefs and forecasts concerning future events impacting the Company. Factors that may impact such forward-looking statements include:

 

   

our ability to maintain the listing of our Common Stock and warrants on the NYSE;

 

   

our ability to recommence production of the SYU Assets and the cost and time required therefor, and production levels once recommenced;

 

   

our financial performance;

 

   

our ability to satisfy future cash obligations;

 

   

restrictions in existing or future debt agreements or structured or other financing arrangements;

 

   

commodity price volatility, low prices for oil and/or natural gas, global economic conditions, inflation, increased operating costs, lack of availability of drilling and production equipment, supplies, services and qualified personnel, processing volumes and pipeline throughput;

 

   

uncertainties related to new technologies, geographical concentration of operations, environmental risks, weather risks, security risks, drilling and other operating risks, regulatory changes and regulatory risks;

 

   

the uncertainty inherent in estimating oil and natural gas resources and in projecting future rates of production;

 

   

reductions in cash flow and lack of access to capital;

 

   

the timing of development expenditures, managing growth and integration of acquisitions, and failure to realize expected value creation from acquisitions;

 

   

the ability to recognize the anticipated benefits of the Business Combination, which may be affected by, among other things, our ability to grow and manage growth profitably, maintain relationships with customers and compete within our industry;

 

5


   

our success in retaining or recruiting, or changes required in, our officers, directors or other key personnel;

 

   

our officers and directors allocating their time to other businesses and potentially having conflicts of interest with our business;

 

   

developments relating to our competitors and our industry;

 

   

the possibility that we may be adversely impacted by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors;

 

   

litigation, complaints and/or adverse publicity;

 

   

privacy and data protection laws, privacy or data breaches, or the loss of data;

 

   

our ability to comply with laws and regulations applicable to our business; and

 

   

other risks and uncertainties described in the Proxy Statement, including those under the section titled “Risk Factors.”

The forward-looking statements contained in this Report are based on the Company’s current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on the Company. These statements are based upon information available to the Company as of the date of this Report, and while the Company believes such information forms a reasonable basis for such statements, such information may be limited or incomplete, and statements should not be read to indicate that the Company has conducted an exhaustive inquiry into, or review of, all potentially available relevant information. These statements are inherently uncertain and you are cautioned not to unduly rely upon these statements. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting the Company will be those that the Company has anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties (some of which are beyond the Company’s control) or other assumptions that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those factors described or incorporated by reference under the heading “Risk Factors” below. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of the assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements. The Company will not and does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.

Business

The business of the Company is described in the Proxy Statement in the section titled “Information About SYU” beginning on page 254 thereof and that information is incorporated herein by reference.

Risk Factors

The risks associated with the Company’s business are described in the Proxy Statement in the section titled “Risk Factors” beginning on page 71 thereof and are incorporated herein by reference. A summary of the risks associated with the Company’s business are also described on pages 58-61 of the Proxy Statement under the heading “Risk Factor Summary” and are incorporated herein by reference.

Carve Out Combined Financial Statements

The unaudited condensed carve out combined financial statements of SYU as of and for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022 and the audited carve out combined financial statements of SYU as of and for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 and the related notes thereto are included in the Proxy Statement beginning on page F-57 of the Proxy Statement, which is incorporated herein by reference.

 

6


Unaudited Pro Forma Combined Financial Information

The Company’s unaudited pro forma combined financial information as of and for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and for the year ended December 31, 2022 is filed as Exhibit 99.1 to this Report and incorporated herein by reference.

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Management’s discussion and analysis of the financial condition and results of operation of SYU as of and for the year ended December 31, 2022 and as of and for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 is included in the Proxy Statement in the section titled “SYU Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” beginning on page 296 of the Proxy Statement, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Properties

The properties of the Company are described in the Proxy Statement in the section titled “Information About SYU” beginning on page 254 thereof and that information is incorporated herein by reference.

Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management

The following table and accompanying footnotes sets forth information known to us regarding the beneficial ownership of our Common Stock immediately following consummation of the Business Combination by:

 

   

each person who is the beneficial owner of more than 5% of the outstanding shares of our Common Stock;

 

   

each of our named executive officers and directors; and

 

   

all of our executive officers and directors as a group.

Beneficial ownership is determined according to the rules of the SEC, which generally provide that a person has beneficial ownership of a security if he, she or it possesses sole or shared voting or investment power over that security, including options and warrants that are currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days. Except as described in the footnotes below and subject to applicable community property laws and similar laws, we believe that each person listed below has sole voting and investment power with respect to such shares. Unless otherwise noted, the address of each beneficial owner is c/o Sable Offshore Corp., 700 Milam Street, Suite 3300, Houston, Texas, 77002.

The beneficial ownership of our Common Stock is based on 60,166,269 shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately following consummation of the Business Combination, including the redemption of the Initial Shares as described above.

 

7


Beneficial Ownership Table

 

Name of Beneficial Owners(1)

   Number of
Shares of
Common Stock
Beneficially
Owned
     Percentage of
Outstanding
Common Stock
 

5% Stockholders:

     

Pilgrim Global ICAV(2)

     8,000,000        13.3

FMR LLC(3)

     9,024,910        15.0

Directors and Named Executive Officers:

     

James C. Flores(4)

     16,970,120        25.5

Gregory D. Patrinely(5)

     406,042         * 

Michael E. Dillard(6)

     581,875         * 

Gregory P. Pipkin(7)

     296,875         * 

Christopher B. Sarofim(8)

     6,924,375        11.5

J. Caldwell Flores(9)

     935,942        1.5

Doss R. Bourgeois(10)

     300,000         * 

Anthony C. Duenner(11)

     371,666         * 

 

*

Less than one percent.

(1)

Unless otherwise indicated, the business address of each of the individuals is Sable Offshore Corp., 700 Milam Street, Suite 3300, Houston, Texas 77002.

(2)

May be deemed to be beneficially owned by Pilgrim Global Advisors LLC, the investment adviser to Pilgrim Global ICAV. Darren Maupin is the majority owner of Pilgrim Global Advisors LLC. The principal business address of Pilgrim Global ICAV is 33 Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, Dublin 2, Ireland.

(3)

May be deemed to be beneficially owned by FMR LLC, certain of its subsidiaries and affiliates, and other companies. Abigail P. Johnson is the Director, Chair and the Chief Executive Officer of FMR LLC. Members of the Johnson family, including Abigail P. Johnson, are the predominant owners, directly or through trusts, of Series B voting common shares of FMR LLC, representing 49% of the voting power of FMR LLC. The Johnson family group and all other Series B shareholders have entered into a shareholders’ voting agreement under which all Series B voting common shares will be voted in accordance with the majority vote of Series B voting common shares. Accordingly, through their ownership of voting common shares and the execution of the shareholders’ voting agreement, members of the Johnson family may be deemed, under the Investment Company Act of 1940, to form a controlling group with respect to FMR LLC. The address of FMR LLC is 245 Summer Street, Boston, MA 02210.

(4)

Consists of (i) 7,963,750 shares of Common Stock, (ii) 6,481,370 warrants to acquire Common Stock that are exercisable within 60 days, and (iii) 2,500,000 shares of Common Stock held of record by Flores Family Limited Partnership #2. Mr. Flores is the general partner of Flores Family Limited Partnership #2. As such, Mr. Flores may be deemed to share beneficial ownership of the shares of Common Stock of record by Flores Family Limited Partnership #2. Mr. Flores may be deemed to share beneficial ownership of 25,000 shares of Common Stock held of record by certain family limited partnerships that he may be deemed to control.

(5)

Consists of (i) 71,875 shares of Common Stock and (ii) 334,167 warrants to acquire Common Stock that are exercisable within 60 days.

(6)

Consists of (i) 101,875 shares of Common Stock and (ii) 480,000 warrants to acquire Common Stock that are exercisable within 60 days.

(7)

Consists of (i) 211,875 shares of Common Stock and (ii) 85,000 warrants to acquire Common Stock that are exercisable within 60 days.

(8)

Consists of (i) 596,875 shares of Common Stock held of record by Mr. Sarofim, (ii) 327,500 warrants to acquire Common Stock that are exercisable within 60 days, (iii) 3,000,000 shares of Common Stock held of record by Victorious Angel Group LTD and (iv) 3,000,000 shares of Common Stock held of record by Fayez Sarofim & Co. Mr. Sarofim is the managing member of Victorious Angel Group LTD. As such, Mr. Sarofim may be deemed to share beneficial ownership of the shares of Common Stock held of record by Victorious Angel Group LTD. Mr. Sarofim is the direct, majority member of Fayez Sarofim & Co. and as a result may be deemed to share beneficial ownership of the securities held by Fayez Sarofim & Co.

(9)

Consists of (i) 71,875 shares of Common Stock and (ii) 514,067 warrants to acquire Common Stock that are exercisable within 60 days. Includes 350,000 shares of Common Stock held of record by JCF Capital, LLC. Mr. Flores is the managing member of JCF Capital, LLC. As such, Mr. Flores may be deemed to share beneficial ownership of the shares of Common Stock held of record by JCF Capital, LLC.

(10)

Consists of (i) 200,000 shares of Common Stock and (ii) 100,000 warrants to acquire Common Stock that are exercisable within 60 days.

(11)

Consists of (i) 100,000 shares Common Stock and (ii) 271,666 warrants to acquire Common Stock that are exercisable within 60 days.

 

8


Directors and Executive Officers

The Company’s directors and executive officers upon the Closing are described in the Proxy Statement in the section titled “Management of New Sable After the Business Combination” beginning on page 274 thereof and that information is incorporated herein by reference.

Directors

The following persons constitute the Board effective upon the Closing: James C. Flores, Michael E. Dillard, Gregory S. Pipkin and Christopher B. Sarofim. Mr. Flores serves as Chairman of the Board. Mr. Dillard was appointed to serve as a Class I director, with his term expiring at the Company’s annual meeting of stockholders to be held in 2025; Mr. Pipkin was appointed to serve as a Class II director, with his term expiring at the Company’s annual meeting of stockholders to be held in 2026; and Messrs. Flores and Sarofim were appointed to serve as Class III directors, with terms expiring at the Company’s annual meeting of stockholders to be held in 2027. Biographical information for these individuals is set forth in the Proxy Statement in the section titled “Other Information Related to Flame—Management, Directors and Executive Officers” beginning on page 233, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Independence of Directors

The NYSE requires that a majority of our Board must be composed of “independent directors,” which is defined generally as a person other than an officer or employee of the company or its subsidiaries or any other individual having a relationship, which, in the opinion of the Board would interfere with the director’s exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director. Our Board has determined that Messrs. Dillard, Pipkin and Sarofim are “independent directors” as defined in the NYSE listing standards and applicable SEC rules. Our independent directors will have regularly scheduled meetings at which only independent directors are present.

Committees of the Board of Directors

Effective as of the Closing, the standing committees of the Board consist of an audit committee (the “Audit Committee”), a compensation committee (the “Compensation Committee”) and a nominating and corporate governance committee (the “Nominating Committee”). Each of the committees reports to the Board and operates under a charter that has been approved by the Board.

Effective as of the Closing, the Board appointed Messrs. Dillard, Pipkin and Sarofim to serve on the Audit Committee, with Mr. Sarofim as Chairperson. The Board appointed Messrs. Dillard, Pipkin and Sarofim to serve on the Compensation Committee, with Mr. Pipkin as Chairperson. The Board appointed Messrs. Dillard, Pipkin and Sarofim to serve on the Nominating Committee, with Mr. Dillard as Chairperson.

Executive Officers

Each of Flame’s directors and officers will, effective as of the Closing, continue their service as directors and officers of the Company. Accordingly, James C. Flores will serve as the Company’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, J. Caldwell Flores will serve as the Company’s President, Gregory D. Patrinely will serve as the Company’s Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Doss R. Bourgeois will serve as the Company’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer and Anthony C. Duenner will serve as the Company’s Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary. Biographical information for these individuals is set forth in the Proxy Statement in the section titled “Other Information Related to Flame—Management, Directors and Executive Officers” beginning on page 233, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Executive Compensation

The executive compensation of the Company’s named executive officers is described in the Proxy Statement in the section titled “Executive Compensation of New Sable” beginning on page 279 thereof and that information is incorporated herein by reference.

 

9


Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

None of our executive officers serves as a member of a compensation committee (or other committee performing equivalent functions) of any entity that has one or more executive officers serving on our Compensation Committee.

Certain Relationships and Related Transactions

Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions

Certain relationships and related person transactions are described in the Proxy Statement in the section titled “Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions” beginning on page 320 thereof and are incorporated herein by reference.

Legal Proceedings

Reference is made to the disclosure regarding legal proceedings in the section of the Proxy Statement titled “Information About SYU—Legal Proceedings” beginning on page 272, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Market Price of and Dividends on the Registrant’s Common Equity and Related Stockholder Matters

Market Price and Dividend Information

The market price of and dividends on Flame Class A Common Stock, warrants and units and related stockholder matters is described in the Proxy Statement in the Section titled “Market Price of Securities and Dividend Information” beginning on page 314 thereof and that information is incorporated herein by reference.

The Common Stock and warrants will commence trading on NYSE under the symbols “SOC” and “SOC.WS,” respectively, on February 15, 2024, subject to ongoing review of the Company’s satisfaction of all listing criteria following the Business Combination, in lieu of the Flame Class A Common Stock and warrants of Flame. Flame’s units will cease trading separately on NYSE on February 15, 2024.

Holders of Record

As of the Closing and following the completion of the Business Combination, including the redemption of the Initial Shares as described above, the Company had 60,166,269 shares of Common Stock outstanding held of record by 67 holders and 14,375,000 public warrants outstanding held of record by 1 holder. Such amounts do not include DTC participants or beneficial owners holding shares through nominee names.

Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans

Reference is made to the disclosure described in the Proxy Statement in the section titled “Proposal No. 4—The Incentive Plan Proposal” beginning on page 220 thereof, which is incorporated herein by reference. As described below, the Sable Offshore Corp. 2023 Incentive Award Plan (the “Incentive Plan”) and the material terms thereunder, including the authorization of the initial share reserve thereunder, were approved by Flame’s stockholders at the Special Meeting.

Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities

Reference is made to the disclosure set forth below under Item 3.02 of this Report concerning the issuance and sale by the Company of certain unregistered securities, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Description of Registrant’s Securities to be Registered

The Company’s securities are described in the Proxy Statement in the section titled “Description of Securities” beginning on page 305 thereof and that information is incorporated herein by reference. As described below, the Company’s Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation was approved by Flame’s stockholders at the Special Meeting and became effective as of the Closing.

 

10


Indemnification of Directors and Officers

The indemnification of our directors and officers is described in the Proxy Statement in the section titled “Description of Securities—Limitations on Liability and Indemnification of Officers and Directors” beginning on page 311 thereof and that information is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 2.03.

Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant.

The disclosure set forth above in the section titled “Sable-EM Purchase Agreement and Term Loan Agreement” in Item 1.01 is incorporated by reference into this Item 2.03.

 

Item 3.02.

Unregistered Sale of Equity Securities

PIPE Investments

At the Closing, the Company consummated the PIPE Investments. The disclosure set forth above in the section titled “PIPE Subscription Agreements” in Item 1.01 is incorporated by reference into this Item 3.02.

The Company issued the foregoing securities under Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act as a transaction not requiring registration under Section 5 of the Securities Act. The parties receiving the securities represented their intentions to acquire the securities for investment only and not with a view to or for sale in connection with any distribution, and appropriate restrictive legends were affixed to the certificates representing the securities (or reflected in restricted book entry with the Company’s transfer agent). The parties also had adequate access, through business or other relationships, to information about the Company.

Working Capital Loans

On the Closing Date, the Company consummated the Working Capital Loan Issuance. The disclosure set forth above in the section titled “Working Capital Loans” in Item 1.01 is incorporated by reference into this Item 3.02.

 

Item 3.03.

Material Modification to Rights of Security Holders.

The information set forth in Item 5.03 to this Report is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 4.01.

Changes in Registrant’s Certifying Accountant

For accounting purposes, the Business Combination is accounted for under the scope of the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 805, Business Combinations (“ASC 805”). Pursuant to ASC 805, Flame has been determined to be the accounting acquirer. SYU constitutes a business in accordance with ASC 805 and the Business Combination constitutes a change in control. Accordingly, the Business Combination will be accounted for using the acquisition method of accounting. Upon consummation of the Business Combination, SYU will be the predecessor entity and its historical operations will be presented as that of the Company on a go forward basis, which have been audited by Ham, Langston & Brezina, LLP (“HL&B”).

(a) Dismissal of independent registered public accounting firm.

On February 14, 2024 the Audit Committee dismissed Marcum LLP (“Marcum”), Flame’s independent registered public accounting firm prior to the Business Combination, as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm effective immediately following the filing of the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, which will include audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2023, consisting only of the accounts of the pre-Business Combination special purpose acquisition company, Flame.

The report of Marcum on Flame’s, the Company’s legal predecessor, financial statements as of and for the years ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021 did not contain an adverse opinion or a disclaimer of opinion, and were not qualified or modified as to uncertainties, audit scope or accounting principles, except for an explanatory paragraph in such report regarding the substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern.

 

11


During the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, and subsequent interim period through September 30, 2023, there were no disagreements between the Company and Marcum on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial disclosure or auditing scope or procedure, which disagreements, if not resolved to the satisfaction of Marcum, would have caused it to make reference to the subject matter of the disagreements in its reports on Flame’s financial statements for such period.

During the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, and subsequent interim period through September 30, 2023, there were no “reportable events” (as defined in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K under the Exchange Act), except that, for the three months ended September 30, 2023, based upon an evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of its disclosure controls and procedures, the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of Flame concluded that Flame’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act) were not effective due to its accounting for complex financial instruments. Based on the foregoing, it was determined that Flame had a material weakness as of September 30, 2023 relating to its internal controls over financial reporting.

The Company has provided Marcum with a copy of the foregoing disclosures and has requested that Marcum furnish the Company with a letter addressed to the SEC stating whether it agrees with the statements made by the Company set forth above. A copy of Marcum’s letter, dated February 14, 2024, is filed as Exhibit 16.1 to this Report.

(b) Disclosures regarding the new independent auditor.

On February 14, 2024 the Board approved the engagement of HL&B as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm to audit the Company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ending December 31, 2024.

HL&B served as independent registered public accounting firm of SYU prior to the Business Combination. During the period from October 16, 2020 (inception) to December 31, 2020, the year ended December 31, 2021, the year ended December 31, 2022 and subsequent interim period through September 30, 2023, neither the Company nor anyone on the Company’s behalf consulted with HL&B with respect to (i) the application of accounting principles to a specified transaction, either completed or proposed, the type of audit opinion that might be rendered on our financial statements, and neither a written report nor oral advice was provided to us that HL&B concluded was an important factor considered by us in reaching a decision as to any accounting, auditing or financial reporting issue, or (ii) any other matter that was the subject of a disagreement or a reportable event (each as defined above).

 

Item 5.01.

Changes in Control of the Registrant.

The information set forth above under Item 1.01 and Item 2.01 of this Report is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 5.02.

Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

The information set forth above in the sections titled “Directors and Executive Officers,” “Executive Compensation,” “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions” and “Indemnification of Directors and Officers” in Item 2.01 to this Report is incorporated herein by reference.

As previously disclosed, at the Special Meeting, Flame’s stockholders considered and approved the Incentive Plan, which became effective immediately upon the Closing. A description of the Incentive Plan is included in the Proxy Statement in the section titled “Proposal No. 4—The Incentive Plan Proposal” beginning on page 220 thereof, which is incorporated herein by reference.

The foregoing description of the Incentive Plan is qualified in its entirety by the full text of the Incentive Plan, which is attached hereto as Exhibit 10.32 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 5.03.

Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.

On the Closing Date, in connection with the consummation of the Business Combination, the Company amended and restated its certificate of incorporation, effective as of the Closing (the “A&R Charter”), and amended and restated its bylaws (as amended, the “A&R Bylaws”) effective as of the Closing.

Copies of the A&R Charter and the A&R Bylaws are attached as Exhibit 3.1 and Exhibit 3.2 to this Report, respectively, and are incorporated herein by reference.

 

 

12


The material terms of each of the A&R Charter and the A&R Bylaws and the general effect upon the rights of holders of the Company’s capital stock are included in the Proxy Statement under the sections titled “Proposal No. 2—The Charter Proposal,” “Proposal No. 3—The Governance Proposal,” and “Description of Securities” beginning on pages 212, 218 and 305 of the Proxy Statement, respectively, which are incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 5.05.

Amendments to the Registrant’s Code of Ethics, or Waiver of a Provision of the Code of Ethics.

In connection with the Business Combination, on February 14, 2024, the Board approved and adopted a new Code of Business Conduct and Ethics applicable to all employees, officers and directors of the Company. A copy of the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics can be found at https://www.sableoffshore.com under the link “Governance Documents.” The above description of the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 14.1 hereto and incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 5.06.

Change in Shell Company Status.

As a result of the Business Combination, the Company ceased to be a shell company. Reference is made to the disclosure in the Proxy Statement in the sections titled “Proposal No. 1—The Business Combination Proposal” beginning on page 134 thereof, which is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 9.01.

Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(a)

Financial Statements of Businesses Acquired.

The unaudited condensed carve out combined financial statements of SYU as of and for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022 and the audited carve out combined financial statements of SYU as of and for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 and the related notes thereto are included in the Proxy Statement beginning on page F-57 of the Proxy Statement, which is incorporated herein by reference.

 

(b)

Pro forma financial information.

The unaudited pro forma combined financial information of the Company as of and for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and for the year ended December 31, 2022 is included in Exhibit 99.1.

 

13


(c)

Exhibits.

 

         

Incorporated by Reference

Exhibit
Number
  

Description

  

Form

  

Exhibit

  

Filing
Date

 2.1†    Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of November 2, 2022, by and among Flame Acquisition Corp., Sable Offshore Corp. and Sable Offshore Holdings LLC, as amended by the First Amendment to Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of December 22, 2022 and the Second Amendment to Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of June 30, 2024         
 3.1    Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Sable Offshore Corp.         
 3.2    Amended and Restated Bylaws of Sable Offshore Corp.         
 4.1    Specimen Common Stock Certificate.    S-1    4.2    7/2/20
 4.2    Specimen Warrant Certificate.    S-1    4.3    7/2/20
 4.3    Warrant Agreement, dated as of February 24, 2021, between Flame Acquisition Corp. and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as warrant agent.    8-K    4.1    3/2/21
10.1*    Senior Secured Term Loan Agreement, dated as of February 14, 2024, by and among Sable Offshore Corp. (f/k/a Flame Acquisition Corp., Exxon Mobil Corporation and Alter Domus Products Corp.         
10.2    Securities Subscription Agreement, dated November 18, 2020, between the Company and Flame Acquisition Sponsor LLC.    S-1    10.4    2/5/21
10.3    Securities Subscription Agreement, dated November 18, 2020, between the Company and FL Co-Investment LLC.    S-1    10.5    2/5/21
10.4    Securities Subscription Agreement, dated November 18, 2020, between the Company and Intrepid Financial Partners, L.L.C.    S-1    10.6    2/5/21
10.5    Promissory Note issued in favor of Flame Acquisition Sponsor LLC, dated November 25, 2020.    S-1    10.12    2/5/21
10.6    Promissory Note issued in favor of FL Co-Investment LLC, dated November 25, 2020.    S-1    10.13    2/5/21
10.7    Promissory Note issued in favor of Intrepid Financial Partners, L.L.C., dated November 25, 2020.    S-1    10.14    2/5/21
10.8    Letter Agreement, dated February 24, 2021, among the Company, Flame Acquisition Sponsor LLC, FL Co-Investment LLC, Intrepid Financial Partners, L.L.C. and certain security holders named therein.    8-K    10.1    3/2/21
10.9    Private Placement Warrants Purchase Agreement, dated February 24, 2021, between Flame Acquisition Corp. and Flame Acquisition Sponsor LLC.    8-K    10.4    3/2/21
10.10    Private Placement Warrants Purchase Agreement, dated February 24, 2021, between Flame Acquisition Corp. and FL Co-Investment LLC.    8-K    10.5    3/2/21
10.11    Private Placement Warrants Purchase Agreement, dated February 24, 2021, between Flame Acquisition Corp. and Intrepid Financial Partners, L.L.C.    8-K    10.6    3/2/21

 

14


         

Incorporated by Reference

Exhibit
Number
  

Description

  

Form

  

Exhibit

  

Filing
Date

10.12    Private Placement Warrants Purchase Agreement, dated February 24, 2021, between Flame Acquisition Corp. and Gregory D. Patrinely.    8-K    10.7    3/2/21
10.13    Private Placement Warrants Purchase Agreement, dated February 24, 2021, between Flame Acquisition Corp. and Michael E. Dillard.    8-K    10.8    3/2/21
10.14    Private Placement Warrants Purchase Agreement, dated February 24, 2021, between Flame Acquisition Corp. and Gregory P. Pipkin.    8-K    10.9    3/2/21
10.15    Private Placement Warrants Purchase Agreement, dated February 24, 2021, between Flame Acquisition Corp. and Christopher B. Sarofim.    8-K    10.10    3/2/21
10.16    Private Placement Warrants Purchase Agreement, dated February 24, 2021, between Flame Acquisition Corp. and Caldwell Flores.    8-K    10.11    3/2/21
10.17    Promissory Note issued in favor of Flame Acquisition Sponsor LLC, dated March 1, 2021.    8-K    10.1    3/8/21
10.18    Promissory Note issued in favor of Flame Acquisition Sponsor LLC, dated December 27, 2021.    8-K    10.1    12/28/21
10.19    Promissory Note issued in favor of Flame Acquisition Sponsor LLC, dated March 29, 2022.    8-K    10.1    4/1/22
10.20    Promissory Note issued in favor of Flame Acquisition Sponsor LLC, dated September 30, 2022.    8-K    10.1    9/30/22
10.21    Promissory Note issued in favor of Flame Acquisition Sponsor LLC, dated October 31, 2022.    8-K    10.1    11/1/22
10.22    Form of Holdco PIPE Subscription Agreement.    8-K    10.1    11/2/22
10.23    Promissory Note issued in favor of Flame Acquisition Sponsor LLC, dated February 6, 2023.    8-K    10.1    2/7/23
10.24    Promissory Note issued in favor of Flame Acquisition Sponsor LLC, dated May 12, 2023.    8-K    10.1    5/16/23
10.25    Promissory Note issued in favor of Flame Acquisition Sponsor LLC, dated June 22, 2023.    8-K    10.1    6/26/23
10.26    Promissory Note issued in favor of Flame Acquisition Sponsor LLC, dated August 30, 2023.    8-K    10.1    8/31/23
10.27*    Purchase and Sale Agreement between Exxon Mobil Corporation, Mobil Pacific Pipeline Company and Sable Offshore Corp., dated as of November 1, 2022, as amended by the First Amendment to Purchase and Sale Agreement, dated as of June 13, 2023 and the Second Amendment to Purchase and Sale Agreement, dated as of December 15, 2023.         

 

15


         

Incorporated by Reference

Exhibit
Number
  

Description

  

Form

  

Exhibit

  

Filing
Date

10.28    Form of Holdco PIPE Subscription Agreement Amendment.    8-K    10.1    1/16/24
10.29    Form of Additional Holdco PIPE Subscription Agreement.    8-K    10.2    1/16/24
10.30    Form of Flame PIPE Subscription Agreement.    8-K    10.3    1/16/24
10.31    Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of February 14 2024, by and among Sable Offshore Corp. (f/k/a Flame Acquisition Corp.) and the undersigned party listed under Holder on the signature page thereto.         
10.32#    Sable Offshore Corp. 2023 Incentive Award Plan.         
10.33    Form of Indemnity Agreement.         
14.1    Code of Business Conduct and Ethics of Sable Offshore Corp.         
16.1    Letter from Marcum to the Securities and Exchange Commission.         
21.1    Subsidiaries of the Company.         
99.1    Unaudited Pro Forma Combined Information.         

 

Certain of the annexes, exhibits and schedules to this Exhibit have been omitted in accordance with Regulation S-K Item 601(b)(2). The Company agrees to furnish a copy of all omitted exhibits and schedules to the SEC upon its request.

#

Indicates a management contract or compensatory plan.

*

Certain portions of this exhibit (indicated by “[***]”) have been omitted pursuant to Regulation S-K, Item 601(b)(10).

 

16


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 hereunto duly authorized.

 

    SABLE OFFSHORE CORP.
Date: February 14, 2024     By:  

/s/ Gregory D. Patrinely

    Name:   Gregory D. Patrinely
    Title:   Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

 

17

Exhibit 2.1

AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER

dated as of

November 2, 2022

by and among

FLAME ACQUISITION CORP.

SABLE OFFSHORE CORP.

and

SABLE OFFSHORE HOLDINGS LLC

as amended by

FIRST AMENDMENT TO AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER,

dated as of December 22, 2022

and

SECOND AMENDMENT TO AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER,

dated as of June 30, 2023


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

          Page  

ARTICLE I CERTAIN DEFINITIONS

     2  

1.01

   Definitions      2  

1.02

   Construction      9  

ARTICLE II THE MERGERS; CLOSING

     10  

2.01

   The Mergers      10  

2.02

   Effects of the Mergers      11  

2.03

   Closing      11  

2.04

   Organizational Documents; Officers and Directors – Holdco Merger      11  

2.05

   Organizational Document; Officers and Directors – SOC Merger      12  

2.06

   Acquiror Class B Common Stock Conversion      12  

ARTICLE III EFFECTS OF THE MERGERS

     12  

3.01

   Effect on Capital Stock and Units      12  

3.02

   Exchange of Holdco Equity      13  

3.03

   Withholding      14  

3.04

   Payment of Expenses      14  

3.05

   No Appraisal Rights      15  

3.06

   No Fractional Shares      15  

3.07

   Anti-Dilution Provisions      15  

ARTICLE IV REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY

     16  

4.01

   Organization, Standing and Corporate Power      16  

4.02

   Corporate Authority; Approval; Non-Contravention      16  

4.03

   Governmental Approvals      17  

4.04

   Capitalization      17  

4.05

   Subsidiaries      17  

4.06

   Information Supplied      17  

4.07

   Brokers      18  

4.08

   Affiliate Agreements      18  

4.09

   PSA      18  

4.10

   Company Operations      18  

4.11

   Taxes      18  

4.12

   No Outside Reliance      18  

4.13

   Subscriptions      19  

4.14

   No Other Representations or Warranties      20  

 

i


          Page  

ARTICLE V REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF ACQUIROR

     20  

5.01

   Organization, Standing and Corporate Power      20  

5.02

   Corporate Authority; Approval; Non-Contravention      20  

5.03

   Litigation      21  

5.04

   Compliance with Laws      21  

5.05

   Employee Benefit Plans      21  

5.06

   Financial Ability; Trust Account      21  

5.07

   Taxes      22  

5.08

   Brokers      23  

5.09

   Acquiror SEC Reports; Financial Statements; Sarbanes-Oxley Act      23  

5.10

   Business Activities; Absence of Changes      24  

5.11

   Proxy Statement      25  

5.12

   No Outside Reliance      25  

5.13

   Capitalization      26  

5.14

   NYSE Stock Market Quotation      26  

5.15

   Contracts; No Defaults      26  

5.16

   Title to Property      27  

5.17

   Investment Company Act      27  

5.18

   Affiliate Agreements      27  

5.19

   Takeover Statutes and Charter Provisions      27  

5.20

   No Other Representations or Warranties      27  

ARTICLE VI COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY

     27  

6.01

   Conduct of Business      27  

6.02

   Inspection      29  

6.03

   No Claim Against the Trust Account      29  

6.04

   Proxy Solicitation; Other Actions      30  

6.05

   Non-Solicitation; Acquisition Proposals      31  

ARTICLE VII COVENANTS OF ACQUIROR

     32  

7.01

   Indemnification and Insurance      32  

7.02

   Conduct of Acquiror During the Interim Period      32  

7.03

   Trust Account      34  

7.04

   Inspection      34  

7.05

   Acquiror NYSE Listing      35  

7.06

   Acquiror Public Filings      35  

 

ii


          Page  

7.07

   Additional Insurance Matters      35  

7.08

   Section 16 Matters      35  

7.09

   Exclusivity      35  

7.10

   Acquiror Equity Incentive Plan      36  

7.11

   Termination of Acquiror Affiliate Agreements      36  

ARTICLE VIII JOINT COVENANTS

     36  

8.01

   Support of Transaction      36  

8.02

   HSR Act and Regulatory Approvals      37  

8.03

   Preparation of Proxy Statement; Special Meeting      38  

8.04

   Tax Matters      39  

8.05

   Confidentiality; Publicity      39  

8.06

   Purchase and Sale Agreement      40  

8.07

   Financing      40  

8.08

   Post-Closing Cooperation; Further Assurances      40  

ARTICLE IX CONDITIONS TO OBLIGATIONS

     41  

9.01

   Conditions to Obligations of All Parties      41  

9.02

   Additional Conditions to Obligations of Acquiror      41  

9.03

   Additional Conditions to the Obligations of the Company      42  

ARTICLE X TERMINATION/EFFECTIVENESS

     43  

10.01

   Termination      43  

10.02

   Effect of Termination      44  

ARTICLE XI MISCELLANEOUS

     44  

11.01

   Waiver      44  

11.02

   Notices      44  

11.03

   Assignment      45  

11.04

   Rights of Third Parties      45  

11.05

   Expenses      45  

11.06

   Governing Law      45  

11.07

   Captions; Counterparts      45  

11.08

   Schedules and Exhibits      45  

11.09

   Entire Agreement      45  

11.10

   Amendments      45  

11.11

   Severability      46  

11.12

   Jurisdiction; WAIVER OF TRIAL BY JURY      46  

 

iii


          Page  

11.13

   Enforcement      46  

11.14

   Non-Recourse      47  

11.15

   Non-survival of Representations, Warranties and Covenants      47  

11.16

   Acknowledgements      47  

11.17

   Conflicts and Privilege      48  

11.18

   Action by Acquiror      49  

 

Exhibits

  

Exhibit A – Form of Subscription Agreement

  

Exhibit B – Form of Registration Rights Agreement

  

Exhibit C – Form of Certificate of Incorporation of Acquiror

  

Exhibit D – Form of Bylaws of Acquiror

  

Exhibit E – Equity Incentive Plan

  

Exhibit F – Form of Letter of Transmittal

  

 

iv


AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER

This Agreement and Plan of Merger (this “Agreement”), dated as of November 2, 2022, is entered into by and among Flame Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation (“Acquiror”), Sable Offshore Corp., a Texas corporation (“SOC”), and Sable Offshore Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Holdco” and together with SOC, the “Company”). Except as otherwise indicated, capitalized terms used herein shall have the meanings set forth in Article I of this Agreement.

RECITALS

WHEREAS, SOC is a wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Holdco and in coordination with Acquiror, and at Acquiror’s direction, entered into that certain Purchase and Sale Agreement, dated as of November 1, 2022, with Exxon Mobil Corporation and Mobil Pacific Pipeline Company (together, “Exxon,” such agreement, the “PSA,” and the transactions contemplated thereby, the “Asset Acquisition”, and the assets (including equity interests) acquired thereby, the “Assets”);

WHEREAS, Acquiror is a blank check company incorporated to acquire one or more operating businesses through a Business Combination;

WHEREAS, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, at the Closing, (i) Holdco shall merge with and into Acquiror, with Acquiror surviving such merger (the “Holdco Merger”), and (ii) immediately following the effective time of the Holdco Merger, SOC shall merge with and into Acquiror, with Acquiror surviving such merger (the “SOC Merger”, and together with the Holdco Merger, the “Mergers”);

WHEREAS, the respective boards of directors of each of Acquiror and SOC, and the sole member of the Holdco, have each approved and declared advisable this Agreement and the Transactions upon the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement and in accordance with the laws of its jurisdiction, and the Holdco, as the sole stockholder of SOC, has approved and adopted this Agreement, the Mergers and the Transactions;

WHEREAS, contemporaneously with, prior to, or following the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Holdco or Acquiror is entering into subscription agreements substantially in the form set forth on Exhibit A (the “Subscription Agreements”) with certain investors (the “Subscribers”), pursuant to which the Subscribers, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein, have agreed to, or will agree to, in each case, subject to the terms thereof, purchase Acquiror Class A Common Stock at $10.00 per share in a private placement or placements (the “Private Placement”) for an aggregate subscription amount up to $400,000,000, to be consummated contemporaneously with the Closing and immediately following the Effective Time;

WHEREAS, contemporaneously with the Closing but immediately after the Effective Time (as defined below), in connection with the Transactions, Acquiror, the Company and the Holdco Equityholders will enter into that certain Registration Rights Agreement (the “Registration Rights Agreement”), in the form set forth on Exhibit B, to be effective upon the Closing;

WHEREAS, pursuant to the Acquiror Organizational Documents, Acquiror shall provide an opportunity to the Acquiror Stockholders (other than the Sponsor or any other party to an Insider Letter) to have their shares of Acquiror Common Stock redeemed for the consideration, and on the terms and subject to the conditions and limitations, set forth in this Agreement, the Acquiror Organizational Documents and the Trust Agreement in conjunction with, inter alia, obtaining approval from the Acquiror Stockholders for the Business Combination (the “Offer”);

WHEREAS, immediately following the Effective Time, the certificate of incorporation in the form set forth on Exhibit C (the “Acquiror Charter”), shall become the certificate of incorporation of Acquiror, until thereafter supplemented or amended in accordance with its terms and the DGCL;

WHEREAS, immediately following the Effective Time, the bylaws in the form set forth on Exhibit D (the “Acquiror Bylaws”), shall become the bylaws of Acquiror, until thereafter supplemented or amended in accordance with its terms and the DGCL;


WHEREAS, prior to the consummation of the Transactions, Acquiror shall, subject to obtaining the Acquiror Stockholder Approvals, adopt an equity incentive plan in the form set forth on Exhibit E (the “Acquiror Equity Incentive Plan”); and

WHEREAS, immediately following the Effective Time, Acquiror shall be renamed “Sable Offshore Corp.” and shall trade publicly on the NYSE under a new ticker symbol mutually selected by the Company and the Acquiror.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the respective representations, warranties, covenants and agreements set forth in this Agreement, and intending to be legally bound hereby, Acquiror and the Company agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

CERTAIN DEFINITIONS

1.01 Definitions. As used herein, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

Acquiror” has the meaning specified in the preamble hereto.

Acquiror Affiliate Agreement” has the meaning specified in Section 5.18.

Acquiror Board” means the board of directors of Acquiror.

“Acquiror Board Change in Recommendation” has the meaning specified in Section 8.03(d).

Acquiror Board Recommendation” has the meaning specified in Section 8.03(d).

Acquiror Bylaws” has the meaning specified in the Recitals hereto.

Acquiror Charter” has the meaning specified in the Recitals hereto.

Acquiror Class A Common Stock” means Class A Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of Acquiror.

Acquiror Class B Common Stock” means Class B Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of Acquiror.

Acquiror Common Stock” means, collectively, Acquiror Class A Common Stock and Acquiror Class B Common Stock.

Acquiror Cure Period” has the meaning specified in Section 10.01(c).

Acquiror Equity Incentive Plan” has the meaning specified in the Recitals hereto.

Acquiror Equity Plan Proposal” has the meaning specified in Section 8.03(c).

Acquiror Material Contracts” has the meaning specified in Section 5.15(a).

Acquiror Organizational Documents” means the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Acquiror, dated February 24, 2021 (the “Existing Acquiror Charter”), and the Bylaws of Acquiror, dated October 16, 2020, in each case as may be amended from time to time.

Acquiror Preferred Stock” has the meaning specified in Section 5.13(a).

Acquiror Representations” means the representations and warranties of Acquiror expressly and specifically set forth in Article V of this Agreement, as qualified by the Schedules, any certificate delivered in accordance with Section 9.03(c) and the Ancillary Agreements. For the avoidance of doubt, the Acquiror Representations are solely made by Acquiror and not any other Person.

Acquiror SEC Reports” has the meaning specified in Section 5.09(a).

Acquiror Stockholder” means a holder of Acquiror Common Stock.

 

 

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Acquiror Stockholder Approvals” means, with respect to any Proposal, the approval of such Proposal by the affirmative vote of the holders of the requisite number of shares of Acquiror Common Stock entitled to vote thereon, whether in person or by proxy at the Special Meeting (or any adjournment or postponement thereof), in accordance with the Acquiror Organizational Documents and applicable Law and the rules and regulations of NYSE.

Acquiror Warrant” means each whole warrant exercisable for one share of Acquiror Class A Common Stock outstanding as of the date hereof and issued pursuant to the Warrant Agreement.

Acquisition Proposal” has the meaning specified in Section 6.05(a)(i).

Action” means any action, suit, litigation, assessment, audit, investigation, examination, arbitration or proceeding, in each case that is by or before any Governmental Authority.

Additional Proposal” has the meaning specified in Section 8.03(c).

Affiliate” means, with respect to any specified Person, any Person that, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such specified Person, through one or more intermediaries or otherwise; provided, that for purposes of this Agreement, the Company, on the one hand, and Acquiror, on the other hand, shall not be deemed Affiliates prior to the Holdco Effective Time.

Aggregate Merger Consideration” means 3,000,000 shares of Acquiror Class A Common Stock.

Agreement” has the meaning specified in the preamble hereto.

Amendment Proposal” has the meaning specified in Section 8.03(c).

Ancillary Agreements” means the Letter of Transmittal, Registration Rights Agreement, the Subscription Agreements and any other agreement entered into by a party hereto in connection with the Transactions.

Antitrust Law” means the HSR Act, the Federal Trade Commission Act, the Sherman Act, the Clayton Act, and any applicable foreign antitrust, competition or merger control Laws and all other applicable Laws that are designed or intended to prohibit, restrict or regulate actions having the purpose or effect of monopolization or restraint of trade or lessening of competition through merger or acquisition.

Asset Acquisition” has the meaning specified in the Recitals hereto.

Assets” has the meaning specified in the Recitals hereto.

Benefit Plan” means any employee benefit or compensation arrangement, plan, policy, practice, or program, in each case, whether or not written, including (i) any “employee benefit plan” described in Section 3(3) of ERISA (whether or not subject to ERISA), and (ii) any other compensation, employment, consulting, severance, vacation, incentive, change of control, perquisite or fringe benefit program, policy, practice, agreement or arrangement.

BOEM” shall mean the United State Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.

Bracewell” has the meaning specified in Section 11.17(b).

Bracewell Privileged Communications” has the meaning specified in Section 11.17(b).

Business Combination” has the meaning ascribed to such term in the Existing Acquiror Charter.

Business Combination Proposal” has the meaning specified in Section 7.09.

Business Day” means a day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York, New York or Houston, Texas, are authorized or required by Law to close.

Canceled Holdco Equity” has the meaning specified in Section 3.01(a)(ii).

Change in Control” means any transaction, or series of transactions (a) resulting in any one Person, or more than one Person that are Affiliates or that are acting as a “group” (as such term is used in sections 13(d) or 14(d) of the Exchange Act), acquiring ownership of (i) equity securities of either the Holdco or SOC which, together with the equity securities held by one or more such Person, or such Person and its

 

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Affiliates or such group, constitutes more than 50% of the total voting power or economic rights of the equity securities of either the Holdco or SOC; or (ii) at least 50% of the consolidated assets of the Company; (b) that results in the stockholders or members, as applicable, of either the Holdco or SOC as of immediately prior to such transaction holding, in the aggregate, directly or indirectly, less than 50% of the total voting power or economic rights of the equity securities of such Person immediately after the consummation of such transaction (in each case of clauses (a) and (b), whether by merger, consolidation, tender offer, recapitalization, purchase or issuance of equity securities, tender offer or otherwise) or (c) the result of which is a sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company to any Person.

Class B Conversion Ratio” means the ratio at which Acquiror Class B Common Stock are automatically convertible into Acquiror Class A Common Stock pursuant to the Existing Acquiror Charter.

Closing” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03.

Closing Date” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03.

Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

Company” has the meaning specified in the preamble hereto.

Company Cure Period” has the meaning specified in Section 10.01(b).

Company Organizational Documents” means (i) in respect of the Holdco, the Holdco’s certificate of formation and the limited liability company agreement of the Holdco, dated October 26, 2022, in each case as may be amended from time to time in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, and (ii) in respect of SOC, SOC’s certificate of formation and bylaws, in each case as may be amended from time to time in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

Company Representations” means the representations and warranties of the Company expressly and specifically set forth in Article IV of this Agreement, as qualified by the Schedules, any certificate delivered in accordance with Section 9.02(d) and the Ancillary Agreements. For the avoidance of doubt, the Company Representations are solely made by the Company and not any other Person.

Confidential Information” has the meaning specified in Section 8.05(a).

Contract” means any contracts, agreements, subcontracts or leases (including oral contracts or agreements).

Conversion” has the meaning specified in Section 2.06.

COVID-19” means the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19 or any mutation of the same, including any resulting epidemics, pandemics, disease outbreaks or public health emergencies.

COVID-19 Measures” means any quarantine, isolation, “shelter in place,” “stay at home,” workforce reduction, social distancing, shut down, closure, sequester or any other Law, decree, judgment, injunction or other order, directive or guidelines by any Governmental Authority or industry group in connection with or in response to COVID-19, including, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES).

DGCL” means the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

Effective Time” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01(b).

Enforceability Exceptions” has the meaning specified in Section 4.02(a).

ERISA” means the U.S. Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

Exchange Agent” has the meaning specified in Section 3.02(a).

Exchange Fund” has the meaning specified in Section 3.02(a).

Existing Acquiror Charter” has the meaning specified in the definition of Acquiror Organizational Documents.

 

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Exxon” has the meaning specified in the Recitals hereto.

Financial Derivative/Hedging Arrangement” means any transaction (including any Contract with respect thereto) which is a rate swap transaction, basis swap, forward rate transaction, commodity swap, commodity option, equity or equity index swap, equity or equity index option, bond option, interest rate option, foreign exchange transaction, cap transaction, floor transaction, collar transaction, currency swap transaction, cross-currency rate swap transaction, currency option or any combination of these transactions.

Flame SPAC Parties” has the meaning specified in Section 11.17(a).

Fraud” means, with respect to a Person, common law fraud, as defined under the Laws of the State of Delaware, with respect to the making of the Company Representations or the Acquiror Representations, as applicable; provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, “Fraud” does not include any fraud claim based on constructive knowledge, negligent misrepresentation or recklessness.

GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, consistently applied.

Governmental Authority” means any federal, state, provincial, municipal, local or foreign government, governmental authority, regulatory or administrative agency, governmental commission, department, legislature, board, bureau, agency or instrumentality, arbitrator, court or tribunal.

Governmental Order” means any order, judgment, injunction, decree, writ, stipulation, decision, determination or award, in each case, entered by or with any Governmental Authority.

Holdco” has the meaning specified in the preamble hereto.

Holdco Certificate of Merger” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01(a).

Holdco Effective Time” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01(a).

Holdco Equity” means uncertificated limited liability company membership interests in the Holdco designated as voting Class A shares.

Holdco Equityholder” means a holder of Holdco Equity.

Holdco Equityholder Expenses” has the meaning specified in Section 3.04(a).

Holdco Merger” has the meaning specified in the Recitals hereto.

HSR Act” means the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

Indebtedness” means, with respect to any Person, without duplication, any obligations (whether or not contingent) consisting of (a) the outstanding principal amount of and accrued and unpaid interest on, and other payment obligations for, borrowed money, or payment obligations issued or incurred in substitution or exchange for payment obligations for borrowed money, (b) amounts owing as deferred purchase price for property or services, including “earnout” payments, (c) payment obligations evidenced by any promissory note, bond, debenture, mortgage or other debt instrument or debt security, (d) contingent reimbursement obligations with respect to letters of credit, bankers’ acceptance or similar facilities (in each case to the extent drawn), (e) payment obligations of a third party secured by (or for which the holder of such payment obligations has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien, other than a Permitted Lien, on assets or properties of such Person, whether or not the obligations secured thereby have been assumed, (f) obligations under capitalized leases or finance leases, (g) obligations under any financial derivative or hedging arrangement, (h) any other indebtedness or obligation reflected or required to be reflected as indebtedness in a consolidated balance sheet, in accordance with GAAP, (i) guarantees, make-whole agreements, hold harmless agreements or other similar arrangements with respect to any amounts of a type described in clauses (a) through (h) above and (j) with respect to each of the foregoing, any unpaid interest, breakage costs, prepayment or redemption penalties or premiums, or other unpaid fees or obligations (including unreimbursed expenses or indemnification obligations for which a claim has been

 

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made); provided, however, that Indebtedness shall not include accounts payable to trade creditors that are not past due and accrued expenses arising in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice. For the avoidance of doubt, Indebtedness of Acquiror shall not include any and all promissory notes between Acquiror and the Sponsor, including any promissory notes issued in order to finance transaction costs or other working capital purposes of Acquiror.

Insider Letter” means that certain letter agreement delivered in accordance with the Underwriting Agreement (as defined in the letter agreement) by and between Acquiror, the Sponsor and certain other parties thereto.

Interim Period” has the meaning specified in Section 6.01.

Intervening Event” means any of the following events, facts, developments, circumstances or occurrences occurring after the date of this Agreement that materially and adversely affects the business, assets, operations or prospects of either SOC or Holdco: (a) issuance of a final, non-appealable Governmental Order denying an application filed by the Company or Acquiror for any material Permit that is necessary for the construction, maintenance or operation of any of the Assets; (b) issuance by a court of a final, non-appealable order vacating or enjoining the effectiveness of any material Permit issued by a Governmental Authority that is necessary for the construction, maintenance or operation of any of the Assets; or (c) passage, enactment, enrollment, adoption, issuance or promulgation of any Law by a Governmental Authority that materially inhibits, wholly or partially, the construction, maintenance or operation of any of the Assets.

Knowledge” shall mean the actual knowledge of (i) in the case of the Company, the individuals set forth on Schedule 1.1(k) of the Company’s Schedule and (ii) in the case of Acquiror, the individuals set forth on Schedule 1.1(k) of the Acquiror’s Schedule.

L&W” has the meaning specified in Section 11.17(a).

L&W Privileged Communications” has the meaning specified in Section 11.17(a).

Law” means any statute, law (including common law), act, code, ordinance, rule, regulation or Governmental Order, in each case, of any Governmental Authority.

Letter of Transmittal” means a letter of transmittal substantially in the form attached as Exhibit F hereto, with such changes as may be required by the Exchange Agent for uncertificated shares and reasonably acceptable to the Company and Acquiror.

Lien” means any mortgage, deed of trust, pledge, hypothecation, easement, right of way, purchase option, right of first refusal, covenant, restriction, security interest, title defect, encroachment or other survey defect, or other lien or encumbrance of any kind, except for (a) any restrictions or other matters arising under or pursuant to any applicable Securities Laws, and (b) immaterial easements, rights of way, covenants, encumbrances or restrictions that do not materially detract the value of the underlying asset or the use of the asset.

Material Adverse Effect” means any event, change, circumstance or development that has a material adverse effect on (i) the assets, business, results of operations or financial condition of the Company and its Affiliates or (ii) the ability of the Company to consummate the Transactions; provided, however, that in no event would any of the following (or the effect of any of the following), alone or in combination, be deemed to constitute, or be taken into account in determining whether there has been or will be, a “Material Adverse Effect” pursuant to clause (i) above: (a) any change or development in applicable Laws (including COVID-19 Measures) or GAAP or any official interpretation thereof, in each case, after the date hereof, (b) any change or development in interest rates or economic, political, legislative, regulatory, business, financial, commodity, currency or market conditions generally affecting the economy or the industry in which the Company operates, (c) any change generally affecting any of the industries or markets in which the Company operates or the economy as a whole, (d) the compliance with the terms of this Agreement or the taking of any action required by this Agreement (provided, that the exceptions in this clause (d) shall not

 

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be deemed to apply to references to “Material Adverse Effect” in the representations and warranties set forth in Section 4.02(b) and, to the extent related thereto, the condition in Section 9.02(a)), (e) any earthquake, hurricane, tsunami, tornado, flood, mudslide, wild fire or other natural disaster, epidemic, disease outbreak, pandemic (including COVID-19 (or any mutation or variation thereof or related health condition)), weather condition, explosion fire, act of God or other force majeure event, (f) any national or international political or social conditions in countries in which, or in the proximate geographic region of which, the Company operates, including the engagement by the United States or such other countries in hostilities or the escalation thereof, whether or not pursuant to the declaration of a national emergency or war, or the occurrence or the escalation of any military or terrorist attack upon the United States or such other country, or any territories, possessions, or diplomatic or consular offices of the United States or such other countries or upon any United States or such other country military installation, equipment or personnel, or (g) any failure of the Company to meet any projections, forecasts or budgets; provided, that clause (g) shall not prevent or otherwise affect a determination that any change or effect underlying such failure to meet projections or forecasts has resulted in, or contributed to, or would reasonably be expected to result in or contribute to, a Material Adverse Effect (to the extent such change or effect is not otherwise excluded from this definition of Material Adverse Effect), except in the case of clause (a), (b), (c), (e), and (f) to the extent that such change has a disproportionate impact on the Company, as compared to other industry participants.

Material Contract” means the PSA, the Subscription Agreements, and all other documents, exhibits and schedules contemplated thereby, including the Senior Secured Term Loan Agreement and the Senior Secured Term Loan Agreement Collateral Documents.

Mergers” has the meaning specified in the Recitals hereto.

NYSE” means the New York Stock Exchange.

NYSE Proposal” has the meaning specified in Section 8.03(c).

Offer” has the meaning specified in the Recitals hereto.

Outstanding Acquiror Expenses” has the meaning specified in Section 3.04(b).

Outstanding Company Expenses” has the meaning specified in Section 3.04(a).

Per Share Merger Consideration” mean the quotient of (i) the Aggregate Merger Consideration divided by (ii) the total number of shares of Holdco Equity outstanding immediately prior to the Holdco Merger.

Permit” means any approvals, licenses, consents, registrations, franchises, permits, certificates, qualifications, variances, waivers, exemptions or other authorizations issued by, obtained from, or filed with a Governmental Authority.

Permitted Liens” means (i) statutory or common law Liens of mechanics, materialmen, warehousemen, landlords, carriers, repairmen, construction contractors and other similar Liens (A) that arise in the ordinary course of business, or (B) relate to amounts not yet delinquent, (ii) Liens arising under original purchase price conditional sales contracts and equipment leases with third parties entered into in the ordinary course of business, (iii) non-monetary Liens, encumbrances and restrictions on real property (including easements, covenants, rights of way and similar restrictions of record) that do not, individually or in the aggregate, materially interfere with the present uses of such real property, (iv) requirements and restrictions of zoning, building and other applicable Laws and municipal by-laws, and development, site plan, subdivision or other agreements with municipalities, which do not materially interfere with the current use or occupancy of any real property leased by the Company, and (v) Liens described on Schedule 1.01(a).

Person” means any individual, firm, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, joint stock company, Governmental Authority or other entity of any kind.

 

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Pre-Signing Subscription Agreements” has the meaning specified in Section 4.13.

Private Placement” has the meaning specified in the Recitals hereto.

Proposals” has the meaning specified in Section 8.03(c).

Proxy Statement” has the meaning specified in Section 8.03(a).

PSA” has the meaning specified in the Recitals hereto.

Redeeming Stockholder” means an Acquiror Stockholder who demands that Acquiror redeem its Acquiror Common Stock for cash in connection with the Transactions and in accordance with the Acquiror Organizational Documents.

Registration Rights Agreement” has the meaning specified in the Recitals hereto.

Representative” means, as to any Person, any of the officers, directors, managers, employees, counsel, accountants, financial advisors, debt financing sources (in such capacity) and consultants of such Person.

Sable Group” has the meaning specified in Section 11.17(b).

Schedules” means the disclosure schedules of the Company or Acquiror, as applicable.

SEC” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

SEC Clearance” has the meaning specified in Section 8.03(a).

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

Securities Laws” means the securities Laws of any state, federal or foreign entity and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

Senior Secured Term Loan Agreement” has the meaning ascribed to such term in the PSA.

Senior Secured Term Loan Agreement Collateral Documents” has the meaning ascribed to the term “Collateral Documents” in the PSA.

SOC” has the meaning specified in the preamble hereto.

SOC Certificate of Merger” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01(b).

SOC Common Stock” means the common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of SOC.

SOC Equityholder” means a holder of SOC Common Stock.

SOC Merger” has the meaning specified in the Recitals hereto.

Special Meeting” means a meeting of the holders of Acquiror Common Stock to be held for the purpose of voting on the Proposals.

Sponsor” means Flame Acquisition Sponsor, LLC.

Subscribers” has the meaning specified in the Recitals hereto.

Subscription Agreements” has the meaning specified in the Recitals hereto.

Subscription Fees” has the meaning specified in Section 4.13.

Subsidiary” means, with respect to a Person, any corporation or other organization (including a limited liability company or a partnership), whether incorporated or unincorporated, of which such Person directly or indirectly owns or controls a majority of the securities or other interests having by their terms ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors or others performing similar functions with respect to such corporation or other organization or any organization of which such Person or any of its Subsidiaries is, directly or indirectly, a general partner or managing member.

Surviving Company” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01(b).

 

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Surviving Provisions” has the meaning specified in Section 10.02.

SYU” has the meaning specified in Section 6.04(a).

Tax” means any federal, state, provincial, territorial, local, foreign and other net income, alternative or add-on minimum, franchise, gross income, adjusted gross income or gross receipts, employment, unemployment, compensation, utility, social security (or similar), withholding, payroll, ad valorem, transfer, windfall profits, branch profits, franchise, license, branch, excise, severance, production, stamp, occupation, premium, personal property, real property, capital stock, profits, disability, registration, value added, capital gains, goods and services, estimated, alternative minimum, sales, use, or other tax, escheat or unclaimed property obligation, governmental fee or other like assessment, together with any interest, penalty, fine, levy, impost, duty, charge, addition to tax or additional amount imposed with respect thereto, and including any obligation to assume or succeed to or pay the Tax liability of another Person by Law, Contract or otherwise.

Tax Authority” means any Governmental Authority with jurisdiction or authority to impose, administer, levy, assess or collect Tax.

Tax Return” means any return, report, statement, refund, claim, election, disclosure, declaration, information report or return, statement, estimate or other document filed or required to be filed with a Tax Authority with respect to Taxes, including any schedule or attachment thereto and including any amendments thereof.

Terminating Acquiror Breach” has the meaning specified in Section 10.01(c).

Terminating Company Breach” has the meaning specified in Section 10.01(b).

Termination Date” has the meaning specified in Section 10.01(b).

Transaction Proposal” has the meaning specified in Section 8.03(c).

Transactions” means the transactions contemplated by this Agreement to occur at or immediately prior to the Closing, including the Mergers.

Transfer Taxes” has the meaning specified in Section 8.04(a).

Treasury Regulations” means the final, temporary and proposed United States Department of the Treasury regulations promulgated under the Code, as such regulations may be amended from time to time.

Trust Account” has the meaning specified in Section 5.06(a).

Trust Agreement” has the meaning specified in Section 5.06(a).

Trustee” has the meaning specified in Section 5.06(a).

Warrant Agreement” means that certain Warrant Agreement, dated as of February 24, 2021, by and between Flame and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, as warrant agent.

Willful Breach” means, with respect to this Agreement, a party’s knowing and intentional material breach of any of its representations or warranties as set forth in this Agreement, or such party’s material breach of any of its covenants or other agreements set forth in this Agreement, which material breach constitutes, or is a consequence of, a purposeful act or failure to act by such party with the knowledge that the taking of such act or failure to take such act would cause a material breach of this Agreement.

1.02 Construction.

(a) Unless the context of this Agreement otherwise requires, (i) words of any gender include each other gender, (ii) words using the singular or plural number also include the plural or singular number, respectively, (iii) the terms “hereof,” “herein,” “hereby,” “hereto” and derivative or similar words refer to this entire Agreement, (iv) the terms “Article”, “Section”, “Schedule”, “Exhibit” and “Annex” refer to the specified Article,

 

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Section, Schedule, Exhibit or Annex of or to this Agreement unless otherwise specified, (v) the word “including” shall mean “including without limitation”, (vi) the word “or” shall be disjunctive but not exclusive and (vii) any reference to a Law shall mean such Law as amended.

(b) Unless the context of this Agreement otherwise requires, references to agreements and other documents shall be deemed to include all subsequent amendments and other modifications thereto.

(c) Unless the context of this Agreement otherwise requires, references to statutes shall include all regulations promulgated thereunder and references to statutes or regulations shall be construed as including all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending or replacing the statute or regulation.

(d) The language used in this Agreement shall be deemed to be the language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent and no rule of strict construction shall be applied against any party.

(e) Whenever this Agreement refers to a number of days, such number shall refer to calendar days unless Business Days are specified. If any action is to be taken or given on or by a particular calendar day, and such calendar day is not a Business Day, then such action may be deferred until the next Business Day.

(f) All accounting terms used herein and not expressly defined herein shall have the meanings given to them under GAAP.

(g) The use of the terms “ordinary course” and “ordinary course of business” shall mean ordinary course of business consistent with past practice.

(h) Each representation and warranty and covenant in this Agreement is given independent effect.

(i) The phrases “delivered,” “provided to,” “furnished to,” “made available” and phrases of similar import when used herein, unless the context otherwise requires, means that a copy of the information or material referred to has been provided no later than two (2) Business Days prior to the date of this Agreement to the party to which such information or material is to be provided or furnished in the virtual “data room” set up by the Company or made accessible to Acquiror in connection with this Agreement.

ARTICLE II

THE MERGERS; CLOSING

2.01 The Mergers.

(a) Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement and the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act and the DGCL, at the Holdco Effective Time, Holdco shall merge with and into Acquiror, with Acquiror surviving such merger. The Holdco Merger shall be consummated in accordance with this Agreement, the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act and the DGCL and evidenced by a certificate of merger (the “Holdco Certificate of Merger”), such Merger to be consummated upon filing of the Holdco Certificate of Merger or at such later time as may be agreed by Acquiror and Holdco in writing and specified in the Holdco Certificate of Merger (the “Holdco Effective Time”). Following the Holdco Effective Time, the separate corporate existence of Holdco shall cease.

(b) Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement and the DGCL and the Texas Business Organizations Code, immediately following the Holdco Effective Time, SOC shall merge with and into Acquiror, with Acquiror surviving such merger (Acquiror, in such capacity, hereinafter referred to for the periods at and after the Effective Time as the “Surviving Company”). The SOC Merger shall be consummated in accordance with this Agreement, the DGCL and the Texas Business Organizations Code and

 

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evidenced by a certificate of merger (the “SOC Certificate of Merger”), such Merger to be consummated upon filing of the SOC Certificate of Merger or at such later time as may be agreed by Acquiror and SOC in writing and specified in the SOC Certificate of Merger (the time the SOC Merger becomes effective being the “Effective Time”). Following the Effective Time, the separate corporate existence of SOC shall cease.

2.02 Effects of the Mergers.

(a) The Holdco Merger shall have the effects set forth in this Agreement and the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act and the DGCL. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing and subject thereto, by virtue of the Holdco Merger and without further act or deed, at the Holdco Effective Time, all of the property, rights, privileges, powers and franchises of the Holdco and Acquiror shall vest in the Surviving Company and all of the debts, liabilities and duties of the Holdco and Acquiror shall become the debts, liabilities and duties of the Surviving Company.

(b) The SOC Merger shall have the effects set forth in this Agreement and the DGCL and the Texas Business Organizations Code. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing and subject thereto, by virtue of the SOC Merger and without further act or deed, at the Effective Time, all of the property, rights, privileges, powers and franchises of the SOC and Acquiror shall vest in the Surviving Company and all of the debts, liabilities and duties of the SOC and Acquiror shall become the debts, liabilities and duties of the Surviving Company.

2.03 Closing. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the closing of the Mergers (the “Closing”) shall take place electronically through the exchange of documents via e-mail or facsimile on the date which is three (3) Business Days after the date on which all conditions set forth in Article IX shall have been satisfied or waived (other than those conditions that by their terms are to be satisfied at the Closing, but subject to the satisfaction or waiver thereof) or such other time and place as Acquiror, the Holdco and SOC may mutually agree in writing. The date on which the Closing actually occurs is referred to in this Agreement as the “Closing Date.” Subject to the satisfaction or waiver of all of the conditions set forth in Article IX of this Agreement, and provided this Agreement has not theretofore been terminated pursuant to its terms, (a) on the Closing Date, Acquiror shall cause the Holdco Certificate of Merger to be executed, acknowledged and filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware as provided in applicable provisions of the DGCL and the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act, and (b) on the Closing Date, Acquiror shall cause the SOC Certificate of Merger to be executed, acknowledged and filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware as provided in applicable provisions of the DGCL and filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Texas as provided in applicable provisions of the Texas Business Organizations Code (provided that SOC and Acquiror shall take such actions as may be necessary to cause the SOC Certificate of Merger not to take effect until immediately following the Holdco Effective Time). At the Effective Time, Acquiror shall be renamed “Sable Offshore Corp.” as provided in the Acquiror Charter and shall trade publicly on the NYSE under a new ticker symbol mutually selected by Acquiror, the Holdco and SOC.

2.04 Organizational Documents; Officers and Directors – Holdco Merger.

(a) At the Holdco Effective Time, the Acquiror Organizational Documents shall remain unchanged and shall be the certificate of incorporation and bylaws of the surviving company in the Holdco Merger, until thereafter supplemented or amended in accordance with their respective terms and the DGCL.

(b) Persons constituting the officers and directors of the Acquiror prior to the Holdco Effective Time shall continue to be the officers and directors of the surviving company in the Holdco Merger immediately following the Holdco Effective Time. Each such officer and director of Acquiror shall remain in office as an officer or director, as applicable, of Acquiror until his or her successor is elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal.

 

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2.05 Organizational Document; Officers and Directors – SOC Merger.

(a) At the Effective Time, the Acquiror Charter shall be the certificate of incorporation of Acquiror, until thereafter supplemented or amended in accordance with its terms and the DGCL.

(b) At the Effective Time, the Acquiror Bylaws shall be the bylaws of Acquiror, until thereafter supplemented or amended in accordance with its terms, the Acquiror Bylaws and the DGCL.

(c) Persons constituting the officers of Acquiror prior to the Effective Time shall continue to be the officers of the Surviving Company until the earlier of their death, resignation or removal or until their respective successors are duly appointed.

(d) Except as otherwise agreed in writing by Holdco, SOC and Acquiror prior to the Closing, each director of Acquiror in office immediately prior to the Effective Time shall continue to be a director immediately following the Effective Time. Each director of Acquiror shall remain in office as a director of Acquiror until his or her successor is elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal. If any of Acquiror’s current directors shall be unable or unwilling to serve at the Closing, the Holdco, SOC and Acquiror shall promptly designate a replacement director.

2.06 Acquiror Class B Common Stock Conversion. Immediately prior to the Holdco Effective Time, each share of Acquiror Class B Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Holdco Effective Time shall automatically be converted into and exchanged for a number of validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable shares of Acquiror Class A Common Stock equal to the Class B Conversion Ratio, and such Acquiror Class B Common Stock shall thereafter cease to be outstanding, shall be canceled and shall cease to exist (collectively, the “Conversion”).

ARTICLE III

EFFECTS OF THE MERGERS

3.01 Effect on Capital Stock and Units.

(a) At the Holdco Effective Time, by virtue of the Holdco Merger and without any action on the part of the Holdco or Acquiror, or the holder of any equity thereof:

(i) Acquiror Common Stock. At and after the Holdco Effective Time, each share of Acquiror Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Holdco Effective Time, including the Acquiror Class A Common Stock issued in connection with the Conversion, shall not be affected by the Holdco Merger.

(ii) Cancellation of Certain Holdco Equity. Each share of Holdco Equity issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Holdco Effective Time that is held by Holdco in treasury or owned by Acquiror shall no longer be outstanding and shall be automatically canceled and shall cease to exist (the “Canceled Holdco Equity”), and no consideration shall be delivered in exchange therefor.

(iii) Conversion of All Other Holdco Equity. Each share of Holdco Equity issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Holdco Effective Time, other than any Canceled Holdco Equity, shall, at the Holdco Effective Time, automatically, and without any further action required on the part of any Person, be irrevocably canceled and extinguished and converted into, and the Holdco Equityholder thereof shall cease to have any rights with respect thereto except for, subject to Section 3.02, the right to receive the Per Share Merger Consideration.

 

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(b) At the Effective Time, by virtue of the SOC Merger and without any action on the part of SOC or Acquiror, or the holder of any equity thereof:

(i) Acquiror Common Stock. At and after the Effective Time, each share of Acquiror Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time, including the Acquiror Class A Common Stock issued in connection with the Conversion and the Acquiror Class A Common Stock issued pursuant to Section 3.01(a)(iii), shall not be affected by the SOC Merger.

(ii) Cancellation of SOC Common Stock. Each share of SOC Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall no longer be outstanding and shall be automatically canceled and shall cease to exist, and no consideration shall be delivered in exchange therefor.

3.02 Exchange of Holdco Equity.

(a) Exchange Agent. At or prior to the Holdco Effective Time, Acquiror shall deposit (or cause to be deposited) with American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC (the “Exchange Agent”) the number of shares of Acquiror Common Stock comprising the Aggregate Merger Consideration in respect of the Holdco Equity, other than any Canceled Holdco Equity, for exchange in accordance with this Section 3.02 through the Exchange Agent (the “Exchange Fund”). The Exchange Agent shall, pursuant to irrevocable instructions, deliver the Aggregate Merger Consideration contemplated to be issued pursuant to Section 3.01(a)(iii) out of the Exchange Fund in the manner directed by the Acquiror in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. The Exchange Fund shall not be used for any other purpose.

(b) Exchange Procedures.

(i) At least five (5) days prior to the Closing, Acquiror shall send or shall cause the Exchange Agent to send, to each Holdco Equityholder at the physical address or email address on record with the Holdco, (A) a notice advising such Holdco Equityholder of the proposed effectiveness of the Holdco Merger, (B) the Letter of Transmittal, and (C) notice of the procedures for surrendering to the Acquiror such Holdco Equityholder’s duly executed Letter of Transmittal (with all other documentation required to be delivered pursuant to the Letter of Transmittal or the Exchange Agent in respect of uncertificated shares), and instructions for transferring such Holdco Equityholder’s shares of Holdco Equity, in exchange for the aggregate share of the Aggregate Merger Consideration payable to such Holdco Equityholder pursuant to Section 3.01(a)(iii). Upon delivery of a Letter of Transmittal by such Holdco Equityholder, duly executed and in proper form with all enclosures and attachments required thereby, such Holdco Equityholder shall be entitled to receive the aggregate share of the Aggregate Merger Consideration payable to such Holdco Equityholder in exchange for the shares of Holdco Equity so surrendered. Until surrendered as contemplated hereby, each share of Holdco Equity shall be deemed at any time after the Effective Time to represent only the right to receive the applicable Per Share Merger Consideration in respect thereof.

(ii) Following the Closing, within two (2) Business Days of receipt of all required documentation from a Holdco Equityholder required by this Agreement and the Exchange Agent in respect of uncertificated shares, including the Letter of Transmittal and an IRS Form W-9, the Acquiror shall issue (or cause the Exchange Agent to issue) to such Holdco Equityholder, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the aggregate share of the Aggregate Merger Consideration payable to such Holdco Equityholder in exchange for such Person’s Holdco Equity; provided, however, that to the extent that all such required documentation was provided to the Acquiror at least two (2) Business Days before the Closing Date by a Holdco Equityholder, then the Acquiror shall issue (or cause the Exchange Agent to issue) to such Holdco Equityholder, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the aggregate share of the Aggregate Merger Consideration payable to such Holdco Equityholder in exchange for such Person’s Holdco Equity on the Closing Date. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement or any knowledge possessed or acquired by or on behalf of Acquiror or any of its Affiliates, Acquiror, the Exchange Agent and their Affiliates shall be entitled to conclusively and definitively rely on,

 

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without any obligation to investigate or verify the accuracy, inaccuracy or correctness thereof, and without any liability, the documentation provided by each Holdco Equityholder (including wire instructions, account information or addresses), which shall be binding on and enforceable against such Holdco Equityholder.

(iii) If payment of any Per Share Merger Consideration is to be made to a Person other than the Person in whose name any surrendered share of Holdco Equity is registered, it shall be a condition precedent to payment that the share of Holdco Equity so surrendered shall be in proper form for transfer, and the Person requesting such payment shall have paid any transfer and other similar Taxes required by reason of the delivery of the applicable Per Share Merger Consideration in respect thereof, as applicable, to a Person other than the registered holder of the share of Holdco Equity so surrendered and shall have established to the satisfaction of Acquiror that such Taxes either have been paid or are not required to be paid.

(c) No Interest; Transfer Books. No interest shall accrue or be paid on any amounts payable to any Holdco Equityholder pursuant to this Agreement. From and after the respective effective time of the Mergers, the share ownership ledger and stock ledger, as applicable, of each of the Holdco and SOC shall be closed and there shall be no further registration of transfers on the ledgers of the Company or the Acquiror of any shares, common stock or other equity of the Holdco or SOC that were outstanding immediately prior to the applicable effective time of such Merger.

(d) Termination of Exchange Fund; Abandoned Property At any time following the date that is one (1) year after the Closing Date, Acquiror shall be entitled to require the Exchange Agent to deliver to it any shares of Acquiror Common Stock remaining in the Exchange Fund made available to the Exchange Agent and not delivered to Holdco Equityholders, and thereafter such Holdco Equityholders shall be entitled to look only to Acquiror (subject to abandoned property, escheat or other similar Laws) as general creditors thereof with respect to the aggregate share of the Aggregate Merger Consideration payable to such Holdco Equityholder in exchange for such shares of Holdco Equity pursuant to this Agreement and upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Section 3.02. Neither the Surviving Company nor the Exchange Agent shall be liable to any Holdco Equityholder for any amounts delivered to a public official pursuant to any applicable abandoned property, escheat or similar Law.

3.03 Withholding. Each of Acquiror, the Holdco, SOC the Surviving Company and their respective withholding agents (without duplication) shall be entitled to deduct and withhold (or cause to be deducted and withheld) from the consideration or any amounts otherwise payable in connection with this Agreement such amounts that any such Persons are required to deduct and withhold (or cause to be deducted and withheld) with respect to any payments contemplated by this Agreement under the Code or any other applicable Law. To the extent that Acquiror, the Holdco, SOC the Surviving Company or their respective withholding agents withholds or deducts such amounts with respect to any Person and properly remits such withheld or deducted amounts to the applicable Governmental Authority when due, such withheld or deducted amounts shall be treated as having been paid to or on behalf of such Person in respect of which such withholding or deduction was made for all purposes.

3.04 Payment of Expenses.

(a) On the Closing Date, Acquiror shall (i) pay or cause to be paid (to the extent unpaid on the Closing Date), by wire transfer of immediately available funds all documented and out-of-pocket (a) fees and disbursements of outside counsel incurred by or on behalf of the Company in connection with the Transactions or the Asset Acquisition and fees and expenses of the Company for any other agents, advisors, consultants, experts, independent contractors and financial advisors engaged by or on behalf of the Company and incurred in connection with the Transactions or the Asset Acquisition, in each case, that are paid or accrued and unpaid as of the Closing and (b) the Subscription Fees (foregoing clauses (a) and (b), collectively, the “Outstanding Company Expenses”); and (ii) reimburse or cause to be reimbursed via the transfer of immediately available funds all reasonable, documented and out-of-pocket fees and expenses of any Holdco Equityholder, for any agents,

 

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advisors, consultants, experts, independent contractors and financial advisors engaged on behalf of the Company and incurred in connection with the Transactions or the Asset Acquisition, in each case, that are paid as of the Closing (the “Holdco Equityholder Expenses”); provided, however, that in no event shall the total Holdco Equityholder Expenses exceed $1,500,000 without the prior written consent of Acquiror; provided further, that if any fee or expense is classified as an Holdco Equityholder Expense it shall not also be an Outstanding Company Expense, or vice versa.

(b) On the Closing Date following the Closing, Acquiror shall pay or cause to be paid by wire transfer of immediately available funds all reasonable, documented out-of-pocket fees and disbursements of Acquiror or the Sponsor for outside counsel and fees and expenses of Acquiror or the Sponsor or for any other agents, advisors, consultants, experts and financial advisors engaged by or on behalf of Acquiror or the Sponsor and incurred in connection with the Transactions and the Asset Acquisition, in each case, that are accrued and unpaid as of the Closing (collectively, the “Outstanding Acquiror Expenses”).

(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 3.04, neither the Company, nor the Sponsor, nor any Holdco Equityholder shall be entitled to payment or reimbursement under this Section 3.04 of any amounts in respect of which Acquiror issued a promissory note to, or entered into an instrument of indebtedness with or other a contractual right of repayment benefitting, the Company, the Sponsor or such Holdco Equityholder, as applicable, which is satisfied in full in accordance with its terms in connection with the Closing.

3.05 No Appraisal Rights. No Holdco Equityholder or SOC Equityholder shall have any appraisal, quasi-appraisal, dissenters’ or any other similar rights under this Agreement or any other circumstances with respect to any Holdco Equity or SOC Common Stock in connection with the Mergers.

3.06 No Fractional Shares. No certificate, book-entry share or scrip representing fractional shares of Acquiror Class A Common Stock shall be issued upon the surrender for exchange of Holdco Equity, no dividend or distribution of Acquiror shall be payable on or with respect to any such fractional share interests, and such fractional share interests will not entitle the owner thereof to vote or to any other rights of a shareholder of Acquiror. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, all fractional shares of Acquiror Class A Common Stock that a Holdco Equityholder would otherwise have been entitled to receive pursuant to Section 3.01(a)(iii) will be aggregated and then, if a fractional share of Acquiror Class A Common Stock results from that aggregation, be rounded down to the nearest whole share of Acquiror Class A Common Stock.

3.07 Anti-Dilution Provisions. Without limiting the other provisions of this Agreement and subject to Section 7.02(a)(ii) and Section 7.02(a)(x), if at any time during the period between the date of this Agreement and the Holdco Effective Time, the issued and outstanding shares of Acquiror Common Stock shall have been changed into a different number of shares or a different class by reasons of any reclassification, stock split (including reverse stock split), stock dividend or distribution, reorganization, readjustment, recapitalization, redenomination, merger, issuer tender or exchange offer or other similar transaction, then, the Aggregate Merger Consideration shall be equitably and proportionately adjusted, if necessary and without duplication, to reflect fully the effect of any such change to provide the Holders of Holdco Equity the same economic effect as contemplated by this Agreement.

 

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ARTICLE IV

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY

Except as set forth in the Schedules to this Agreement (each of which qualifies (a) the correspondingly numbered representation, warranty or covenant if specified therein and (b) such other representations, warranties or covenants where its relevance as an exception to (or disclosure for purposes of) such other representation, warranty or covenant is reasonably apparent on its face), the Company hereby represents and warrants to Acquiror as follows:

4.01 Organization, Standing and Corporate Power. The Holdco is a limited liability company duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the State of Delaware and has all requisite legal entity power and authority to carry on its business as now being conducted. SOC is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the State of Texas and has all requisite legal entity power and authority to carry on its business as now being conducted. Each of the Holdco and SOC is duly qualified or licensed to do business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the nature of its business or the ownership, leasing or operation of its properties makes such qualification or licensing necessary, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to prevent, materially delay or materially impair the ability of such Person to consummate the Transactions or result in material liability to the Company. The Company Organizational Documents that have been made available to Acquiror are true, correct and complete and are in effect as of the date of the Agreement and neither the Holdco nor SOC is in default under or in violation of any provision thereunder, as applicable.

4.02 Corporate Authority; Approval; Non-Contravention.

(a) Each of the Holdco and SOC has all requisite corporate or other legal entity power and authority, and has taken all corporate or other legal entity action necessary in order to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements to which it is a party and, subject to satisfaction of the conditions to Closing contemplated hereby, to consummate the Transactions. The execution, delivery and performance by each of the Holdco and SOC of this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements to which it is a party, and the consummation by it of the Transactions, have been duly and validly authorized by all necessary corporate or other legal entity consents and authorizations on the part of such Person, and no other corporate or other legal entity actions on the part of such Person are necessary to authorize the execution and delivery by such Person of this Agreement, the Ancillary Agreements to which it is a party and the consummation by it of the Transactions. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by each of the Holdco and SOC and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery hereof by the other parties, is a legal, valid and binding obligation of such Person, enforceable against such Person in accordance with its terms (subject to applicable bankruptcy, solvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and other Laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and by general principles of equity (the “Enforceability Exceptions”)).

(b) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements to which each of the Holdco and SOC is a party, and the consummation of the Transactions, do not, and will not, constitute or result in (i) a breach or violation of, or a default under, the applicable Company Organizational Documents or (ii) with or without notice, lapse of time or both, a breach or violation of, a termination (or right of termination) of or default or change of control under, the creation or acceleration of any obligations under or the creation of a Lien (without regard to any Lien on a deposit in favor of Seller pending the closing of the PSA and the Senior Secured Term Loan Agreement) on any of the assets of the Company or any of its Affiliates pursuant to, any Material Contract to which the Company or any of its Affiliates is a party or, assuming (solely with respect to performance of this Agreement and consummation of the Transactions) compliance with the matters referred to in Section 4.02(a), under any Law to which the Company or any of its Affiliates is subject (except Laws that are applicable due to the Company’s business, or the Contracts or licenses of the Company), except (in the case of clause (ii) above) for such violations, breaches, defaults or changes of control which would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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4.03 Governmental Approvals. No consent, clearance or approval of, or registration, declaration, notice or filing with, any Governmental Authority is required by or with respect to the Company in connection with the execution and delivery by the Company of this Agreement or the consummation by the Company of the Transactions, except for (i) any applicable requirements of the HSR Act, (ii) such other consents, registrations, declarations, notices and filings which, if not obtained or made, would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and (iii) the filing of the Holdco Certificate of Merger and the SOC Certificate of Merger with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware and with regard to the SOC Certificate of Merger, the Secretary of State of the State of Texas.

4.04 Capitalization.

(a) The authorized equity of the Holdco consists of 6,575,000 shares of Holdco Equity, 3,000,000 of which are outstanding, and 40,000,000 shares of limited liability company membership interests in the Holdco designated as non-voting Class B shares. The authorized equity of SOC consists of 1,000 shares of SOC Common Stock, all of which are outstanding and held by Holdco. Set forth on Schedule 4.04(a) is a true, correct and complete list of each holder of issued and outstanding capital stock or other equity securities (including notes and other securities convertible into equity securities) of each of the Holdco and SOC and the number of shares or other equity interests held by each such holder. All of the outstanding Holdco Equity and SOC Common Stock (i) are duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and, to the extent applicable, nonassessable, (ii) were issued in compliance in all material respects with applicable Laws, (iii) were not issued in breach or violation of any preemptive rights or Contract to which the Holdco or SOC, as applicable, is a party, and (iv) are owned free and clear of any Lien.

(b) Except for the Subscription Agreements and as set forth in Schedule 4.04(b), there are no preemptive or other outstanding rights, options, warrants, phantom interests, conversion rights, equity appreciation rights, redemption rights, repurchase rights, agreements, arrangements, calls, commitments or rights of any kind that obligate either the Holdco or SOC to issue or to sell any shares of its capital stock or other equity securities, or any securities or obligations convertible or exchangeable into or exercisable for, valued by reference to or giving any Person a right to subscribe for or acquire, any such capital stock or other equity securities or to vote with the Holdco Equityholders or SOC Equityholders on any matter, and no securities or obligations evidencing such rights are authorized, issued or outstanding. Except for the Subscription Agreements and as set forth in Schedule 4.04(b), neither the Holdco nor SOC is party to any stockholders agreement, voting agreement or registration rights agreement relating to its equity interests. No Holdco Equityholder or SOC Equityholder shall have any appraisal, quasi-appraisal, dissenters’ or any other similar rights under this Agreement or any other circumstances with respect to any Holdco Equity or SOC Common Stock in connection with the Mergers.

4.05 Subsidiaries. Except as set forth on Schedule 4.05, neither the Holdco nor SOC owns or controls, directly or indirectly, any equity interests in any other Person or is a participant in any joint venture, partnership or similar arrangement.

4.06 Information Supplied. The information supplied in writing by the Company for inclusion in the Proxy Statement (including any financial information) will not, as of the date the Proxy Statement is filed with the SEC and at the time of any meeting of the Acquiror Stockholders to be held in connection with the Transactions, contain any untrue statement of a material fact, or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not false or misleading. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, the Company makes no representation or warranty or covenant with respect to: (a) statements made or incorporated by reference therein in the Proxy Statement based on information supplied by Acquiror for inclusion therein or (b) any projections or forecasts or forward looking statements included in the Proxy Statement.

 

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4.07 Brokers. No broker, investment banker, financial advisor or other Person, other than those set out in Schedule 4.07, the fees and expenses of which will be paid by the Company pursuant to an engagement letter entered into therewith, is entitled to any broker’s, finder’s, financial advisor’s or other similar fee or commission in connection with the Transactions based upon arrangements made by or on behalf of the Company or any of its Affiliates.

4.08 Affiliate Agreements. Except as set forth on Schedule 4.08, neither the Holdco nor SOC is a party to any transaction, agreement, arrangement or understanding with any (a) present or former executive officer or director of Acquiror, the Holdco or SOC, (b) beneficial owner (within the meaning of Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act) of 5% or more of the capital stock or equity interests of Acquiror, the Holdco or SOC or (c) Affiliate, “associate” or member of the “immediate family” (as such terms are respectively defined in Rules 12b-2 and 16a-1 of the Exchange Act) of any of the foregoing.

4.09 PSA. The representations and warranties of the Seller and Purchaser (each, as defined in the PSA) in the PSA are incorporated by reference herein mutatis mutandis as if fully set forth in this Agreement as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date, and are for the benefit of the Acquiror; provided, that (a) any references to “date of this Agreement,” “date hereof,” or similar phrases shall hereby refer to the date of this Agreement, (b) any reference of the PSA to “Closing Date” shall hereby refer to the Closing Date of this Agreement, and (c) any reference to “Schedules” and to any section thereof shall hereby refer to the Schedules and to such section as set forth in Schedule 4.09 of the Schedules, respectively, in each case unless the context dictates otherwise and any other capitalized terms used therein shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the PSA. To the Knowledge of the Company, the Company has no reason to believe that the conditions precedent to the financing contemplated by the PSA and the Senior Secured Term Loan Agreement will not be satisfied on a timely basis, that the Seller financing contemplated in the Senior Secured Term Loan Agreement will not be available in order to contemporaneously complete the Asset Acquisition with the Closing and that any default or event of default under the Senior Secured Term Loan Agreement will occur upon closing of the Senior Secured Term Loan Agreement.

4.10 Company Operations. Prior to the Closing, other than as set forth on Schedule 4.10 of the Schedules and other than the Subscription Agreements and the PSA, the Company and its Subsidiaries do not have any assets, liabilities, employees, Benefit Plans, or operating history.

4.11 Taxes.

(a) Each of the Holdco and SOC has timely filed with the appropriate Tax Authority, or has caused to be timely filed on its behalf (taking into account any valid extension of time within which to file), all material Tax Returns required to be filed by or on behalf of it, and all such Tax Returns are true, correct and complete in all material respects. Each of the Holdco and SOC has timely paid all material Taxes due and payable.

(b) Each of the Holdco and SOC has (i) withheld all material amounts of Taxes required to have been withheld by it in connection with amounts paid to any employee, independent contractor, creditor, stockholder or any other party, and (ii) timely remitted such amounts required to have been remitted to the appropriate Tax Authority.

(c) For U.S. federal income Tax purposes, (i) the Holdco is, and has been since formation, properly classified as a disregarded entity and (ii) SOC is, and has been since formation, properly classified as a corporation.

4.12 No Outside Reliance. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement, the Company and its Affiliates and any of its and their respective directors, officers, employees, partners, stockholders, members or Representatives, acknowledge and agree that the Company has made its own investigation of the Acquiror and that neither Acquiror nor any of its Affiliates or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, partners,

 

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stockholders, members, agents or Representatives is making any representation or warranty whatsoever, express or implied, beyond the Acquiror Representations, including any implied warranty or representation as to condition, merchantability, suitability or fitness for a particular purpose or trade as to any equity interest in Acquiror or any assets of Acquiror, and the Company, on its own behalf and on behalf of its Affiliates and its and their directors, officers, employees, partners, stockholders, members or Representatives, disclaim reliance on any representations and warranties, express or implied, other than the Acquiror Representations. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, it is understood that any cost or other estimates, financial or other projections or other predictions, as well as any information, documents or other materials (including any such materials contained in any “data room” (whether or not accessed by the Company or its Representatives) or reviewed by the Company) or management presentations that have been or shall hereafter be provided to the Company or any of its Affiliates, agents or Representatives are not and will not be deemed to be representations or warranties of the Acquiror, and no representation or warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of any of the foregoing except as may be expressly set forth in an Acquiror Representation.

4.13 Subscriptions. The Company has delivered to Acquiror true, correct and complete copies of each of the fully executed Subscription Agreements entered into on or prior to the execution of this Agreement (the “Pre-Signing Subscription Agreements”), pursuant to which the Subscribers have committed, subject to the terms and conditions therein, to purchase 7,150,000 shares of Acquiror Class A Common Stock in the aggregate for an aggregate amount equal to $71,500,000. Each of the Pre-Signing Subscription Agreements is in full force and effect and is legal, valid and binding upon the Company and, to the Knowledge of the Company, the applicable Subscribers, enforceable in accordance with its terms. None of the Pre-Signing Subscription Agreements has been withdrawn, terminated, amended or modified since the date of delivery hereunder and prior to the execution of this Agreement, and, to the Knowledge of the Company, as of the date of this Agreement no such withdrawal, termination, amendment or modification is contemplated, and as of the date of this Agreement the commitments contained in the Pre-Signing Subscription Agreements have not been withdrawn, terminated or rescinded by the applicable Subscribers in any respect. As of the date hereof, there are no side letters or Contracts to which the Company is a party related to the provision or funding, as applicable, of the purchases contemplated by the Pre-Signing Subscription Agreements or the transactions contemplated hereby other than as expressly set forth in this Agreement or the Pre-Signing Subscription Agreements. The Company has fully paid any and all commitment fees or other fees required in connection with the Pre-Signing Subscription Agreements that are payable on or prior to the date hereof and will pay any and all such fees when and as the same become due and payable after the date hereof and prior to the Holdco Effective Time pursuant to the Pre-Signing Subscription Agreements (such reasonable commitment fees or other reasonable fees paid by the Company prior to the Holdco Effective Time, the “Subscription Fees”). The Company has, and to the Knowledge of the Company, each Subscriber has, complied with all of its obligations under the Pre-Signing Subscription Agreements. There are no conditions precedent or other contingencies related to the consummation of the purchases set forth in the Pre-Signing Subscription Agreements, other than as expressly set forth in the Pre-Signing Subscription Agreements. The Pre-Signing Subscription Agreements are freely assignable by operation of law from the Company to Acquiror in connection with the Transactions. To the Knowledge of the Company on the date hereof, no event has occurred which, with or without notice, lapse of time or both, would or would reasonably be expected to (i) constitute a default or breach on the part of the Company or the Subscribers that are party to the Pre-Signing Subscription Agreements, (ii) assuming the conditions set forth in Section 9.01 and Section 9.03 will be satisfied, constitute a failure to satisfy a condition on the part of the Company or such Subscribers or (iii) assuming the conditions set forth in Section 9.01 and Section 9.03 will be satisfied result in any portion of the amounts to be paid by such Subscribers in accordance with the Pre-Signing Subscription Agreements being unavailable on the Closing Date. As of the date hereof, assuming the conditions set forth in Section 9.01 and Section 9.03 will be satisfied, the Company does not have Knowledge of any reason that any of the conditions to the consummation of the purchases under the Pre-Signing Subscription Agreements will not be satisfied, and, as of the date hereof, the Company does not have Knowledge of any fact or event that would or would reasonably be expected to cause such conditions not to be satisfied.

 

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4.14 No Other Representations or Warranties. The Company Representations are the exclusive representations and warranties made by the Company. Except for the Company Representations neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates or Representatives or any other Person has made or makes any other express or implied representation or warranty, either written or oral, on behalf of the Company, to the accuracy or completeness of any information regarding the Company or the Assets available to the other parties or their respective Representatives and expressly disclaims any such other representations or warranties. In particular, without limiting the foregoing, neither the Company nor any other Person makes or has made any representation or warranty to the other parties hereto with respect to, and shall have no liability in respect of, (a) any financial projection, forecast, estimate, budget or prospect information relating to the Company or the Asset Acquisition or (b) any oral or, written information made available to the other parties hereto in the course of their evaluation of the Company or the Asset Acquisition and the negotiation of this Agreement or in the course of the Transactions, except in each case, for the Company Representations.

ARTICLE V

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

OF ACQUIROR

Except as set forth in the Schedules to this Agreement (each of which qualifies (a) the correspondingly numbered representation, warranty or covenant if specified therein and (b) such other representations, warranties or covenants where its relevance as an exception to (or disclosure for purposes of) such other representation, warranty or covenant is reasonably apparent on its face), as it relates to the PSA, any Subscription Agreement or the transactions contemplated thereby, or the transactions contemplated by the Asset Acquisition, or in the Acquiror SEC Reports filed or furnished by Acquiror on or after February 24, 2021 (excluding (x) any disclosures in such Acquiror SEC Reports under the headings “Risk Factors,” “Forward-Looking Statements” or “Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk” and other disclosures that are predictive, cautionary or forward looking in nature and (y) any exhibits or other documents appended thereto), Acquiror represents and warrants to the Company as follows:

5.01 Organization, Standing and Corporate Power. Acquiror is an entity duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the State of Delaware, and has all requisite legal entity power and authority to carry on its business as now being conducted. Acquiror is duly qualified or licensed to do business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the nature of its business or the ownership, leasing or operation of its properties makes such qualification or licensing necessary, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to prevent, materially delay or materially impair the ability of Acquiror to consummate the Transactions or be material and adverse to Acquiror.

5.02 Corporate Authority; Approval; Non-Contravention.

(a) Acquiror has all requisite corporate or other legal entity power and authority, and has taken all corporate or other legal entity action necessary in order to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements to which it is a party and, subject to satisfaction of the conditions to Closing contemplated hereby, to consummate the Transactions. The execution, delivery and performance by Acquiror of this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements to which it is a party, and the consummation by it of the Transactions, have been duly and validly authorized by all necessary corporate consents and authorizations on the part of Acquiror, and no other corporate or other actions on the part of Acquiror are necessary to authorize the execution and delivery by Acquiror of this Agreement, the Ancillary Agreements to which it is a party and the consummation by it of the Transactions, in each case, subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 9.01. This Agreement and each other Ancillary Agreement to which it is a party has been duly executed and delivered by Acquiror and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery hereof and thereof by the other parties, is a legal, valid and binding obligation of Acquiror, enforceable against Acquiror in accordance with its terms (subject to the Enforceability Exceptions).

 

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(b) The execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements to which Acquiror is a party, and the consummation of the Transactions, and subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 9.01 and Section 9.02, do not, and will not, constitute or result in (i) a breach or violation of, or a default under, the Acquiror Organizational Documents or (ii) with or without notice, lapse of time or both, a breach or violation of, a termination (or right of termination) of or default under, the creation or acceleration of any obligations under or the creation of a Lien (without regard to any Lien contemplated by the Senior Secured Term Loan Agreement and the Senior Secured Term Loan Agreement Collateral Documents) on any of the assets of Acquiror or any of its Affiliates pursuant to, any Contract to which Acquiror or any of its Affiliates is a party or, assuming (solely with respect to performance of this Agreement and consummation of the Transactions) compliance with the matters referred to in Section 5.02(a), under any Law to which Acquiror or any of its Affiliates is subject, except (in the case of clause (ii) above) for such violations, breaches or defaults which has not had or would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the ability of Acquiror to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and consummate the Transactions.

5.03 Litigation.

(a) Neither Acquiror nor, to the Knowledge of Acquiror, any of its officers, in their capacities as such, is the subject of or engaged in any material Action before a Governmental Authority, arbitration or other dispute resolution process before a third party unrelated to the dispute, whether as claimant, defendant or otherwise, and no such litigation, arbitration or dispute resolution process is pending or, to the Knowledge of Acquiror, threatened in writing on the date hereof, in each case, that would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the ability of Acquiror to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and consummate the Transactions. As of the date hereof, Acquiror is not, nor to the Knowledge of Acquiror is any of its officers, in their capacities as such, subject to any settlement agreements or arrangements, whether written or oral, or is in discussions for a settlement or arrangement, regarding any material disputes or material claims pursuant to which Acquiror has any material outstanding obligations or which provides for any injunctive relief.

(b) As of the date of this Agreement, Acquiror is not a party to or subject to the provisions of any outstanding judgment, order, writ, injunction, decree or award of any Governmental Authority (except if generally applicable without Acquiror being named therein) that would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the ability of Acquiror to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and consummate the Transactions.

5.04 Compliance with Laws. Acquiror is, and since its date of incorporation, has been, operating in all material respects in a manner that is customary for businesses similar to Acquiror, and Acquiror is conducting and, since its date of incorporation, has conducted its business in compliance in all material respects with all Laws applicable to it.

5.05 Employee Benefit Plans. Except as may be contemplated by the Acquiror Equity Plan Proposal, Acquiror does not maintain, contribute to or have any obligation or liability, or could reasonably be expected to have any obligation or liability, under, any Benefit Plan with respect to which Acquiror has any outstanding obligations or liabilities.

5.06 Financial Ability; Trust Account.

(a) As of October 26, 2022, there is (i) at least $288,811,476.52 invested in a trust account at J.P. Morgan Chase Bank (the “Trust Account”), maintained by American Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee (the “Trustee”), pursuant to the Investment Management Trust Agreement, dated February 24, 2021 by and between Acquiror and the Trustee (the “Trust Agreement”) and (ii) at least $104,000 held by Acquiror outside of the Trust Account. The Trust Agreement is in full force and effect and is a legal, valid and

 

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binding obligation of Acquiror and, to the Knowledge of Acquiror, the Trustee, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to the Enforceability Exceptions. The Trust Agreement has not been terminated, repudiated, rescinded, amended or supplemented or modified, in any respect, and, to the Knowledge of Acquiror, no such termination, repudiation, rescission, amendment, supplement or modification is contemplated. To the Knowledge of Acquiror, there are no side letters and there are no agreements, Contracts, arrangements or understandings, whether written or oral, with the Trustee or any other Person that would (A) cause the description of the Trust Agreement in the Acquiror SEC Reports to be inaccurate or (B) entitle any Person (other than (x) any Acquiror Stockholder who is a Redeeming Stockholder, (y) the underwriters referred to in the Trust Agreement and (z) the Acquiror), to any portion of the proceeds in the Trust Account. Prior to the Closing, none of the funds held in the Trust Account may be released except in accordance with the Trust Agreement, Acquiror Organizational Documents and Acquiror’s final prospectus dated February 24, 2021, as amended. Amounts in the Trust Account are invested in United States government securities or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Acquiror has performed all material obligations required to be performed by it to date under, and is not in material default, breach or delinquent in performance or any other respect (claimed or actual) in connection with, the Trust Agreement, and no event has occurred which, with due notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default or breach thereunder. There are no Actions pending or, to the Knowledge of Acquiror, threatened with respect to the Trust Account. Acquiror has not released any money from the Trust Account (other than interest income earned on the principal held in the Trust Account as permitted by the Trust Agreement). As of the Effective Time, the obligations of Acquiror to dissolve or liquidate pursuant to the Acquiror Organizational Documents shall terminate, and, as of the Effective Time, Acquiror shall have no obligation whatsoever pursuant to the Acquiror Organizational Documents to dissolve and liquidate the assets of Acquiror by reason of the consummation of the Transactions. Following the Effective Time, no Acquiror Stockholder shall be entitled to receive any amount from the Trust Account except to the extent such Acquiror Stockholder is a Redeeming Stockholder.

(b) As of the date hereof, assuming the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company herein and the compliance by the Company with its respective obligations hereunder, Acquiror has no reason to believe that any of the conditions to the use of funds in the Trust Account will not be satisfied or funds available in the Trust Account (net of the required disbursements to other Persons in accordance with the Trust Agreement and the Acquiror Organizational Documents) will not be available to Acquiror on the Closing Date.

(c) Except as set forth on Schedule 5.06(c), Acquiror does not have, or have any present intention, agreement, arrangement or understanding to enter into or incur, any obligations with respect to or under any Indebtedness.

5.07 Taxes.

(a) Acquiror has timely filed with the appropriate Tax Authority, or has caused to be timely filed on its behalf (taking into account any valid extension of time within which to file), all material Tax Returns required to be filed by or on behalf of it, and all such Tax Returns are true, correct and complete in all material respects. Acquiror has timely paid all material Taxes due and payable.

(b) Acquiror has (i) withheld all material amounts of Taxes required to have been withheld by it in connection with amounts paid to any employee, independent contractor, creditor, stockholder or any other party, and (ii) timely remitted such amounts required to have been remitted to the appropriate Tax Authority.

(c) Acquiror is not subject to any material Tax liability that has not been paid or fully reserved for in the audited financial statements (including, in each case, the notes and schedules thereto) included in the Acquiror SEC Reports in accordance with GAAP.

(d) No claim, assessment, deficiency or proposed adjustment for any material Taxes for which Acquiror is liable has been asserted or assessed by any Tax Authority that remains unresolved or unpaid except

 

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for claims, assessments, deficiencies or proposed adjustments being contested in good faith and for which adequate reserves have been established in accordance with GAAP. There is no material Tax audit or other examination or proceeding with respect to Taxes of Acquiror presently in progress, and there are no waivers, extensions or requests for any waivers or extensions of any statute of limitations currently in effect with respect to any material Taxes or Tax Returns of Acquiror.

(e) Acquiror is not (i) a party to any Tax sharing, indemnification, allocation or similar agreement or arrangement (excluding any commercial contract entered into in the ordinary course of business and not primarily related to Taxes), (ii) a member of an affiliated, consolidated, combined, unitary or similar Tax group (other than any such Tax group the common parent of which was Acquiror, as applicable), or (iii) a party to any “listed transaction” under Treasury Regulations Section 1.6011-4(b)(2) (or any corresponding or similar provision of state, local or foreign Law).

(f) Acquiror has no material liability for Taxes of any other Person as a result of Treasury Regulations Section 1.1502-6, as a transferee or successor, by contract or by operation of Law (other than pursuant to customary commercial contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business and not primarily related to Taxes).

(g) Acquiror will not be required to include any material item of income in, or exclude any material deduction from, taxable income for any taxable period (or portion thereof) ending after the Closing Date as a result of any: (i) change in method of accounting, or use of an improper method of accounting, for a taxable period (or portion thereof) ending on or prior to the Closing Date; (ii) “closing agreement” as described in Section 7121 of the Code (or any corresponding or similar provision of state, local or foreign Law) executed on or prior to the Closing Date; (iii) installment sale or open transaction disposition made on or prior to the Closing Date; or (iv) prepaid amount or deferred revenue received or accrued on or prior to the Closing Date outside of the ordinary course of business.

(h) Acquiror has not distributed stock of another Person, or had its stock distributed by another Person, in a transaction that was purported or intended to be governed in whole or in part by Section 355 of the Code (or so much of Section 356 of the Code as relates to Section 355 of the Code).

(i) There are no material Liens for Taxes upon any property or asset of Acquiror.

5.08 Brokers. No broker, investment banker, financial advisor or other Person, other than those set out in Schedule 5.08, the fees and expenses of which will be paid by Acquiror pursuant to an engagement letter entered into therewith, is entitled to any broker’s, finder’s, financial advisor’s or other similar fee or commission in connection with the Transactions based upon arrangements made by or on behalf of Acquiror or any of its Affiliates.

5.09 Acquiror SEC Reports; Financial Statements; Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

(a) Acquiror has filed in a timely manner all required registration statements, reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be filed by it with the SEC since February 24, 2021 (collectively, as they have been amended since the time of their filing and including all exhibits thereto, the “Acquiror SEC Reports”) in accordance with applicable Law and NYSE requirements. None of the Acquiror SEC Reports, as of their respective dates (or if amended or superseded by a filing prior to the date of this Agreement or the Closing Date, then on the date of such filing), contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The audited financial statements and unaudited interim financial statements (including, in each case, the notes and schedules thereto) included in the Acquiror SEC Reports complied as to form in all material respects with the published rules and regulations of the SEC with respect thereto, were prepared in accordance with GAAP applied on a consistent basis during the periods

 

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involved (except as may be indicated therein or in the notes thereto and except with respect to unaudited statements as permitted by Form 10-Q of the SEC), and fairly present (subject, in the case of the unaudited interim financial statements included therein, to normal year-end adjustments and the absence of complete footnotes) in all material respects the financial position of Acquiror as of the respective dates thereof and the results of their operations and cash flows for the respective periods then ended.

(b) Acquiror has established and maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15 under the Exchange Act). Such disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that material information relating to Acquiror and other material information required to be disclosed by Acquiror in the reports and other documents that it files or furnishes under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the rules and forms of the SEC, and that all such material information is accumulated and communicated to Acquiror’s principal executive officer and its principal financial officer as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure and to make the certifications required pursuant to Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Such disclosure controls and procedures are effective in timely alerting Acquiror’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer to material information required to be included in Acquiror’s periodic reports required under the Exchange Act.

(c) Acquiror has established and maintained a system of internal controls. Such internal controls are sufficient to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of Acquiror’s financial reporting and the preparation of Acquiror’s financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP.

(d) There are no outstanding loans or other extensions of credit made by Acquiror to any executive officer (as defined in Rule 3b-7 under the Exchange Act) or director of Acquiror. Acquiror has not taken any action prohibited by Section 402 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

(e) Neither Acquiror (including any employee thereof) nor Acquiror’s independent auditors has identified or been made aware of (i) any significant deficiency or material weakness in the system of internal accounting controls utilized by Acquiror, (ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves Acquiror’s management or other employees who have a role in the preparation of financial statements or the internal accounting controls utilized by Acquiror or (iii) any claim or allegation regarding any of the foregoing.

(f) There are no outstanding SEC comments from the SEC with respect to the Acquiror SEC Reports and none of the Acquiror SEC Reports filed on or prior to the date hereof is subject to ongoing SEC review or investigation.

5.10 Business Activities; Absence of Changes.

(a) Since its incorporation, Acquiror has not conducted any business activities other than activities directed toward the accomplishment of a Business Combination. Except as set forth in the Acquiror Organizational Documents, there is no agreement, commitment or Governmental Order binding upon Acquiror or to which Acquiror is a party which has had or would reasonably be expected to have the effect of prohibiting or impairing any business practice of Acquiror or any acquisition of property by Acquiror or the conduct of business by Acquiror as currently conducted or as contemplated to be conducted as of the Closing other than such effects, individually or in the aggregate, which have not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the ability of Acquiror to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and consummate the Transactions.

(b) Acquiror does not own or have a right to acquire, directly or indirectly, any interest or investment (whether equity or debt) in any corporation, partnership, joint venture, business, trust or other entity. Except for this Agreement and the Transactions, Acquiror has no interests, rights, obligations or liabilities with respect to, and is not party to, bound by or has its assets or property subject to, in each case whether directly or indirectly, any Contract or transaction which is, or could reasonably be interpreted as constituting, a Business Combination.

 

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(c) Except for (i) this Agreement and the agreements expressly contemplated hereby (including any agreements permitted by Section 7.02), (ii) as set forth on Schedule 5.10(c) and (iii) with respect to fees and expenses of Acquiror’s legal, financial and other advisors, Acquiror is not party to any Contract with any other Person.

(d) There is no Indebtedness or other liability or obligation, contingent or otherwise, against Acquiror, except for liabilities and obligations (i) reflected or reserved for on Acquiror’s consolidated balance sheet for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2022 or disclosed in the notes thereto (other than any such liabilities not reflected, reserved or disclosed as are not and would not be, in the aggregate, material to Acquiror), (ii) that have arisen since the date of Acquiror’s consolidated balance sheet for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2022 in the ordinary course of the operation of business of Acquiror (other than any such liabilities as are not and would not be, in the aggregate, material to Acquiror) or (iii) disclosed in Schedule 5.10(d).

(e) (i) Since the date of Acquiror’s incorporation, there has not been any change, development, condition, occurrence, event or effect relating to Acquiror that, individually or in the aggregate, resulted in, or would reasonably be expected to result in, a material adverse effect on the ability of Acquiror to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and consummate the Transactions and (ii) from June 30, 2022 through the date of this Agreement, Acquiror has not taken any action that would require the consent of the Company pursuant to Section 7.02 if such action had been taken after the date hereof.

5.11 Proxy Statement. As of the time the definitive Proxy Statement is filed with the SEC, the Proxy Statement (together with any amendments or supplements thereto) will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that Acquiror makes no representations or warranties as to the information contained in or omitted from the Proxy Statement in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to Acquiror by or on behalf of the Company specifically for inclusion in the Proxy Statement.

5.12 No Outside Reliance. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Article V or any other provision of this Agreement, Acquiror and its Affiliates and any of its and their respective directors, officers, employees, partners, stockholders, members or Representatives, acknowledge and agree that Acquiror has made its own investigation of the Company and that neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, partners, stockholders, members, agents or Representatives is making any representation or warranty whatsoever, express or implied, beyond the Company Representations, including any implied warranty or representation as to condition, merchantability, suitability or fitness for a particular purpose or trade as to any of the assets of the Company or the Assets, and Acquiror, on its own behalf and on behalf of its Affiliates and its and their directors, officers, employees, partners, stockholders, members or Representatives, disclaim reliance on any representations and warranties, express or implied, other than the Company Representations. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, it is understood that any cost or other estimates, financial or other projections or other predictions that may be contained or referred to in the Schedules or elsewhere, as well as any information, documents or other materials (including any such materials contained in any “data room” (whether or not accessed by Acquiror or its Representatives) or reviewed by Acquiror) or management presentations that have been or shall hereafter be provided to Acquiror or any of its Affiliates, agents or Representatives are not and will not be deemed to be representations or warranties of the Company, and no representation or warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of any of the foregoing except as may be expressly set forth in a Company Representation. Except as otherwise expressly set forth in any Company Representation, Acquiror understands and agrees that the Assets and any assets, properties and business of the Company are furnished “as is”, “where is” and subject to all faults and without any other representation or warranty of any nature whatsoever.

 

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5.13 Capitalization.

(a) The authorized capital stock of Acquiror consists of (i) 220,000,000 shares of Acquiror Common Stock, of which (A) 200,000,000 shares of Acquiror Class A Common Stock are authorized, and 28,750,000 shares of Acquiror Class A Common Stock are issued and outstanding as of the date of this Agreement, (B) 20,000,000 shares of Acquiror Class B Common Stock are authorized, and 7,187,500 shares of Acquiror Class B Common Stock are issued and outstanding as of the date of this Agreement, and (C) 22,125,000 Acquiror Warrants are issued and outstanding as of the date of this Agreement and (ii) 1,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock of Acquiror, par value $0.0001 (“Acquiror Preferred Stock”), of which no shares are issued and outstanding. All of the issued and outstanding shares of Acquiror Common Stock and Acquiror Warrants (w) have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable, (x) were issued in compliance in all material respects with applicable Law, (y) were not issued in breach or violation of any preemptive rights or Contract and (z) are fully vested and not otherwise subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture within the meaning of Section 83 of the Code, except as disclosed in the Acquiror SEC Reports with respect to certain Acquiror Common Stock held by the Sponsor.

(b) Except for this Agreement, the Acquiror Warrants and the Subscription Agreements, as of the date hereof, there are (i) no subscriptions, calls, options, warrants, rights or other securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for shares of Acquiror Common Stock or the equity interests of Acquiror, or any other Contracts to which Acquiror is a party or by which Acquiror is bound obligating Acquiror to issue or sell any shares of capital stock of, other equity interests in or debt securities of, Acquiror, and (ii) no equity equivalents, stock appreciation rights, phantom stock ownership interests or similar rights in Acquiror. Except as disclosed in the Acquiror SEC Reports or the Acquiror Organizational Documents, there are no outstanding contractual obligations of Acquiror to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any securities or equity interests of Acquiror. There are no outstanding bonds, debentures, notes or other indebtedness of Acquiror having the right to vote (or convertible into, or exchangeable for, securities having the right to vote) on any matter for which Acquiror Stockholders may vote. Except as disclosed in the Acquiror SEC Reports, there are no registration rights, and Acquiror is not a party to any stockholders agreement, voting agreement or registration rights agreement, rights plan, anti-takeover plan or similar agreements relating to Acquiror Common Stock or any other equity interests of Acquiror. Acquiror does not own any capital stock or any other equity interests in any other Person or have any right, option, warrant, conversion right, stock appreciation right, redemption right, repurchase right, agreement, arrangement or commitment of any character under which a Person is or may become obligated to issue or sell, or give any right to subscribe for or acquire, or in any way dispose of, any shares of the capital stock or other equity interests, or any securities or obligations exercisable or exchangeable for or convertible into any shares of the capital stock or other equity interests, of such Person.

5.14 NYSE Stock Market Quotation. The issued and outstanding shares of Acquiror Common Stock are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and are listed for trading on NYSE under the symbol “FLME.” Acquiror is in compliance in all material respects with the rules of NYSE and there is no Action pending or, to the Knowledge of Acquiror, threatened against Acquiror by NYSE, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority or the SEC with respect to any intention by such entity to deregister the Acquiror Common Stock or terminate the listing of Acquiror Common Stock on NYSE. None of Acquiror or its Affiliates has taken any action in an attempt to terminate the registration of the Acquiror Common Stock or Acquiror Warrants under the Exchange Act except as contemplated by this Agreement.

5.15 Contracts; No Defaults.

(a) The Acquiror SEC Reports disclose every “material contract” (as such term is defined in Item 601(b)(10) of Regulation S-K of the SEC) (other than confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements and this Agreement) to which, as of the date of this Agreement, Acquiror is a party or by which its assets are bound (together with the Contracts identified in Schedule 5.10(c), the “Acquiror Material Contracts”).

 

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(b) Acquiror is not, and it has not received written notice that any other party to any such Acquiror Material Contract is, in material violation or material breach of or material default (immediately or upon notice or lapse of time) under any such Acquiror Material Contract to which it is a party or any of its properties or other assets is subject. No such Acquiror Material Contract is the subject of a notice to terminate, except for any expiration of the term of such Contract following the date of this Agreement in accordance with its terms. Each Acquiror Material Contract is in full force and effect and, subject to the Enforceability Exceptions, is legal, valid and binding on Acquiror and, to the Knowledge of Acquiror, each other party thereto, except as would not be material and adverse to Acquiror. There is no default under any such Acquiror Material Contract by Acquiror, or, to the Knowledge of Acquiror, any other party thereto, and no event has occurred that with the lapse of time or the giving of notice or both would constitute a default thereunder by Acquiror, or, to the Knowledge of Acquiror, any other party thereto, in each case, except as would not be material and adverse to Acquiror.

5.16 Title to Property. Except as set forth on Schedule 5.16, Acquiror (a) does not own or lease any real or personal property and (b) is not a party to any agreement or option to purchase any real property, personal property or other material interest therein.

5.17 Investment Company Act. Acquiror is not an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940.

5.18 Affiliate Agreements. Except as set forth on Schedule 5.18, Acquiror is not a party to any transaction, agreement, arrangement or understanding with any (a) present or former executive officer or director of Acquiror, (b) beneficial owner (within the meaning of Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act) of 5% or more of the capital stock or equity interests of Acquiror or (c) Affiliate, “associate” or member of the “immediate family” (as such terms are respectively defined in Rules 12b-2 and 16a-1 of the Exchange Act) of any of the foregoing (each of the foregoing, an “Acquiror Affiliate Agreement”).

5.19 Takeover Statutes and Charter Provisions. As of the date of this Agreement and through the Effective Time, no “fair price,” “moratorium,” “control share acquisition” or other anti-takeover statute or similar domestic or foreign Law applies with respect to Acquiror in connection with this Agreement, the Mergers, the issuance of the Aggregate Merger Consideration or any of the other Transactions. As of the date of this Agreement and through the Effective Time, there is no stockholder rights plan, “poison pill” or similar anti-takeover agreement or plan in effect to which Acquiror is subject, party or otherwise bound.

5.20 No Other Representations or Warranties. The Acquiror Representations are the exclusive representations and warranties made by Acquiror. Except for the Acquiror Representations, neither Acquiror nor any of its Affiliates or Representatives or any other Person has made or makes any other express or implied representation or warranty, either written or oral, on behalf of Acquiror, to the accuracy or completeness of any information regarding Acquiror available to the other parties or their respective Representatives and expressly disclaims any such other representations or warranties. Without limiting the foregoing, neither Acquiror nor any other Person makes or has made any representation or warranty to the other parties hereto with respect to, and shall have no liability in respect of, (a) any financial projection, forecast, estimate, budget or prospect information relating to Acquiror or (b) any oral or written information made available to the other parties hereto in the course of their evaluation of Acquiror and the negotiation of this Agreement or in the course of the Transactions, except in each case, for the Acquiror Representations.

ARTICLE VI

COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY

6.01 Conduct of Business. From the date of this Agreement until the earlier of the Closing Date or the termination of this Agreement in accordance with its terms (the “Interim Period”), the Company shall, except as set forth on Schedule 6.01, as expressly contemplated by this Agreement or as consented to by Acquiror in writing (which consent shall not be unreasonably conditioned, withheld or delayed), or as may be required by Law: (i) use its commercially reasonable efforts to conduct and operate its business in the ordinary course

 

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consistent with past practice in all material respects, and (ii) use commercially reasonable efforts to keep available the services of its present officers. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, except as set forth on Schedule 6.01, as expressly contemplated by this Agreement or as consented to by Acquiror in writing (which consent shall not be unreasonably conditioned, withheld or delayed, except with respect to Section 6.01(c) or Section 6.01(d), in which event Acquiror may withhold or grant its consent in its sole discretion), or as may be required by Law, the Company shall not during the Interim Period:

(a) change or amend the Company Organizational Documents, or enter into or change or amend any other organizational type documents of the Company;

(b) declare, make or pay any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, equity or property) to any equityholder of the Company or repurchase or redeem any equity interests of the Company;

(c) create, allot, issue, redeem or repurchase or agree to create, allot, issue, redeem or repurchase any equity or other securities of whatsoever nature convertible into equity (or any option to subscribe for the same) of the Company;

(d) terminate, amend, supplement or otherwise modify in any manner, or terminate, amend, supplement, modify, waive or release any liabilities, obligations, rights, claims or benefits under or pursuant to any Material Contract, or consent or agree to do any of the foregoing, or consummate the transactions contemplated under the PSA other than with Acquiror;

(e) sell, transfer, lease, pledge or otherwise encumber or subject to any Lien, abandon, cancel, let lapse or convey or dispose of any assets, properties or business of the Company or the assets to be acquired pursuant to the PSA, other than in the ordinary course of business;

(f) (i) fail to maintain its existence or acquire by merger or consolidation with, or merge or consolidate with, or purchase a material portion of the assets or equity of, any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, association, joint venture or other business organization or division thereof; or (ii) adopt or enter into a plan of complete or partial liquidation, dissolution, merger, consolidation, restructuring, recapitalization or other reorganization of the Company (other than the Transactions);

(g) make any capital expenditures (or commitment to make any capital expenditures), other than in the ordinary course of business;

(h) make any loans, advances or capital contributions to, or investments in, any other Person (including to any of its officers, directors, agents or consultants), make any material change in its existing borrowing or lending arrangements for or on behalf of such Persons, or enter into any “keep well” or similar agreement to maintain the financial condition of any other Person;

(i) (A) adopt or amend any Benefit Plan, or enter into any employment contract or collective bargaining agreement, (B) hire any employee or any other individual to provide services to the Company or its Subsidiaries, other than in the ordinary course of business or (C) enter into any agreement to pay compensation to any of its officers or directors;

(j) make, revoke or change any material Tax election, adopt or change any material Tax accounting method or period, file any amendment to a material Tax Return, enter into any agreement with a Tax Authority with respect to a material amount of Taxes, settle or compromise any examination, audit or other Action with a Tax Authority of or relating to any material Taxes or settle or compromise any claim or assessment by a Tax Authority in respect of material Taxes, consent to any extension or waiver of the statutory period of limitations applicable to any claim or assessment in respect of Taxes, or enter into any Tax sharing, indemnification, allocation or similar agreement (excluding any commercial contract entered into in the ordinary course of business and not primarily related to Taxes);

 

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(k) incur, issue, assume, guarantee or otherwise become liable for any Indebtedness, or in any material respect, modify any Indebtedness, other than in the ordinary course of business;

(l) enter into any material new line of business outside of the business currently conducted by the Company as of the date of this Agreement or take any actions that if taken prior to the signing, would be required to be disclosed on Schedule 4.10;

(m) make any material change in financial accounting methods, principles or practices, except insofar as may have been required by a change in GAAP (including pursuant to standards, guidelines and interpretations of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or any similar organization) or applicable Law; or

(n) enter into any agreement or undertaking to do any action prohibited under this Section 6.01;

provided, however, that notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, if the PSA obligates SOC to take or refrain from taking an action, SOC shall be entitled to take or refrain from taking such action solely to the extent so required.

6.02 Inspection. Subject to confidentiality obligations and similar restrictions that may be applicable to information furnished to the Company by third parties that may be in the Company’s possession from time to time, and except for any information which (a) relates to interactions with prospective buyers of the Company or the negotiation of this Agreement and the Transactions or (b) in the judgment of legal counsel (including in-house counsel) of the Company would result in the loss of attorney-client privilege or other privilege from disclosure or would conflict with any applicable Law or confidentiality obligations to which the Company is bound, the Company shall afford to Acquiror and its Representatives reasonable access during the Interim Period, during normal business hours and with reasonable advance notice, in such manner as to not interfere with the normal operation of the Company, to all of its properties, books, projections, plans, systems, Contracts, commitments, Tax Returns, records, commitments, analyses and appropriate officers and employees of the Company, and shall furnish such Representatives with all financial and operating data and other information concerning the affairs of the Company and that are in the possession of the Company as such Representatives may reasonably request; provided, that such access shall not include any unreasonably invasive or intrusive investigations or other testing, sampling or analysis of any properties, facilities or equipment of the Company without the prior written consent of the Company. The parties shall use commercially reasonable efforts to make alternative arrangements for such disclosure where the restrictions in the preceding sentence apply. All information obtained by Acquiror and its Representatives under this Agreement shall be subject to Section  8.05(a) prior to the Effective Time.

6.03 No Claim Against the Trust Account. The Company acknowledges that Acquiror is a blank check company with the power and privileges to effect a merger, asset acquisition, reorganization or similar business combination involving the Company and one or more businesses or assets, and the Company has read Acquiror’s final prospectus, dated February 24, 2021 and other Acquiror SEC Reports, the Acquiror Organizational Documents, and the Trust Agreement and understands that Acquiror has established the Trust Account described therein for the benefit of Acquiror’s public stockholders and that disbursements from the Trust Account are available only in the limited circumstances set forth therein. The Company further acknowledges and agrees that Acquiror’s sole assets consist of the cash proceeds of Acquiror’s initial public offering and private placements of its securities, and that substantially all of these proceeds have been deposited in the Trust Account for the benefit of its public stockholders. The Company further acknowledges that, if the Transactions or, in the event of termination of this Agreement, another Business Combination, are or is not consummated by March 1, 2023 or such later date as approved by the stockholders of Acquiror to complete a Business Combination, Acquiror will be obligated to return to its stockholders the amounts being held in the Trust Account. Accordingly, the Company (on behalf of itself and its Affiliates) hereby waives any past, present or future claim of any kind against, and any right to access, the Trust Account, any trustee of the Trust Account and Acquiror to collect from the Trust Account any monies that may be owed to them by Acquiror or any of its Affiliates for any reason whatsoever,

 

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and will not seek recourse against the Trust Account at any time for any reason whatsoever, including, without limitation, for any Willful Breach of this Agreement; provided, that (i) nothing herein shall serve to limit or prohibit the Company’s right to pursue a claim against Acquiror for legal relief against assets held outside the Trust Account, for specific performance or other equitable relief, and (ii) nothing herein shall serve to limit or prohibit any claims that the Company may have in the future against Acquiror’s assets or funds that are not held in the Trust Account (including any funds that have been released from the Trust Account (other than in payment to Redeeming Stockholders) and any assets that have been purchased or acquired with any such funds). This Section 6.03 shall survive the termination of this Agreement for any reason.

6.04 Proxy Solicitation; Other Actions.

(a) The Company agrees to use reasonable best efforts to provide Acquiror, as soon as reasonably practicable after the date hereof (i) audited carve-out financial statements, including combined balance sheets, statements of operations, statements of cash flows, and statements of changes in parent net investment, of Exxon’s interests in certain oil and gas properties located offshore in the Santa Ynez Unit and the Las Flores Canyon processing facilities (“SYU”) as of and for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, in each case, prepared in accordance with GAAP and Regulation S-X and audited in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board and (ii) unaudited interim period financial statements of SYU as of and for the periods required by Regulation S-X and prepared in accordance with GAAP and Regulation S-X. The Company further agrees to use reasonable best efforts to provide any additional financial information required pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC and applicable Law as promptly as reasonably practicable following any staleness dates or periods (as determined in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC and applicable Law).

(b) The Company shall use reasonable best efforts to make its officers and employees reasonably available, in each case, during normal business hours and upon reasonable advance notice, to Acquiror and its counsel in connection with (A) the drafting of the Proxy Statement and (B) responding in a timely manner to comments on the Proxy Statement from the SEC. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company shall reasonably cooperate with Acquiror in connection with Acquiror’s preparation for inclusion in the Proxy Statement of pro forma financial statements that comply with the requirements of Regulation S-X under the rules and regulations of the SEC (as interpreted by the staff of the SEC).

(c) From and after the date on which the Proxy Statement has been filed with the SEC in definitive form until the Closing Date, the Company will give Acquiror prompt written notice of any action taken or not taken by the Company or of any development regarding the Company, in any such case which is known by the Company, that would cause the Proxy Statement to contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, that, if any such action shall be taken or fail to be taken or such development shall otherwise occur, Acquiror and the Company shall cooperate fully to cause an amendment or supplement to be made promptly to the Proxy Statement, such that the Proxy Statement no longer contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, further, however, that no information received by Acquiror pursuant to this Section 6.04 shall operate as a waiver or otherwise affect any representation, warranty or agreement given or made by the party who disclosed such information, and no such information shall be deemed to change, supplement or amend the Schedules. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company makes no representation, warranty or covenant with respect to any statements made in the Proxy Statement based on information supplied by or on behalf of Acquiror or its Affiliates for inclusion therein.

 

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6.05 Non-Solicitation; Acquisition Proposals.

(a) From the date of this Agreement until the Effective Time or, if earlier, the valid termination of this Agreement in accordance with Section 10.01, the Company shall not, and shall cause its Representatives not to, directly or indirectly:

(i) intentionally initiate or solicit any inquiries that would be reasonably likely to lead to an offer or proposal regarding any transaction with any Person (other than Acquiror or its Affiliates) that would result in a Change in Control (“Acquisition Proposal”);

(ii) engage in, continue or otherwise participate in any negotiations or discussions concerning, or provide access to its properties, books and records or any confidential information or data to, any Person relating to any Acquisition Proposal;

(iii) approve, endorse or recommend, or propose publicly to approve, endorse or recommend, any Acquisition Proposal;

(iv) execute or enter into, any letter of intent, memorandum of understanding, agreement in principle, confidentiality agreement, merger agreement, acquisition agreement, exchange agreement, joint venture agreement, partnership agreement, option agreement or other similar agreement for or relating to any Acquisition Proposal; or

(v) resolve or agree to do any of the foregoing.

The Company also agrees that immediately following the execution of this Agreement it shall, and shall cause its Representatives to, cease any solicitations, discussions or negotiations with any Person (other than the parties hereto and their respective Representatives) conducted heretofore in connection with an Acquisition Proposal. The Company also agrees that within three (3) Business Days of the execution of this Agreement, the Company shall request each Person (other than the parties hereto and their respective Representatives) that has prior to the date hereof executed a confidentiality agreement in connection with its consideration of acquiring the Company (and with whom the Company has had contact in twelve (12) months prior to the date of this Agreement regarding the acquisition of the Company) to return or destroy all confidential information furnished to such Person by or on behalf of it prior to the date hereof and within 24 hours of execution and delivery of this Agreement terminate access to any physical or electronic data room maintained by or on behalf of the Company. The Company shall promptly (and in any event within two (2) Business Days) notify, in writing, Acquiror of the receipt of any inquiry, proposal, offer or request for information received after the date hereof that constitutes, or would reasonably be expected to result in or lead to, any Acquisition Proposal, which notice shall include a summary of the material terms of, and the identity of the Person or group of Persons making, such inquiry, proposal, offer or request for information and an unredacted copy of any Acquisition Proposal or inquiry, proposal or offer made in writing or, if not in writing, a written description of the material terms and conditions of such inquiry, proposal or offer. The Company shall promptly (and in any event within two (2) Business Days) keep Acquiror informed of any material developments with respect to any such inquiry, proposal, offer, request for information or Acquisition Proposal (including any material changes thereto and copies of any additional written materials received by the Company or its Representatives). Without limiting the foregoing, it is understood that any violation of the restrictions contained in this Section 6.05 by any of the Company’s Representatives acting on the Company’s behalf, shall be deemed to be a breach of this Section 6.05 by the Company.

 

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ARTICLE VII

COVENANTS OF ACQUIROR

7.01 Indemnification and Insurance.

(a) From and after the Effective Time, Acquiror and the Surviving Company agree that they shall indemnify and hold harmless each present and former director and officer of the Company against any costs or expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines, losses, claims, damages or liabilities incurred in connection with any Action, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, arising out of or pertaining to matters existing or occurring at or prior to the Effective Time, whether asserted or claimed prior to, at or after the Effective Time, to the fullest extent that the Company would have been permitted under applicable Law and the Company Organizational Documents and indemnification agreements in effect on the date of this Agreement to indemnify such Person (including the advancing of expenses as incurred to the fullest extent permitted under applicable Law). Without limiting the foregoing, Acquiror shall, and shall cause the Surviving Company to, (i) maintain for a period of not less than six (6) years from the Effective Time provisions in its certificate of incorporation, bylaws, and any such indemnification agreements, to the extent applicable, concerning the indemnification and exoneration (including provisions relating to expense advancement) of officers and directors that are no less favorable to those Persons than the provisions of the Company Organizational Documents and indemnification agreements listed on Schedule 7.01, to the extent applicable, as of the date of this Agreement and (ii) not amend, repeal or otherwise modify such provisions in any respect that would adversely affect the rights of those Persons thereunder, in each case, except as required by Law. Acquiror shall assume, and be liable for, and shall cause the Surviving Company and their respective Subsidiaries to honor, each of the covenants in this Section 7.01.

(b) For a period of six (6) years from the Effective Time, Acquiror shall, or shall cause one or more of its Subsidiaries to, maintain in effect directors’ and officers’ liability insurance covering those Persons who are currently covered by the Company’s directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies (true, correct and complete copies of which have been heretofore made available to Acquiror or its agents or representatives) on terms not less favorable than the terms of such current insurance coverage; provided, however, that (i) Acquiror may cause coverage to be extended under the current directors’ and officers’ liability insurance by obtaining a six (6)-year “tail” policy containing terms not less favorable than the terms of such current insurance coverage with respect to claims existing or occurring at or prior to the Effective Time and (ii) if any claim is asserted or made within such six (6)-year period, any insurance required to be maintained under this Section 7.01 shall be continued in respect of such claim until the final disposition thereof.

(c) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, this Section 7.01 shall survive the consummation of the Mergers indefinitely and shall be binding, jointly and severally, on Acquiror and the Surviving Company and all successors and assigns of Acquiror and the Surviving Company. In the event that Acquiror, the Surviving Company or any of their respective successors or assigns consolidates with or merges into any other Person and shall not be the continuing or Surviving Company or entity of such consolidation or merger or transfers or conveys all or substantially all of its properties and assets to any Person, then, and in each such case, Acquiror and the Surviving Company shall ensure that proper provision shall be made so that the successors and assigns of Acquiror or the Surviving Company, as the case may be, shall succeed to the obligations set forth in this Section 7.01. The obligations of Acquiror and the Surviving Company under this Section 7.01 shall not be terminated or modified in such a manner as to materially and adversely affect any present and former director and officer of the Company without the consent of the affected Person.

7.02 Conduct of Acquiror During the Interim Period.

(a) During the Interim Period, Acquiror shall carry on its business in the ordinary course of business and in accordance with applicable Law. During the Interim Period, except as set forth on Schedule 7.02 or as

 

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expressly contemplated by this Agreement or as consented to by the Company in writing (which consent shall not be unreasonably conditioned, withheld or delayed), or as may be required by Law, Acquiror shall not:

(i) change, modify or amend the Trust Agreement or the Acquiror Organizational Documents;

(ii) (A) make, declare, set aside or pay any dividends on, or make any other distribution (whether in cash, stock or property) in respect of any of its outstanding capital stock or other equity interests; (B) split, combine, reclassify or otherwise change any of its capital stock or other equity interests; or (C) other than the redemption of any shares of Acquiror Common Stock required by the Offer or as otherwise required by Acquiror’s Organizational Documents in order to consummate the Transactions, repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire, or offer to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire, any capital stock of, or other equity interests in, Acquiror;

(iii) make, revoke or change any material Tax election, adopt or change any material Tax accounting method or period, file any material Tax Return in a manner inconsistent with past practices in any material respect, file any amendment to a material Tax Return, enter into any agreement with a Governmental Authority with respect to a material amount of Taxes, settle or compromise any examination, audit or other Action with a Governmental Authority of or relating to any material Taxes or settle or compromise any claim or assessment by a Governmental Authority in respect of material Taxes, consent to any extension or waiver of the statutory period of limitations applicable to any claim or assessment in respect of Taxes, incur any liability for Taxes outside the ordinary course of business, or enter into any Tax sharing, indemnification, allocation or similar agreement or arrangement (excluding any commercial contract entered into in the ordinary course of business and not primarily related to Taxes);

(iv) other than as set forth on Schedule 7.02(a)(iv), enter into, renew or amend in any material respect, any Acquiror Affiliate Agreement (or any Contract, that if existing on the date hereof, would have constitute an Acquiror Affiliate Agreement);

(v) enter into, or amend or modify any material term of, terminate (excluding any expiration in accordance with its terms), or waive or release any material rights, claims or benefits under, any Contract of a type required to be listed on Schedule 5.15(a) (or any Contract, that if existing on the date hereof, would have been required to be listed on Schedule 5.15(a)) or any collective bargaining or similar agreement (including agreements with works councils and trade unions and side letters) to which Acquiror is a party or by which it is bound;

(vi) waive, release, compromise, settle or satisfy any pending or threatened claim (which shall include, but not be limited to, any pending or threatened Action) or compromise or settle any material liability, other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice;

(vii) incur, create, assume, refinance, guarantee or otherwise become liable for (whether directly, contingently or otherwise) any material Indebtedness;

(viii) (A) offer, issue, deliver, grant or sell, or authorize or propose to offer, issue, deliver, grant or sell, any capital stock of, or other equity interests in, Acquiror or any securities convertible into, or any rights, warrants or options to acquire, any such capital stock or equity interests, other than (i) in connection with the exercise of any Acquiror Warrants outstanding on the date hereof or (ii) the Transactions or (B) amend, modify or waive any of the terms or rights set forth in, any Acquiror Warrant or the Warrant Agreement, including any amendment, modification or reduction of the warrant price set forth therein;

(ix) (A) adopt or amend any Benefit Plan, or enter into any employment contract or collective bargaining agreement other than the Acquiror Equity Incentive Plan or as otherwise contemplated by this Agreement, or (B) enter into any agreement to pay compensation to any of its officers or directors;

 

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(x) (A) fail to maintain its existence or acquire by merger or consolidation with, or merge or consolidate with, or purchase a material portion of the assets or equity of, any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, association, joint venture or other business organization or division thereof, or otherwise acquire any material assets; or (B) adopt or enter into a plan of complete or partial liquidation, dissolution, merger, consolidation, restructuring, recapitalization or other reorganization of Acquiror (other than the Transactions);

(xi) make any capital expenditures;

(xii) make any loans, advances or capital contributions to, or investments in, any other Person (including to any of its officers, directors, agents or consultants), make any change in its existing borrowing or lending arrangements for or on behalf of such Persons, or enter into any “keep well” or similar agreement to maintain the financial condition of any other Person;

(xiii) enter into any new line of business outside of the business currently conducted by Acquiror as of the date of this Agreement;

(xiv) make any change in financial accounting methods, principles or practices, except insofar as may have been required by a change in GAAP (including pursuant to standards, guidelines and interpretations of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or any similar organization) or applicable Law;

(xv) voluntarily fail to maintain, cancel or materially change coverage under any insurance policy in form and amount equivalent in all material respects to the insurance coverage currently maintained with respect to Acquiror and its assets and properties;

(xvi) enter into any agreement, understanding or arrangement with respect to the voting of Acquiror Common Stock (other than any agreement with an Acquiror Stockholder consistent with the terms of the Insider Letter); or

(xvii) enter into any agreement or undertaking to do any action prohibited under this Section 7.02.

(b) During the Interim Period, Acquiror shall comply with, and continue performing under, as applicable, the Acquiror Organizational Documents, the Trust Agreement and all other Contracts to which Acquiror may be a party in accordance with their terms and shall not agree to any amendment or waiver of any rights or remedies of Acquiror under any such Contracts.

7.03 Trust Account. Prior to or at the Closing (subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions set forth in Article IX), Acquiror shall deliver the instructions to cause the funds in the Trust Account to be disbursed in accordance with the Trust Agreement and the Acquiror Organizational Documents for the payment of: (a) the redemption of any shares of Acquiror Common Stock validly redeemed by any Acquiror Stockholder in connection with the Offer upon acceptance by the Acquiror of such shares of Acquiror Common Stock; (b) the payment of the Outstanding Company Expenses and Outstanding Acquiror Expenses pursuant to Section 3.04; and (c) the balance of the assets in the Trust Account, if any, after payment of the amounts required under the foregoing clauses (a) and (b), to be disbursed to Acquiror.

7.04 Inspection. Subject to confidentiality obligations and similar restrictions that may be applicable to information furnished to Acquiror by third parties that may be in Acquiror’s possession from time to time, and except for any information which in the opinion of legal counsel (including in-house counsel) of Acquiror would result in the loss of attorney-client privilege or other privilege from disclosure or would conflict with any applicable Law or confidentiality obligations to which Acquiror is bound, Acquiror shall afford to the Company, its Affiliates and their respective Representatives reasonable access during the Interim Period, during normal business hours and with reasonable advance notice, to all of their respective properties, books, projections, plans,

 

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systems, Contracts, commitments, Tax Returns, records, commitments, analyses and appropriate officers and employees of Acquiror, and shall furnish such Representatives with all financial and operating data and other information concerning the affairs of Acquiror that are in the possession of Acquiror as such Representatives may reasonably request. The parties shall use commercially reasonable efforts to make alternative arrangements for such disclosure where the restrictions in the preceding sentence apply. All information obtained by the Company, its Affiliates and their respective Representatives under this Agreement shall be subject to Section 8.05(a) prior to the Effective Time.

7.05 Acquiror NYSE Listing.

(a) From the date hereof through the Closing, Acquiror shall use reasonable best efforts to ensure Acquiror remains listed as a public company on, and for shares of Acquiror Common Stock to be listed on, NYSE.

(b) Acquiror shall use reasonable best efforts to cause the Acquiror Common Stock to be issued in connection with the Transactions or otherwise reserved for issuance to be approved for listing on NYSE as promptly as practicable following the issuance thereof, subject to official notice of issuance, on or prior to the Closing Date.

7.06 Acquiror Public Filings. From the date hereof through the Closing, Acquiror will keep current and timely file all reports required to be filed or furnished with the SEC and otherwise comply in all material respects with its reporting and other obligations under applicable Securities Laws.

7.07 Additional Insurance Matters. Prior to the Closing and subject in all cases to Section 7.01, Acquiror shall obtain directors’ and officers’ liability insurance that shall be effective as of Closing and will cover those Persons who will be the directors and officers of Acquiror and its Subsidiaries (including the directors and officers of the Company) at and after the Closing on terms customary for a typical directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policy for a company whose equity is listed on NYSE which policy has a scope and amount of coverage that is reasonably appropriate for a company of similar characteristics (including the line of business and revenues) as Acquiror and its Subsidiaries (including the Company).

7.08 Section 16 Matters. Prior to the Closing, the board of directors of Acquiror, or an appropriate committee of “non-employee directors” (as defined in Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act) thereof, shall adopt a resolution consistent with the interpretive guidance of the SEC so that the acquisition of Acquiror Common Stock pursuant to this Agreement and the other agreements contemplated hereby, by any person owning securities of the Company who is expected to become a director or officer (as defined under Rule 16a-1(f) under the Exchange Act) of Acquiror following the Closing shall be an exempt transaction for purposes of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act pursuant to Rule 16b-3 thereunder.

7.09 Exclusivity(a) . From the date of this Agreement until the Effective Time or, if earlier, the valid termination of this Agreement in accordance with Section 10.01, Acquiror shall not, and shall cause its Representatives not to, directly or indirectly:

(a) intentionally initiate or solicit any inquiries that would be reasonably likely to lead to an offer or proposal regarding a Business Combination;

(b) engage in, continue or otherwise participate in any negotiations or discussions concerning, or provide access to its properties, books and records or any confidential information or data to, any Person relating to any Business Combination;

(c) approve, endorse or recommend, or propose publicly to approve, endorse or recommend, any proposal or offering relating to any Business Combination;

 

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(d) execute or enter into, any letter of intent, memorandum of understanding, agreement in principle, confidentiality agreement, merger agreement, acquisition agreement, exchange agreement, joint venture agreement, partnership agreement, option agreement or other similar agreement for or relating to any proposal or offer for any Business Combination; or

(e) resolve or agree to do any of the foregoing.

Acquiror agrees that immediately following the execution of this Agreement it shall, and shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause its Representatives to, cease any solicitations, discussions or negotiations with any Person (other than the parties hereto and their respective Representatives) conducted heretofore in connection with Business Combination or any inquiry or request for information that would reasonably be expected to lead to, or result in, a Business Combination. Acquiror shall promptly (and in any event within two (2) Business Days) notify, in writing, the Company of the receipt of any inquiry, proposal, offer or request for information received after the date hereof that constitutes, or would reasonably be expected to result in or lead to, any Business Combination other than with the Company, which notice shall include a summary of the material terms of, and the identity of the Person or group of Persons making, such inquiry, proposal, offer or request for information and an unredacted copy of proposal or indication of interest, written or oral relating to any Business Combination (a “Business Combination Proposal”). Acquiror shall promptly (and in any event within two (2) Business Days) keep the Company reasonably informed of any material developments with respect to any such Business Combination Proposal.

7.10 Acquiror Equity Incentive Plan. Subject to obtaining the Acquiror Stockholder Approvals, Acquiror shall adopt the Acquiror Equity Incentive Plan, in such form as shall be agreed between the Company and Acquiror.

7.11 Termination of Acquiror Affiliate Agreements. Prior to or concurrently with the Closing, Acquiror shall (a) terminate or cause to be terminated each Acquiror Affiliate Agreement set forth on Schedule 7.11 and (b) satisfy or cause to be satisfied in favor of, or pay or cause to be paid to, the Sponsor or any of its Affiliates all outstanding Indebtedness owed by Acquiror to the Sponsor or any such Affiliate.

ARTICLE VIII

JOINT COVENANTS

8.01 Support of Transaction. Without limiting any covenant contained in Article VI or Article VII, including the obligations of the Company and Acquiror with respect to the matters described in Section 8.02, which shall control with respect to Antitrust Laws and related matters to the extent of any conflict with the succeeding provisions of this Section 8.01, Acquiror and the Company shall each: (a) use commercially reasonable efforts to assemble, prepare and file any information (and, as needed, to supplement such information) as may be reasonably necessary to obtain as promptly as practicable all governmental and regulatory consents required to be obtained in connection with the Transactions, (b) use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain all material consents and approvals of third parties that any of Acquiror, the Company, or their respective Affiliates are required to obtain in order to consummate the Transactions, including any required approvals of parties to Material Contracts with the Company, and (c) use commercially reasonable efforts to take such other action as may reasonably be necessary or as another party may reasonably request to satisfy the conditions of Article IX or otherwise to comply with this Agreement and to consummate the Transactions as promptly as practicable. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall Acquiror or the Company be obligated to bear any expense or pay any fee or grant any concession in connection with obtaining any consents, authorizations or approvals pursuant to the terms of any Contract to which the Company is a party or otherwise in connection with the consummation of the Transactions.

 

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8.02 HSR Act and Regulatory Approvals.

(a) Acquiror and the Company shall, and shall cause their respective Affiliates to, comply as promptly as practicable, but in no event later than ten (10) Business Days after the date hereof, with the notification and reporting requirements of the HSR Act with respect to the Transactions and the Asset Acquisition. Acquiror and the Company shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to (i) furnish to the other party as promptly as practicable all information reasonably required for any application or filing required to be made in connection with the Transactions and the Asset Acquisition pursuant to any Antitrust Law, (ii) substantially comply with any requests for information, documents or testimony from any Governmental Authority in connection with the Transactions and Asset Acquisition and (iii) obtain the termination or expiration of all waiting periods under the HSR Act applicable to the Transactions and Asset Acquisition.

(b) Acquiror and the Company shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to complete lawfully the Transactions and the Asset Acquisition as promptly as practicable and to avoid any impediment under any Antitrust Law to the consummation of the Transactions and the Asset Acquisition; provided that, notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, nothing in this Section 8.02 or otherwise in this Agreement shall require or obligate Acquiror, the Company or any of their respective Affiliates to offer, propose, negotiate, agree to, consent to, or effect (i) the sale, divestiture, transfer, license or other disposal of, or hold separate with respect to, any entities, assets, businesses or interests of any Person, (ii) the creation, termination, amendment or assignment of commercial relationships, agreements, licenses or contractual rights or obligations, (iii) conduct of business restrictions, including restrictions on any Person’s or its Affiliates’ ability to manage, operate or own any entities, assets, businesses or interests, (iv) any other change or restructuring of any entities, assets, businesses or interests, or of any Person or (v) any other remedy, condition, undertaking or commitment of any kind; and further provided, that, notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, nothing in this Section 8.02 or any other provision of this Agreement shall require or obligate Acquiror or any other Person to take any actions with respect to Acquiror’s Affiliates, the Sponsor, any Subscriber, their respective Affiliates or any investment funds or investment vehicles affiliated with, or managed or advised by, Acquiror’s Affiliates, the Sponsor, any Subscriber or any portfolio company (as such this term is commonly understood in the private equity industry) or investment of Acquiror’s Affiliates, Sponsor, any Subscriber or of any such investment fund or investment vehicle. Acquiror and the Company shall not, and shall not permit their respective Affiliates to, take any of the actions described in the foregoing sentence without the other party’s prior written consent. None of Acquiror, the Company or any of their respective Affiliates shall be required to contest, resist, defend against or appeal any Action, whether judicial or administrative, challenging or seeking to prevent, prohibit, delay or declare unlawful this Agreement or any of the Transactions or the Asset Acquisition.

(c) Acquiror and the Company shall each promptly notify the other party of any substantive communication with, and furnish to the other party copies of any notices or written communications received from, any third party or Governmental Authority with respect to the Transactions or the Asset Acquisition, and Acquiror and the Company shall permit counsel to the other party an opportunity to review in advance, and shall consider in good faith the views of such counsel in connection with, any proposed communications to any Governmental Authority concerning the Transactions or the Asset Acquisition. Acquiror and the Company agree to provide, to the extent permitted by the applicable Governmental Authority, the other party and its counsel the opportunity, on reasonable advance notice, to participate in any substantive meetings, teleconferences or discussions with any Governmental Authority in connection with the Transactions or the Asset Acquisition. Acquiror shall bear all filing fees payable pursuant to the HSR Act and other Antitrust Laws in connection with the Transactions or the Asset Acquisition.

(d) Acquiror and the Company shall not take any action that would reasonably be expected to materially adversely affect or materially delay the clearance, approval or authorization by any Governmental Authority of the Transactions or the Asset Acquisition.

 

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8.03 Preparation of Proxy Statement; Special Meeting.

(a) As promptly as practicable following the execution and delivery of this Agreement, Acquiror shall prepare, with the assistance of the Company, and cause to be filed with the SEC a preliminary proxy statement (as amended or supplemented from time to time, the “Proxy Statement”) for purposes of soliciting the approval by the Acquiror Stockholders of each of the Proposals. The Proxy Statement and any other SEC filings shall be in a form mutually agreed by Acquiror and the Company. Each of Acquiror and the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Proxy Statement to comply with the rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC, to have the SEC confirm, orally or in writing, as promptly as practicable after filing the Proxy Statement, that it does not have any further comments (or that it does not intend to review) the Proxy Statement (“SEC Clearance”). Each of Acquiror and the Company shall furnish all information concerning it as may reasonably be requested by the other party in connection with such actions and the preparation of the Proxy Statement. Promptly after the Proxy Statement has been cleared by the SEC, Acquiror will cause the Proxy Statement (substantially in the form last filed or cleared following SEC Clearance) to be filed with the SEC in definitive form and then mailed to stockholders of Acquiror.

(b) Each of Acquiror and the Company shall cooperate and mutually agree upon (such agreement not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed), any response to comments of the SEC or its staff with respect to the Proxy Statement and any amendment to the Proxy Statement filed in response thereto. If Acquiror or the Company becomes aware that any information contained in the Proxy Statement shall have become false or misleading in any material respect or that the Proxy Statement is required to be amended in order to comply with applicable Law, then (i) such party shall promptly inform the other party and (ii) Acquiror, on the one hand, and the Company, on the other hand, shall cooperate and mutually agree upon (such agreement not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) an amendment or supplement to the Proxy Statement. Acquiror and the Company shall use reasonable best efforts to cause the Proxy Statement as so amended or supplemented, to be filed with the SEC and to be disseminated to the holders of shares of Acquiror Common Stock, as applicable, in each case pursuant to applicable Law and subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the Acquiror Organizational Documents. Each of the Company and Acquiror shall promptly provide the other party with copies of any written comments, and shall inform such other parties of any oral comments, that Acquiror receives from the SEC or its staff with respect to the Proxy Statement promptly after the receipt of such comments and shall give the other party a reasonable opportunity to review and comment on any proposed written or oral responses to such comments prior to responding to the SEC or its staff.

(c) Acquiror agrees to include provisions in the Proxy Statement and to take reasonable action related thereto, with respect to (i) approval of the Transactions, including the Business Combination (as defined in the Existing Acquiror Charter), and the adoption and approval of this Agreement (the “Transaction Proposal”), (ii) approval of the Acquiror Charter (the “Amendment Proposal”) and each change to the Acquiror Charter that is required to be separately approved, (iii) approval of the issuance of the Acquiror Common Stock in connection with the Transactions in accordance with the rules of NYSE (the “NYSE Proposal”), (iv) the approval and adoption of the Acquiror Equity Incentive Plan (the “Acquiror Equity Plan Proposal”), (v) adjournment of the Special Meeting, if necessary, to permit further solicitation of proxies because there are not sufficient votes to approve and adopt any of the foregoing proposals, and (vi) approval of any other proposals reasonably agreed by Acquiror and the Company to be necessary or appropriate in connection with the Transactions contemplated hereby (the “Additional Proposal” and together with the Transaction Proposal, the Amendment Proposal, the NYSE Proposal, and the Acquiror Equity Plan Proposal, the “Proposals”). Without the prior written consent of the Company, the Proposals shall be the only matters (other than procedural matters) which Acquiror shall propose to be acted on by Acquiror Stockholders at the Special Meeting.

(d) Prior to the filing of a definitive Proxy Statement with the SEC, Acquiror shall establish a record date for the Special Meeting and, as promptly as reasonably practicable following the filing of the definitive Proxy Statement, duly call, give notice of, convene and hold the Special Meeting. Acquiror shall use reasonable best efforts to, as promptly as practicable after the Proxy Statement is cleared by the SEC, (i) cause the Proxy

 

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Statement to be disseminated to Acquiror Stockholders in compliance with applicable Law and (ii) solicit proxies from the holders of Acquiror Common Stock to vote in favor of each of the Proposals. Acquiror shall, through the Acquiror Board, recommend to its stockholders that they approve the Proposals (the “Acquiror Board Recommendation”) and shall include the Acquiror Board Recommendation in the Proxy Statement. The Acquiror Board shall not (and no committee or subgroup thereof shall) change, withdraw, withhold, qualify or modify, or publicly propose to change, withdraw, withhold, qualify or modify, the Acquiror Board Recommendation (an “Acquiror Board Change in Recommendation”); provided, that if at any time prior to obtaining the Acquiror Stockholder Approvals, the Acquiror Board determines in good faith after consultation with outside legal counsel, in response to an Intervening Event, that the failure to make an Acquiror Board Change in Recommendation would be inconsistent with its fiduciary duties under applicable Law, the Acquiror Board (or any committee or subgroup thereof) may make an Acquiror Board Change in Recommendation. Acquiror shall consult with the Company regarding the record date and the date of the Special Meeting and shall not, unless required by Law, adjourn or postpone the Special Meeting without the prior written consent of the Company (which consent shall not be unreasonably conditioned, withheld or delayed). Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 8.03(d), if on a date for which the Special Meeting is scheduled, Acquiror has not received proxies representing a sufficient number of shares of Acquiror Common Stock to obtain the Acquiror Stockholder Approvals, as applicable, whether or not a quorum is present, Acquiror shall have the right to make one or more successive postponements or adjournments of the Special Meeting; provided, that the Special Meeting, without the prior written consent of the Company, (x) may not be adjourned to a date that is more than ten (10) Business Days after the date for which the Special Meeting was originally scheduled or the most recently adjourned Special Meeting (excluding any adjournments required by applicable Law) and (y) is held no later than four (4) Business Days prior to the Termination Date.

8.04 Tax Matters.

(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, all transfer, documentary, sales, use, stamp, registration, value added or other similar Taxes incurred by Acquiror or the Company in connection with the Transactions (excluding any transactions contemplated by the PSA) (“Transfer Taxes”) shall be paid one hundred percent (100%) by Acquiror. The Company and Acquiror further agree to reasonably cooperate to reduce or eliminate the amount of any such Transfer Taxes.

(b) On the Closing Date, the Holdco and SOC shall each deliver to Acquiror a certificate of non-foreign status as contemplated under Treasury Regulations Section 1.1445-2(b) certifying, respectively, that the Holdco (or, if the Holdco is classified as a disregarded entity for U.S. federal income Tax purposes, the Holdco’s regarded owner for such purposes) is not a foreign Person and that SOC is not a foreign Person, dated as of the Closing Date and duly signed by a responsible corporate officer of the Holdco or SOC, as applicable. Each certificate shall be provided in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Acquiror.

8.05 Confidentiality; Publicity.

(a) The parties hereto acknowledge that they have and will receive information from or regarding the other parties or any of their respective Subsidiaries in the nature of trade secrets or that otherwise is confidential information or proprietary information (as further defined below, “Confidential Information”), the release of which would be damaging to such other party. Each party hereto shall hold in strict confidence any Confidential Information in such party’s possession, and each such party shall not disclose such Confidential Information to any Person (including any Affiliates) other than another party hereto or a Representative of such party with a need to know such Confidential Information in connection with the Transactions or the Asset Acquisition, or otherwise use such Confidential Information for any purpose other than to evaluate, analyze, and keep apprised of the Assets or the other parties’ and their respective Subsidiaries’ businesses and assets and, except for disclosures (i) to comply with any Laws (including applicable stock exchange or quotation system requirements), provided, that a party hereto must notify the other parties hereto promptly of any disclosure of Confidential Information which is required by Law, and any such disclosure of Confidential Information shall be to the

 

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minimum extent required by Law, (ii) of information that a party hereto has also received from a source independent of the other parties hereto and that such party reasonably believes such source obtained without breach of any obligation of confidentiality to the other parties hereto, (iii) that have been or become independently developed by a party hereto or its Affiliates or on their behalf without using any of the Confidential Information of the other parties hereto, or (iv) that are or become generally available to the public (other than as a result of a prohibited disclosure by a party hereto or its Representatives). The term “Confidential Information” shall include any information pertaining to a party’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ business which is not available to the public, whether written, oral, electronic, visual form or in any other media.

(b) The parties agree that the initial press release to be issued with respect to the Transactions shall be in the form previously agreed by the parties. None of Acquiror, the Company or any of their respective Affiliates shall make any public announcement or issue any public communication regarding this Agreement or the Transactions, or any matter related to the foregoing, without first obtaining the prior consent of the Company or Acquiror, as applicable (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), except if such announcement or other communication is required by applicable Law or legal process (including pursuant to the Securities Law or the rules of any national securities exchange), in which case Acquiror or the Company, as applicable, shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to coordinate such announcement or communication with the other party, prior to announcement or issuance and allow the other party a reasonable opportunity to comment thereon (which shall be considered by Acquiror or the Company, as applicable, in good faith); provided, however, that, notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, (i) each party and its Affiliates may make announcements and may provide information regarding this Agreement and the Transactions to their Affiliates and its and their respective directors, officers, employees, managers and advisors and, solely in the case of the Company, its direct and indirect investors and prospective investors, in each case, without the consent of any other party hereto and (ii) the Company may exercise its rights and communicate with third parties as contemplated by Section 6.05; and provided, further, that subject to Section 6.02 and this Section 8.05(b), the foregoing shall not prohibit any party hereto from communicating with third parties to the extent necessary for the purpose of seeking any third party consent.

8.06 Purchase and Sale Agreement. Each party shall use its reasonable best efforts to (a) cause the Asset Acquisition to be completed contemporaneously with the Closing and following the Effective Time in strict accordance with, and pursuant to, the terms of this Agreement, the PSA and the documents contemplated by the PSA and (b) ensure the availability of the financing contemplated by the PSA and Senior Secured Term Loan Agreement and cause the conditions precedent to the financing contemplated by the PSA and the Senior Secured Term Loan Agreement to be satisfied on a timely basis to contemporaneously complete the Asset Acquisition with the Closing.

8.07 Financing. Each party shall use its reasonable best efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all actions, and to do, or cause to be done, as promptly as practicable after the date hereof, all things necessary (including enforcing its rights (if any) under the Subscription Agreements), to consummate the purchases contemplated by the Subscription Agreements on the terms and conditions described or contemplated therein, including enforcing its rights (if any) under the Subscription Agreements to cause the Subscribers to pay to (or as directed by) Acquiror the applicable purchase price under each Subscriber’s applicable Subscription Agreement in accordance with its terms.

8.08 Post-Closing Cooperation; Further Assurances. Following the Closing, each party shall, on the request of any other party, execute such further documents, and perform such further acts, as may be reasonably necessary or appropriate to give full effect to the allocation of rights, benefits, obligations and liabilities contemplated by this Agreement and the Transactions.

 

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ARTICLE IX

CONDITIONS TO OBLIGATIONS

9.01 Conditions to Obligations of All Parties. The obligations of the parties hereto to consummate, or cause to be consummated, the Mergers are subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions, any one or more of which may be waived (if legally permitted) in writing by all of such parties:

(a) HSR Act. All waiting periods (and any extensions thereof) applicable to the Transactions under the HSR Act, and any commitments or agreements (including timing agreements) with any Governmental Authority not to consummate the Transactions before a certain date, shall have expired or been terminated.

(b) No Prohibition. No Governmental Authority shall have enacted, issued, promulgated, enforced or entered any Law, judgment, decree, executive order or award which is then in effect and has the effect of making the Transactions, including the Mergers, illegal or otherwise prohibiting, preventing or enjoining consummation of the Transactions, including the Mergers.

(c) Offer Completion. The Offer shall have been completed in accordance with the terms hereof and the Proxy Statement.

(d) Proxy Statement. The Proxy Statement shall have received SEC Clearance.

(e) Acquiror Stockholder Approvals. The Acquiror Stockholder Approvals shall have been obtained in accordance with the Proxy Statement, the DGCL, the Acquiror Organizational Documents and the rules and regulations of NYSE.

(f) Purchase and Sale Agreement. The transactions contemplated under the PSA (including the Transactions as defined in the Senior Secured Term Loan Agreement) shall be completed contemporaneously with the Closing in accordance with, and pursuant to, the terms of this Agreement and the PSA (except as previously consented to in writing by Acquiror, without waiver, modification or amendment to the PSA).

(g) Net Tangible Assets. Acquiror shall have at least $5,000,001 of net tangible assets (as determined in accordance with Rule 3a51-1(g)(1) of the Exchange Act) remaining after giving effect to redemption of any shares of Acquiror Common Stock pursuant to the Offer and after Acquiror’s receipt of the proceeds under the Subscription Agreements.

9.02 Additional Conditions to Obligations of Acquiror. The obligations of Acquiror to consummate, or cause to be consummated, the Mergers are subject to the satisfaction of the following additional conditions, any one or more of which may be waived in writing by Acquiror:

(a) Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Company contained in Section 4.01 (Organization, Standing and Corporate Power), Section 4.02(a) (Corporate Authority; Approval; Non-Contravention), Section 4.04 (Capitalization), Section 4.05 (Subsidiaries), Section 4.07 (Brokers) and Section 4.10 (Holdco) shall each be true and correct in all material respects as of the Closing as though made at the Closing, except to the extent that any such representation and warranty expressly speaks as of an earlier date, in which case such representation and warranty shall be true and correct as of such earlier date. All other representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement shall be true and correct (without giving any effect to any limitation as to “materiality” or “Material Adverse Effect” or any similar limitation set forth therein) as of the Closing, as though made on and as of the Closing, except (i) to the extent that any such representation and warranty expressly speaks as of an earlier date, in which case such representation and warranty shall be true and correct as of such earlier date and (ii) where the failure of such representations and warranties to be true and correct (whether as of the Closing Date or such earlier date), taken as a whole, does not result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(b) Agreements and Covenants. Each of the covenants and agreements of the Company to be performed or complied with as of or prior to the Closing shall have been performed or complied with in all material respects.

(c) No Material Adverse Effect. Since the date of this Agreement, there shall not have occurred any Material Adverse Effect.

(d) Officers Certificate. The Company shall have delivered to Acquiror a certificate signed by an officer of the Company, dated the Closing Date, certifying that, to the knowledge and belief of such officer, the conditions specified in Section 9.02(a), Section 9.02(b), Section 9.02(c) and Section 9.01(f) have been fulfilled.

(e) Ancillary Agreements. The Company shall have delivered to Acquiror executed counterparts to all of the Ancillary Agreements to which the Company, or any Holdco Equityholder, is party, each of which shall be in full force and effect as of the Closing and shall not have been repudiated or rescinded in any respect.

(f) Required Consents. The Company shall have provided Acquiror with evidence reasonably satisfactory to Acquiror of the receipt of the documents or consents set forth on Section 9.02(f) of the Company’s Schedules.

(g) Closing Deliverables. The Company shall have provided Acquiror evidence reasonably satisfactory to Acquiror of the satisfaction of the conditions precedent under Section 9.9 of the PSA and Article IV items (i) and (p) of the Senior Secured Term Loan Agreement.

(h) BOEM Certification. Acquiror shall have obtained certification from BOEM that Acquiror is qualified to hold offshore oil and gas leases and rights-of-way pursuant to the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act and BOEM’s regulations promulgated thereunder.

9.03 Additional Conditions to the Obligations of the Company. The obligation of the Company to consummate the Mergers is subject to the satisfaction of the following additional conditions, any one or more of which may be waived in writing by the Company:

(a) Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of Acquiror contained in Section 5.01 (Organization, Standing and Corporate Power), Section 5.02(a) (Corporate Authority; Approval; Non-Contravention), Section 5.13 (Capitalization) and Section 5.08 (Brokers) shall each be true and correct in all material respects as of the Closing as though made at the Closing, except to the extent that any such representation and warranty expressly speaks as of an earlier date, in which case such representation and warranty shall be true and correct as of such earlier date. All other representations and warranties of Acquiror contained in this Agreement shall be true and correct (without giving any effect to any limitation as to “materiality” or “material adverse effect” or any similar limitation set forth therein) as of the Closing, as though made on and as of the Closing, except (i) to the extent that any such representation and warranty expressly speaks as of an earlier date, in which case such representation and warranty shall be true and correct as of such earlier date and (ii) where the failure of such representations and warranties to be true and correct (whether as of the Closing Date or such earlier date), taken as a whole, does not result in a material adverse effect on Acquiror.

(b) Agreements and Covenants. Each of the covenants of Acquiror to be performed or complied with as of or prior to the Closing shall have been performed or complied with in all material respects.

(c) Officers Certificate. Acquiror shall have delivered to the Company a certificate signed by an officer of Acquiror, dated the Closing Date, certifying that, to the knowledge and belief of such officer, the conditions specified in Section 9.03(a) and Section 9.03(b) have been fulfilled.

(d) NYSE. The Acquiror Common Stock to be issued in connection with the Transactions shall have been approved for listing on NYSE, subject only to official notice of issuance thereof and the requirement to have a sufficient number of round lot holders.

 

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(e) Ancillary Agreements. Acquiror shall have delivered to the Company executed counterparts to all of the Ancillary Agreements to which Acquiror or Sponsor is party, each of which shall be in full force and effect as of the Closing and shall not have been repudiated or rescinded in any respect.

ARTICLE X

TERMINATION/EFFECTIVENESS

10.01 Termination. This Agreement may be terminated, and the Transactions abandoned:

(a) by mutual written consent of the Company and Acquiror;

(b) prior to the Closing, by written notice to the Company from Acquiror if (i) there is any breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement on the part of the Company set forth in this Agreement, such that any condition specified in Section 9.02(a), Section 9.02(b), or Section 9.02(c) would not be satisfied at the Closing (a “Terminating Company Breach”), except that, if any such Terminating Company Breach is curable by the Company through the exercise of its commercially reasonable efforts, then, for a period of up to thirty (30) days (or any shorter period of the time that remains between the date Acquiror provides written notice of such violation or breach and the Termination Date) after receipt by the Company of notice from Acquiror of such breach, but only as long as the Company continues to use its commercially reasonable efforts to cure such Terminating Company Breach (the “Company Cure Period”), such termination shall not be effective, and such termination shall become effective only if the Terminating Company Breach is not cured within the Company Cure Period, (ii) the Closing has not occurred on or before March 1, 2024 (the “Termination Date”), or (iii) the consummation of the Mergers is permanently enjoined, prevented, prohibited or made illegal by the terms of a final, non-appealable Governmental Order or other Law; provided, that the right to terminate this Agreement under Section 10.01(b)(ii) shall not be available if Acquiror’s failure to fulfill any obligation under this Agreement has been the primary cause of, or primarily resulted in, the failure of the Closing to occur on or before such date; provided, further, that the right to terminate this Agreement under Section 10.01(b)(ii) shall not be available if Acquiror is in breach of this Agreement on such date, which breach would give rise to a right of the Company to terminate this Agreement;

(c) prior to the Closing, by written notice to Acquiror from the Company if (i) there is any breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement on the part of Acquiror set forth in this Agreement, such that any condition specified in Section 9.03(a) or Section 9.03(b) would not be satisfied at the Closing (a “Terminating Acquiror Breach”), except that, if any such Terminating Acquiror Breach is curable by Acquiror through the exercise of its commercially reasonable efforts, then, for a period of up to thirty (30) days (or any shorter period of the time that remains between the date the Company provides written notice of such violation or breach and the Termination Date) after receipt by Acquiror of notice from the Company of such breach, but only as long as Acquiror continues to use its commercially reasonable efforts to cure such Terminating Acquiror Breach (the “Acquiror Cure Period”), such termination shall not be effective, and such termination shall become effective only if the Terminating Acquiror Breach is not cured within the Acquiror Cure Period, (ii) the Closing has not occurred on or before the Termination Date, or (iii) the consummation of the Mergers is permanently enjoined, prevented, prohibited or made illegal by the terms of a final, non-appealable Governmental Order or other Law; provided, that the right to terminate this Agreement under Section 10.01(c)(ii) shall not be available if the Company’s failure to fulfill any obligation under this Agreement has been the primary cause of, or primarily resulted in, the failure of the Closing to occur on or before such date; provided, further, that the right to terminate this Agreement under Section 10.01(c)(ii) shall not be available if the Company is in breach of this Agreement on such date, which breach would give rise to a right of Acquiror to terminate this Agreement; or

(d) by written notice from either the Company or Acquiror to the other if either Acquiror Stockholder Approvals is not obtained at the Special Meeting (subject to any adjournment or recess of the meeting).

 

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10.02 Effect of Termination. Except as otherwise set forth in this Section 10.02, in the event of the termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 10.01, this Agreement shall forthwith become void and have no effect, without any liability on the part of any party hereto or its respective Affiliates, officers, directors, employees or stockholders, other than liability of any party hereto for any Fraud or Willful Breach of this Agreement by such party occurring prior to such termination. The provisions of Sections 6.03, 8.05, 10.02 and Article XI (collectively, the “Surviving Provisions”), and any other Section or Article of this Agreement referenced in the Surviving Provisions, to the extent required to survive in order to give appropriate effect to the Surviving Provisions, shall in each case survive any termination of this Agreement.

ARTICLE XI

MISCELLANEOUS

11.01 Waiver. Any party to this Agreement may, at any time prior to the Closing, by action taken by its board of directors, members or officers thereunto duly authorized, waive any of the terms or conditions of this Agreement, or agree to an amendment or modification to this Agreement in the manner contemplated by Section 11.10 and by an agreement in writing executed in the same manner (but not necessarily by the same natural persons) as this Agreement.

11.02 Notices. All notices and other communications among the parties shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given (i) when delivered in person, (ii) when delivered after posting in the United States mail having been sent registered or certified mail return receipt requested, postage prepaid, (iii) when delivered by FedEx or other nationally recognized overnight delivery service or (iv) when e-mailed during normal business hours (and otherwise as of the immediately following Business Day), addressed as follows:

 

  (a)

If to Acquiror, to:

Flame Acquisition Corp.

700 Milam Street, Suite 3300

Houston, Texas 77002

Attn: James C. Flores

E-mail: jflores@flameacq.com.

with a copy to:

Latham & Watkins LLP

811 Main St., Suite 3700

Houston, TX 77002

Attn: Ryan Maierson

E-mail: ryan.maierson@lw.com

If to the Company to:

Sable Offshore Corp.

700 Milam Street, Suite 3300, Houston, Texas 77002

Attention: Anthony C. Duenner

Phone: 713-579-8023

Email: aduenner@sableminerals.com

with a copy to:

Bracewell LLP

711 Louisiana Street, Suite 2300

Houston, TX 77002-2770

Attn: Jason Jean and Troy Harder

Email: jason.jean@bracewell.com and troy.harder@bracewell.com

or to such other address or addresses as the parties may from time to time designate in writing.

 

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11.03 Assignment. No party hereto shall assign this Agreement or any part hereof without the prior written consent of the other parties. Subject to the foregoing, this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective permitted successors and assigns. Any attempted assignment in violation of the terms of this Section 11.03 shall be null and void, ab initio.

11.04 Rights of Third Parties. Nothing expressed or implied in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to confer upon or give any Person, other than the parties hereto, any right or remedies under or by reason of this Agreement; provided, however, that, notwithstanding the foregoing (a) in the event the Closing occurs, the present and former officers and directors of the Company and Acquiror (and their successors and representatives) are intended third-party beneficiaries of, and may enforce, Section 7.01 and Section 7.07 and (b) the past, present and future directors, officers, employees, incorporators, members, partners, stockholders, Affiliates, agents, attorneys, advisors and representatives of the parties, and any Affiliate of any of the foregoing (and their successors, heirs and representatives), are intended third-party beneficiaries of, and may enforce, Sections 11.14 and 11.16.

11.05 Expenses. Except as otherwise provided herein (including Section 3.04 and Section 8.02(c)), each party hereto shall bear its own expenses incurred in connection with this Agreement and the transactions herein contemplated whether or not such transactions shall be consummated, including all fees of its legal counsel, financial advisers and accountants.

11.06 Governing Law. This Agreement, and all claims or causes of action based upon, arising out of, or related to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the Laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to principles or rules of conflict of Laws to the extent such principles or rules would require or permit the application of Laws of another jurisdiction.

11.07 Captions; Counterparts. The captions in this Agreement are for convenience only and shall not be considered a part of or affect the construction or interpretation of any provision of this Agreement. This Agreement may be executed in two (2) or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

11.08 Schedules and Exhibits. The Schedules and Exhibits referenced herein are a part of this Agreement as if fully set forth herein. All references herein to Schedules and Exhibits shall be deemed references to such parts of this Agreement, unless the context shall otherwise require. Any disclosure made by a party in the Schedules with reference to any section in Article IV or Article V (as applicable) of this Agreement shall be deemed to be a disclosure with respect to all other sections in Article IV or Article V (as applicable) to which such disclosure may apply solely to the extent the relevance of such disclosure is reasonably apparent on the face of the disclosure in such Schedule.

11.09 Entire Agreement. This Agreement (together with the Schedules and Exhibits to this Agreement) and the Ancillary Agreements constitute the entire agreement among the parties relating to the Transactions and supersede any other agreements, whether written or oral, that may have been made or entered into by or among any of the parties hereto or any of their respective Subsidiaries relating to the Transactions. No representations, warranties, covenants, understandings, agreements, oral or otherwise, relating to the Transactions exist between the parties except as expressly set forth or referenced in this Agreement.

11.10 Amendments. This Agreement may be amended or modified in whole or in part, only by a duly authorized agreement in writing executed in the same manner as this Agreement (but not necessarily by the same natural persons who executed this Agreement) and which makes reference to this Agreement. The approval of this Agreement by the stockholders of any of the parties shall not restrict the ability of the board of directors of any of the parties to terminate this Agreement in accordance with Section 10.01 or to cause such party to enter into an amendment to this Agreement pursuant to this Section 11.10.

 

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11.11 Severability. If any provision of this Agreement is held invalid or unenforceable by any court of competent jurisdiction, the other provisions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect. The parties further agree that if any provision contained herein is, to any extent, held invalid or unenforceable in any respect under the Laws governing this Agreement, they shall take any actions necessary to render the remaining provisions of this Agreement valid and enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by Law and shall amend or otherwise modify this Agreement to replace any provision contained herein that is held invalid or unenforceable with a valid and enforceable provision giving effect to the intent of the parties.

11.12 Jurisdiction; WAIVER OF TRIAL BY JURY(a) . Any Action based upon, arising out of or related to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby must be brought in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, to the extent such court does not have subject matter jurisdiction, the Superior Court of the State of Delaware), or, if it has or can acquire jurisdiction, in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware, and each of the parties irrevocably and unconditionally (i) consents and submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of each such court in any such Action, (ii) waives any objection it may now or hereafter have to personal jurisdiction, venue or to convenience of forum, (iii) agrees that all claims in respect of the Action shall be heard and determined only in any such court, and (iv) agrees not to bring any Action arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby in any other court. Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to affect the right of any party to serve process in any manner permitted by Law or to commence any Action or otherwise proceed against any other party in any other jurisdiction, in each case, to enforce judgments obtained in any Action brought pursuant to this Section 11.12. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION BASED UPON, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO CERTIFIES AND ACKNOWLEDGES THAT (A) NO REPRESENTATIVE OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER, (B) EACH SUCH PARTY UNDERSTANDS AND HAS CONSIDERED THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS WAIVER, (C) EACH SUCH PARTY MAKES THIS WAIVER VOLUNTARILY, AND (D) EACH SUCH PARTY HAS BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE TRANSACTIONS BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS IN THIS SECTION 11.12.

11.13 Enforcement. The parties agree that irreparable damage for which monetary damages, even if available, would not be an adequate remedy, would occur in the event that the parties do not perform their obligations under the provisions of this Agreement (including failing to take such actions as are required of them hereunder to consummate this Agreement) in accordance with its specified terms or otherwise breach such provisions. The parties acknowledge and agree that (a) the parties shall be entitled to an injunction, specific performance, or other equitable relief, to prevent breaches of this Agreement and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions hereof, without proof of damages, prior to the valid termination of this Agreement in accordance with Section 10.01, this being in addition to any other remedy to which they are entitled under this Agreement; (b) the Acquiror shall be entitled to cause the Company to enforce specifically the terms and provisions of the Subscription Agreements, including with respect to causing the Company to cause the counterparties to the Subscription Agreements to fund their Purchase Price (as defined in the Subscription Agreements) in connection with Closing, in each case, subject to the terms and conditions of the Subscription Agreements, and (c) the right of specific enforcement is an integral part of the Transactions and without that right, none of the parties would have entered into this Agreement. Each party agrees that it will not oppose the granting of specific performance and other equitable relief on the basis that the other parties have an adequate remedy at Law or that an award of specific performance is not an appropriate remedy for any reason at Law or equity. The parties acknowledge and agree that any party seeking an injunction to prevent breaches of this Agreement and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions of this Agreement in accordance with this Section 11.13 shall not be required to provide any bond or other security in connection with any such injunction.

 

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11.14 Non-Recourse. This Agreement may only be enforced against, and any claim or cause of action based upon, arising out of, or related to this Agreement or the Transactions may only be brought against, the entities that are expressly named as parties hereto, and then only with respect to the specific obligations set forth herein with respect to such party. Except to the extent a named party to this Agreement (and then only to the extent of the specific obligations undertaken by such named party in this Agreement), (a) no past, present or future director, officer, employee, incorporator, member, partner, stockholder, Affiliate, agent, attorney, advisor or representative or Affiliate of any named party to this Agreement and (b) no past, present or future director, officer, employee, incorporator, member, partner, stockholder, Affiliate, agent, attorney, advisor or representative or Affiliate of any of the foregoing shall have any liability (whether in contract, tort, equity or otherwise) for any one or more of the representations, warranties, covenants, agreements or other obligations or liabilities of any one or more of the Company or Acquiror under this Agreement of or for any claim based on, arising out of, or related to this Agreement or the Transactions.

11.15 Non-survival of Representations, Warranties and Covenants. None of the representations, warranties, covenants, obligations or other agreements in this Agreement or in any certificate, statement or instrument delivered pursuant to this Agreement, including any rights arising out of any breach of such representations, warranties, covenants, obligations, agreements and other provisions, shall survive the Closing and such representations, warranties, covenants, obligations and other agreements shall terminate and expire upon the occurrence of the Effective Time (and there shall be no liability after the Closing in respect thereof), except for (a) those covenants and agreements contained herein that by their terms expressly apply in whole or in part after the Closing and then only with respect to any breaches occurring after the Closing, (b) Section 4.12, Section 4.14, Section 5.12 and Section 5.20 and (c) this Article XI. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, nothing in this Agreement shall limit any claim for Fraud.

11.16 Acknowledgements. Each of the parties acknowledges and agrees (on its own behalf and on behalf of its respective Affiliates and its and their respective Representatives) that: (i) it has conducted its own independent investigation of the financial condition, results of operations, assets, liabilities, properties and projected operations of the other parties (and their respective Subsidiaries) and has been afforded satisfactory access to the books and records, facilities and personnel of the other parties (and their respective Subsidiaries) for purposes of conducting such investigation; (ii) the Company Representations constitute the sole and exclusive representations and warranties of the Company in connection with the Transactions and the Asset Acquisition; (iii) the Acquiror Representations constitute the sole and exclusive representations and warranties of Acquiror; (iv) except for the Company Representations by the Company and the Acquiror Representations by Acquiror, respectively, none of the parties hereto or any other Person makes, or has made, any other express or implied representation or warranty with respect to any party hereto (or any party’s Affiliates), the Transactions or the Asset Acquisition and all other representations and warranties of any kind or nature expressed or implied (including (x) regarding the completeness or accuracy of, or any omission to state or to disclose, any information, including in the estimates, projections or forecasts or any other information, document or material provided to or made available to any party hereto or their respective Affiliates or Representatives in certain “data rooms,” management presentations or in any other form in expectation of the Transactions or the Asset Acquisition, including meetings, calls or correspondence with management of any party hereto (or any party’s Subsidiaries), and (y) any relating to the future or historical business, condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, prospects, assets or liabilities of any party hereto (or its Subsidiaries), or the quality, quantity or condition of any party’s or its Subsidiaries’ assets) are specifically disclaimed by all parties hereto and their respective Subsidiaries and all other Persons (including the Representatives and Affiliates of any party hereto or its Subsidiaries); and (v) each party hereto and its respective Affiliates are not relying on any representations and warranties in connection with the Transactions or the Asset Acquisition except the Company Representations by the Company and the Acquiror Representations by Acquiror.

 

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11.17 Conflicts and Privilege

(a) Acquiror and the Company, on behalf of their respective successors and assigns (including, after the Closing, the Surviving Company), hereby agree that, in the event a dispute with respect to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby arises after the Closing between or among (x) the Sponsor, the stockholders or holders of other equity interests of Acquiror or the Sponsor and/or any of their respective directors, members, partners, officers, employees or Affiliates (other than the Surviving Company) (collectively, the “Flame SPAC Parties”), on the one hand, and (y) the Surviving Company and/or any member of the Sable Group, on the other hand, any legal counsel, including Latham & Watkins LLP (“L&W”), that represented Acquiror and/or the Sponsor prior to the Closing may represent the Sponsor and/or any other member of the Flame SPAC Parties, in such dispute even though the interests of such Persons may be directly adverse to the Surviving Company, and even though such counsel may have represented Acquiror in a matter substantially related to such dispute, or may be handling ongoing matters for the Surviving Company and/or the Sponsor. Acquiror and the Company, on behalf of their respective successors and assigns (including, after the Closing, the Surviving Company), further agree that, as to all legally privileged communications prior to the Closing (made in connection with the negotiation, preparation, execution, delivery and performance under, or any dispute or Action arising out of or relating to, this Agreement, any Ancillary Agreements or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby) between or among Acquiror, the Sponsor and/or any other member of the Flame SPAC Parties, on the one hand, and L&W, on the other hand (the “L&W Privileged Communications”), the attorney/client privilege and the expectation of client confidence shall survive the Mergers and belong to the Flame SPAC Parties after the Closing, and shall not pass to or be claimed or controlled by the Surviving Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any privileged communications or information shared by the Company prior to the Closing with Acquiror or the Sponsor under a common interest agreement shall remain the privileged communications or information of the Surviving Company. Acquiror and the Company, together with any of their respective Affiliates, Subsidiaries, successors or assigns, agree that no Person may use or rely on any of the L&W Privileged Communications, whether located in the records or email server of the Acquiror, Surviving Company or their respective Subsidiaries, in any Action against or involving any of the parties after the Closing, and Acquiror and the Company agree not to assert that any privilege has been waived as to the L&W Privileged Communications, by virtue of the Mergers.

(b) Acquiror and the Company, on behalf of their respective successors and assigns (including, after the Closing, the Surviving Company), hereby agree that, in the event a dispute with respect to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby arises after the Closing between or among (x) the stockholders or holders of other equity interests of the Company and any of their respective directors, members, partners, officers, employees or Affiliates (other than the Surviving Company) (collectively, the “Sable Group”), on the one hand, and (y) the Surviving Company and/or any member of the Flame SPAC Parties, on the other hand, any legal counsel, including Bracewell LLP (“Bracewell”) that represented the Company prior to the Closing may represent any member of the Sable Group in such dispute even though the interests of such Persons may be directly adverse to the Surviving Company, and even though such counsel may have represented Acquiror and/or the Company in a matter substantially related to such dispute, or may be handling ongoing matters for the Surviving Company, further agree that, as to all legally privileged communications prior to the Closing (made in connection with the negotiation, preparation, execution, delivery and performance under, or any dispute or Action arising out of or relating to, this Agreement, any Ancillary Agreements or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby) between or among the Company and/or any member of the Sable Group, on the one hand, and Bracewell, on the other hand (the “Bracewell Privileged Communications”), the attorney/client privilege and the expectation of client confidence shall survive the Mergers and belong to the Sable Group after the Closing, and shall not pass to or be claimed or controlled by the Surviving Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any privileged communications or information shared by Acquiror prior to the Closing with the Company under a common interest agreement shall remain the privileged communications or information of the Surviving Company. Acquiror and the Company, together with any of their respective Affiliates, Subsidiaries, successors or assigns, agree that no Person may use or rely on any of the Bracewell Privileged Communications, whether located in the records or email server of the Acquiror, Surviving Company or their respective Subsidiaries, in any

 

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Action against or involving any of the parties after the Closing, and Acquiror and the Company agree not to assert that any privilege has been waived as to the Bracewell Privileged Communications, by virtue of the Mergers.

11.18 Action by Acquiror. Whenever a material determination, decision, action, approval, consent, waiver or agreement of Acquiror is required or may be given pursuant to this Agreement (including any determination to exercise or refrain from exercising any rights under Article X or to enforce the terms of this Agreement, which shall include any determination, decision, action, approval, consent, waiver or agreement with respect to Section 6.01(d)) or any Ancillary Agreement, such determination, decision, action, approval, consent, waiver or agreement must be authorized by the Acquiror Board acting reasonably promptly (which shall include for this purpose the affirmative approval of a majority of the independent directors serving on the Acquiror Board) and, unless otherwise required by the Acquiror Organizational Documents or applicable Law, such action shall not require approval of the holders of Acquiror Common Stock.

[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed and delivered as of the date first written above by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized.

 

FLAME ACQUISITION CORP.
By:   /s/ Gregory Patrinely
Name:   Gregory Patrinely
Title:   Chief Financial Officer

 

 

[Signature Page to Agreement and Plan of Merger]


SABLE OFFSHORE CORP.
By:   /s/ James C. Flores
Name:   James C. Flores
Title:   Chief Executive Officer

 

 

[Signature Page to Agreement and Plan of Merger]


SABLE OFFSHORE HOLDINGS LLC
By:   /s/ James C. Flores
Name:   James C. Flores
Title:   Chief Executive Officer

 

 

[Signature Page to Agreement and Plan of Merger]

Exhibit 3.1

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

OF

FLAME ACQUISITION CORP.

Flame Acquisition Corp. (the “Corporation”), a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”), does hereby certify as follows:

1. The name of the Corporation is Flame Acquisition Corp. The Corporation was incorporated under the name Flame Acquisition Corp. by the filing of its original Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on October 16, 2020 (the “Original Certificate”).

2. An Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, which amended and restated the Original Certificate in its entirety, was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on February 24, 2021 (as amended from time to time, the “Existing Certificate”).

3. This Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Second Amended and Restated Certificate”), which amends and restates the Existing Certificate in its entirety, has been approved by the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”) in accordance with Sections 242 and 245 of the DGCL and has been adopted by the stockholders of the Corporation at a meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation in accordance with the provisions of Section 211 of the DGCL.

4. The text of the Existing Certificate is hereby amended and restated by this Second Amended and Restated Certificate to read in its entirety as set forth in EXHIBIT A attached hereto.

5. This Second Amended and Restated Certificate shall become effective on the date of filing with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware.

6. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Flame Acquisition Corp. has caused this Second Amended and Restated Certificate to be signed by a duly authorized officer of the Corporation, on February 14, 2024.

 

FLAME ACQUISITION CORP.
By:  

/s/ James C. Flores

Name:   James C. Flores
Title:   Chairman of the Board of Directors


EXHIBIT A

ARTICLE I

NAME

The name of the corporation is Sable Offshore Corp. (the “Corporation”).

ARTICLE II

REGISTERED OFFICE AND AGENT

The address of the Corporation’s registered office in the State of Delaware is 1209 Orange Street, in the City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, 19801, and the name of its registered agent at such address is The Corporation Trust Company.

ARTICLE III

PURPOSE

The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”) as it now exists or may hereafter be amended and supplemented.

ARTICLE IV

CAPITAL STOCK

The Corporation is authorized to issue two classes of stock to be designated, respectively, “Common Stock” and “Preferred Stock.” The total number of shares of capital stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 501,000,000 shares. The total number of shares of Common Stock that the Corporation is authorized to issue is 500,000,000 shares, having a par value of $0.0001 per share, and the total number of shares of Preferred Stock that the Corporation is authorized to issue is 1,000,000, having a par value of $0.0001 per share.

The Corporation has the authority to create and issue rights, warrants and options entitling the holders thereof to acquire from the Corporation any shares of its capital stock of any class or classes, with such rights, warrants and options to be evidenced by or in instrument(s) approved by the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”). The Board of Directors is empowered to set the exercise price, duration, times for exercise and other terms and conditions of such rights, warrants or options; provided, however, that the consideration to be received for any shares of capital stock issuable upon exercise thereof may not be less than the par value thereof.

The designations and the powers, privileges and rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof in respect of each class of capital stock of the Corporation are as follows:

 

  A.

COMMON STOCK.

1.  General. The voting, dividend, liquidation, and other rights and powers of the Common Stock are subject to and qualified by the rights, powers and preferences of any series of Preferred Stock as may be designated by the Board of Directors and outstanding from time to time.

 

2


2. Voting.

 

  a.

Except as otherwise provided herein (including any Certificate of Designation) or otherwise required by law, the holders of the shares of Common Stock shall exclusively possess all voting power with respect to the Corporation.

 

  b.

Except as otherwise provided herein or expressly required by law, each holder of Common Stock, as such, shall be entitled to vote on each matter submitted to a vote of stockholders and shall be entitled to one (1) vote for each share of Common Stock held of record by such holder as of the record date for determining stockholders entitled to vote on such matter.

 

  c.

Except as otherwise provided herein (including any Certificate of Designation) or otherwise required by law, at any annual or special meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation, holders of the Common Stock shall have the exclusive right to vote for the election of directors and on all other matters properly submitted to a vote of the stockholders.

 

  d.

Except as otherwise required by law, holders of Common Stock, as such, shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Second Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Certificate of Designation (as defined below)) that relates solely to the rights, powers, preferences (or the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof) or other terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to this Second Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Certificate of Designation) or pursuant to the DGCL.

Subject to the rights of any holders of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock, the number of authorized shares of Common Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the then outstanding capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote, irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the DGCL.

3. Dividends. Subject to applicable law and the rights and preferences of any holders of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock, the holders of Common Stock, as such, shall be entitled to the payment of dividends on the Common Stock when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors in accordance with applicable law.

4. Liquidation. Subject to the rights and preferences of any holders of any shares of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock, in the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, the funds and assets of the Corporation that may be legally distributed to the Corporation’s stockholders shall be distributed among the holders of the then outstanding Common Stock pro rata in accordance with the number of shares of Common Stock held by each such holder.

 

  B.

PREFERRED STOCK

Shares of Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series, each of such series to have such terms as stated or expressed herein and in the resolution or resolutions providing for the creation and issuance of such series adopted by the Board of Directors as hereinafter provided.

Authority is hereby expressly granted to the Board of Directors from time to time to issue Preferred Stock in one or more series, and in connection with the creation of any such series, by adopting a resolution or resolutions providing for the issuance of the shares thereof and by filing a certificate of designation relating thereto in accordance with the DGCL (a “Certificate of Designation”), to determine and fix the number of shares of such series and such voting powers, full or limited, or no voting powers, and such designations, preferences and relative participating, optional or other special rights, and qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, including without limitation thereof, dividend rights, conversion rights, redemption privileges and liquidation

 

3


preferences, and to increase or decrease (but not below the number of shares of such series then outstanding) the number of shares of any series as shall be stated and expressed in such resolutions, all to the fullest extent now or hereafter permitted by the DGCL. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the resolution or resolutions providing for the creation and issuance of any series of Preferred Stock may provide that such series shall be superior or rank equally or be junior to any other series of Preferred Stock to the extent permitted by law and this Second Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Certificate of Designation). Except as otherwise required by law, holders of any series of Preferred Stock shall be entitled only to such voting rights, if any, as shall expressly be granted thereto by this Second Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Certificate of Designation).

The number of authorized shares of Preferred Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the then outstanding capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote, irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the DGCL.

ARTICLE V

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

For the management of the business and for the conduct of the affairs of the Corporation it is further provided that:

A. Subject to the special rights of the holders of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, the directors of the Corporation shall be classified with respect to the time for which they severally hold office into three classes, as nearly equal in number as possible and designated as Class I, Class II and Class III. The initial Class I directors shall serve for a term expiring at the first annual meeting of the stockholders following the date of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate; the initial Class II directors shall serve for a term expiring at the second annual meeting of the stockholders following the date of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate; and the initial Class III directors shall serve for a term expiring at the third annual meeting following the date of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate. At each annual meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation beginning with the first annual meeting of the stockholders following the date of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate, subject to the special rights of the holders of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, the successors of the class of directors whose term expires at that meeting shall be elected to hold office for a term expiring at the annual meeting of the stockholders held in the third year following the year of their election. Each director shall hold office until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation, disqualification or removal. No decrease in the number of directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent director. The Board of Directors is authorized to assign members of the Board of Directors already in office to Class I, Class II and Class III.

B. Except as otherwise expressly provided by the DGCL or this Second Amended and Restated Certificate, the business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors. The number of directors which shall constitute the whole Board of Directors shall be fixed exclusively by one or more resolutions adopted from time to time by the Board of Directors. Directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast by the stockholders present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote thereon.

C. Subject to the special rights of the holders of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, the Board of Directors or any individual director may be removed from office at any time, but only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds (66 and 2/3%) of the voting power of all of the then outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at an election of directors.

 

4


D. Subject to the special rights of the holders of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, except as otherwise provided by law, any vacancies on the Board of Directors resulting from death, resignation, disqualification, retirement, removal or other causes and any newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the number of directors shall be filled exclusively by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors then in office, even though less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director (other than any directors elected by the separate vote of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock), and shall not be filled by the stockholders. Any director appointed in accordance with the preceding sentence shall hold office until the expiration of the term of the class to which such director shall have been appointed or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, or removal.

E. Whenever the holders of any one or more series of Preferred Stock issued by the Corporation shall have the right, voting separately as a series or separately as a class with one or more such other series, to elect directors at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, the election, term of office, removal and other features of such directorships shall be governed by the terms of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Certificate of Designation). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Article V, the number of directors that may be elected by the holders of any such series of Preferred Stock shall be in addition to the number fixed pursuant to paragraph B of this Article V, and the total number of directors constituting the whole Board of Directors shall be automatically adjusted accordingly. Except as otherwise provided in the Certificate of Designation(s) in respect of one or more series of Preferred Stock, whenever the holders of any series of Preferred Stock having such right to elect additional directors are divested of such right pursuant to the provisions of such Certificate of Designation(s), the terms of office of all such additional directors elected by the holders of such series of Preferred Stock, or elected to fill any vacancies resulting from the death, resignation, disqualification or removal of such additional directors, shall forthwith terminate (in which case each such director thereupon shall cease to be qualified as, and shall cease to be, a director) and the total authorized number of directors of the Corporation shall automatically be reduced accordingly.

F. In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by statute, the Board of Directors is expressly authorized to adopt, amend or repeal the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Corporation (as amended and/or restated from time to time, the “Bylaws”). In addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of stock of the Corporation required by applicable law or by this Second Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Certificate of Designation in respect of one or more series of Preferred Stock) or the Bylaws of the Corporation, the adoption, amendment or repeal of the Bylaws of the Corporation by the stockholders of the Corporation shall require the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds (66 and 2/3%) of the voting power of all of the then outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in an election of directors.

G. The directors of the Corporation need not be elected by written ballot unless the Bylaws so provide.

ARTICLE VI

STOCKHOLDERS

A. Any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation must be effected at an annual or special meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation, and shall not be taken by written consent in lieu of a meeting. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any action required or permitted to be taken by the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, voting separately as a series or separately as a class with one or more other such series, may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, to the extent expressly so provided by the applicable Certificate of Designation relating to such series of Preferred Stock, if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by the holders of outstanding shares of the relevant series of Preferred Stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted and shall be delivered to the Corporation in accordance with the applicable provisions of the DGCL.

 

5


B. Subject to the special rights of the holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock, special meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation may be called, for any purpose or purposes, at any time only by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, the Chairperson of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or the President, and shall not be called by any other person or persons.

C. Advance notice of stockholder nominations for the election of directors and of other business proposed to be brought by stockholders before any meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation shall be given in the manner provided in the Bylaws of the Corporation.

ARTICLE VII

LIABILITY

No director or officer of the Corporation shall have any personal liability to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duty as a director or officer, as applicable, except to the extent such exemption from liability or limitation thereof is not permitted under the DGCL as the same exists or hereafter may be amended. Any amendment, repeal or modification of this Article VII, or the adoption of any provision of the Second Amended and Restated Certificate inconsistent with this Article VII, shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a director or officer of the Corporation with respect to any act or omission occurring prior to such amendment, repeal, modification or adoption. If the DGCL is amended after approval by the stockholders of this Article VII to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of directors or officers, then the liability of a director or officer, as applicable, of the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL as so amended.

ARTICLE VIII

INDEMNIFICATION

A. To the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL or any other applicable law, as it presently exists or may hereafter be amended, the Corporation shall indemnify and hold harmless each person who is or was made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is otherwise involved in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (a “proceeding”) by reason of the fact that he or she or a person for whom he or she is the legal representative is or was a director or officer of the Corporation or, while serving as a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust, other enterprise or nonprofit entity, including service with respect to an employee benefit plan (an “indemnitee”), whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent, or in any other capacity while serving as a director, officer, employee or agent, against all liability and loss suffered and expenses (including, attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes and penalties and amounts paid in settlement) reasonably incurred by such indemnitee in connection with such proceeding; provided that such indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner such indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe such indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful. The Corporation shall to the fullest extent not prohibited by applicable law pay the expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by an indemnitee in defending or otherwise participating in any proceeding in advance of its final disposition; provided, however, that, to the extent required by applicable law, such payment of expenses in advance of the final disposition of the proceeding shall be made only upon receipt of an undertaking, by or on behalf of the indemnitee, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that the indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified under this Article VIII or otherwise. The rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses conferred by this Article VIII shall be contract rights and such rights shall continue as to an indemnitee who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, executors and administrators. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Article VIII, except for proceedings to enforce rights to

 

6


indemnification and advancement of expenses, the Corporation shall indemnify and advance expenses to an indemnitee in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such indemnitee only if such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board.

B. The rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses conferred on any indemnitee by this Article VIII shall not be exclusive of any other rights that any indemnitee may have or hereafter acquire under law, this Second Amended and Restated Certificate, the Bylaws, an agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors, or otherwise.

C. Any repeal or amendment of this Article VIII by the stockholders of the Corporation or by changes in law, or the adoption of any other provision of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate inconsistent with this Article VIII, shall, unless otherwise required by law, be prospective only (except to the extent such amendment or change in law permits the Corporation to provide broader indemnification rights on a retroactive basis than permitted prior thereto), and shall not in any way diminish or adversely affect any right or protection existing at the time of such repeal or amendment or adoption of such inconsistent provision in respect of any proceeding (regardless of when such proceeding is first threatened, commenced or completed) arising out of, or related to, any act or omission occurring prior to such repeal or amendment or adoption of such inconsistent provision.

D. This Article VIII shall not limit the right of the Corporation, to the extent and in the manner authorized or permitted by law, to indemnify and to advance expenses to persons other than indemnitees.

ARTICLE IX

FORUM SELECTION

A. Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, (a) the Court of Chancery (the “Chancery Court”) of the State of Delaware (or, in the event that the Chancery Court does not have jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware or other state courts of the State of Delaware) shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action, suit or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (ii) any action, suit or proceeding asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or stockholder of the Corporation to the Corporation or to the Corporation’s stockholders, (iii) any action, suit or proceeding arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or the bylaws of the Corporation or this Second Amended and Restated Certificate (as either may be amended from time to time) or (iv) any action, suit or proceeding asserting a claim against the Corporation governed by the internal affairs doctrine; and (b) subject to the preceding provisions of this Article IX, the federal district courts of the United States of America (the “Federal Courts”) shall be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, except for, as to each of (a) and (b), any claim as to which the Chancery Court or the Federal Courts, as applicable, determines that there is an indispensable party not subject to the jurisdiction of the Chancery Court or the Federal Courts, as applicable (and the indispensable party does not consent to the personal jurisdiction of the Chancery Court or Federal Courts, as applicable, within ten days following such determination), which is vested in the exclusive jurisdiction of a court or forum other than the Chancery Court or the Federal Courts, as applicable, or for which the Chancery Court or Federal Courts, as applicable, does not have subject matter jurisdiction. If any action the subject matter of which is within the scope of clause (a) of the immediately preceding sentence is filed in a court other than the courts in the State of Delaware (a “Foreign Action”) in the name of any stockholder, such stockholder shall be deemed to have consented to (x) the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts in the State of Delaware in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce the provisions of clause (a) of the immediately preceding sentence and (y) having service of process made upon such stockholder in any such action by service upon such stockholder’s counsel in the Foreign Action as agent for such stockholder.

 

7


B. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in any security of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to this Article IX. This Article IX is intended to benefit and may be enforced by the Corporation, its officers and directors, the underwriters to any offering giving rise to such complaint, and any other professional or entity whose profession gives authority to a statement made by that person or entity and who has prepared or certified any part of the documents underlying the offering. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of this Article IX shall not apply to suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any other claim for which the federal courts of the United States have exclusive jurisdiction.

C. If any provision or provisions of this Article IX shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any circumstance for any reason whatsoever, (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of such provisions in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Article X (including, without limitation, each portion of any paragraph of this Article X containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and (b) the application of such provision to other persons or entities and circumstances shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

ARTICLE X

AMENDMENTS

A. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Second Amended and Restated Certificate to the contrary, in addition to any vote required by applicable law, the following provisions in this Second Amended and Restated Certificate may be amended, altered, repealed or rescinded, in whole or in part, or any provision inconsistent therewith or herewith may be adopted, only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds (66 and 2/3%) of the total voting power of all the then outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class: Part B of Article IV, Article V, Article VI, Article VII, Article VIII, Article IX, and this Article X.

B. If any provision or provisions of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any person, entity, or circumstance for any reason whatsoever: (i) the validity, legality and enforceability of such provisions in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate (including, without limitation, each portion of any paragraph of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, in any way be affected or impaired thereby and (ii) to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the provisions of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate (including, without limitation, each such portion of any paragraph of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to permit the Corporation to protect its directors, officers, employees and agents from personal liability in respect of their good faith service to or for the benefit of the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by law. 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 Second Amended and Restated Certificate.

 

8

Exhibit 3.2

 

 

 

Amended and Restated Bylaws of

Sable Offshore Corp.

(a Delaware corporation)

 

 

 


Table of Contents

 

             Page  

Article I - Corporate Offices

     1  
 

1.1

 

Registered Office

     1  
 

1.2

 

Other Offices

     1  

Article II - Meetings of Stockholders

     1  
 

2.1

 

Place of Meetings

     1  
 

2.2

 

Annual Meeting

     1  
 

2.3

 

Special Meeting

     1  
 

2.4

 

Notice of Business to be Brought before a Meeting.

     1  
 

2.5

 

Notice of Nominations for Election to the Board.

     4  
 

2.6

 

Notice of Stockholders’ Meetings

     8  
 

2.7

 

Quorum

     8  
 

2.8

 

Adjourned Meeting; Notice

     8  
 

2.9

 

Conduct of Business

     9  
 

2.10

 

Voting

     9  
 

2.11

 

Record Date for Stockholder Meetings and Other Purposes

     9  
 

2.12

 

Proxies

     10  
 

2.13

 

List of Stockholders Entitled to Vote

     10  
 

2.14

 

Inspectors of Election

     11  
 

2.15

 

Delivery to the Corporation.

     11  

Article III - Directors

     11  
 

3.1

 

Powers

     11  
 

3.2

 

Number of Directors

     12  
 

3.3

 

Election, Qualification and Term of Office of Directors

     12  
 

3.4

 

Resignation and Vacancies

     12  
 

3.5

 

Place of Meetings; Meetings by Telephone

     12  
 

3.6

 

Regular Meetings

     12  
 

3.7

 

Special Meetings; Notice

     12  
 

3.8

 

Quorum

     13  
 

3.9

 

Board Action without a Meeting

     13  
 

3.10

 

Fees and Compensation of Directors

     13  

Article IV - Committees

     13  
 

4.1

 

Committees of Directors

     13  
 

4.2

 

Committee Minutes

     14  
 

4.3

 

Meetings and Actions of Committees

     14  
 

4.4

 

Subcommittees.

     14  

Article V - Officers

     14  
 

5.1

 

Officers

     14  
 

5.2

 

Appointment of Officers

     15  
 

5.3

 

Subordinate Officers

     15  
 

5.4

 

Removal and Resignation of Officers

     15  
 

5.5

 

Vacancies in Offices

     15  
 

5.6

 

Representation of Shares of Other Corporations

     15  
 

5.7

 

Authority and Duties of Officers

     15  
 

5.8

 

Compensation.

     16  

 

i


             Page  

Article VI - Records

     16  

Article VII - General Matters

     16  
 

7.1

 

Execution of Corporate Contracts and Instruments

     16  
 

7.2

 

Stock Certificates

     16  
 

7.3

 

Special Designation of Certificates.

     17  
 

7.4

 

Lost Certificates

     17  
 

7.5

 

Shares Without Certificates

     17  
 

7.6

 

Construction; Definitions

     17  
 

7.7

 

Dividends

     17  
 

7.8

 

Fiscal Year

     17  
 

7.9

 

Seal

     18  
 

7.10

 

Transfer of Stock

     18  
 

7.11

 

Stock Transfer Agreements

     18  
 

7.12

 

Registered Stockholders

     18  
 

7.13

 

Waiver of Notice

     18  

Article VIII - Notice

     18  
 

8.1

 

Delivery of Notice; Notice by Electronic Transmission

     18  

Article IX - Indemnification

     19  
 

9.1

 

Indemnification of Directors and Officers

     19  
 

9.2

 

Indemnification of Others

     20  
 

9.3

 

Prepayment of Expenses

     20  
 

9.4

 

Determination; Claim

     20  
 

9.5

 

Non-Exclusivity of Rights

     20  
 

9.6

 

Insurance

     20  
 

9.7

 

Other Indemnification

     21  
 

9.8

 

Continuation of Indemnification

     21  
 

9.9

 

Amendment or Repeal; Interpretation

     21  

Article X - Amendments

     21  

Article XI - Forum Selection

     22  

Article XII - Definitions

     23  

 

ii


Amended and Restated Bylaws of

Sable Offshore Corp.

 

 

Article I - Corporate Offices

 

  1.1

Registered Office.

The address of the registered office of Sable Offshore Corp. (the “Corporation”) in the State of Delaware, and the name of its registered agent at such address, shall be as set forth in the Corporation’s certificate of incorporation, as the same may be amended and/or restated from time to time (the “Certificate of Incorporation”).

 

  1.2

Other Offices.

The Corporation may have additional offices at any place or places, within or outside the State of Delaware, as the Corporation’s board of directors (the “Board”) may from time to time establish or as the business and affairs of the Corporation may require.

Article II - Meetings of Stockholders

 

  2.1

Place of Meetings.

Meetings of stockholders shall be held at any place, within or outside the State of Delaware, designated by the Board. The Board may, in its sole discretion, determine that a meeting of stockholders shall not be held at any place, but may instead be held solely by means of remote communication as authorized by Section 211(a)(2) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”). In the absence of any such designation or determination, stockholders’ meetings shall be held at the Corporation’s principal executive office, whether within or outside of the State of Delaware.

 

  2.2

Annual Meeting.

The Board shall designate the date and time of the annual meeting. At the annual meeting, the stockholders entitled to vote on such matters shall elect those directors of the Corporation to fill any term of a directorship that expires on the date of such annual meeting and may transact any other business as may properly be brought before the meeting in accordance with Section 2.4. The Board may postpone, reschedule or cancel any previously scheduled annual meeting of stockholders.

 

  2.3

Special Meeting.

Special meetings of the stockholders may be called only by such persons and only in such manner as set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation.

No business may be transacted at any special meeting of stockholders other than the business specified in the notice of such meeting. The Board may postpone, reschedule or cancel any previously scheduled special meeting of stockholders.

 

  2.4

Notice of Business to be Brought before a Meeting.

(a) At an annual meeting of the stockholders, only such business shall be conducted as shall have been properly brought before the meeting. To be properly brought before an annual meeting, business must be (i) specified in the Corporation’s notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto) given by or at the direction of the Board, (ii) if not specified in a notice of meeting, otherwise brought before the meeting by or at the direction of

 

1


the Board or the Chairperson of the Board or (iii) otherwise properly brought before the meeting by a stockholder present in person who (A) (1) was a record owner of shares of the Corporation both at the time of giving the notice provided for in this Section 2.4 and at the time of the meeting, (2) is entitled to vote at the meeting and (3) has complied with this Section 2.4 in all applicable respects or (B) properly made such proposal in accordance with Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (as so amended and inclusive of such rules and regulations, the “Exchange Act”). The foregoing clause (iii) shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to propose business to be brought before an annual meeting of the stockholders. The only matters that may be brought before a special meeting are the matters specified in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the person calling the meeting pursuant to Section 2.3, and stockholders shall not be permitted to propose business to be brought before a special meeting of the stockholders. For purposes of this Section 2.4, “present in person” shall mean that the stockholder proposing that the business be brought before the annual meeting of the Corporation, or a qualified representative of such proposing stockholder, appear at such annual meeting. A “qualified representative” of such proposing stockholder shall be a duly authorized officer, manager or partner of such stockholder or any other person authorized by a writing executed by such stockholder or an electronic transmission delivered by such stockholder to act for such stockholder as proxy at the meeting of stockholders and such person must produce such writing or electronic transmission, or a reliable reproduction of the writing or electronic transmission, at the meeting of stockholders. Stockholders seeking to nominate persons for election to the Board must comply with Section 2.5, and this Section 2.4 shall not be applicable to nominations except as expressly provided in Section 2.5.

(b) Without qualification, for business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder, the stockholder must (i) provide Timely Notice (as defined below) thereof in writing and in proper form to the Secretary of the Corporation and (ii) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 2.4. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be delivered to, or mailed and received at, the principal executive offices of the Corporation not less than ninety (90) days nor more than one hundred twenty (120) days prior to the one-year anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided, however, that if no annual meeting was held in the preceding year, to be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be so delivered, or mailed and received, not earlier than the close of business on the one hundred and twentieth (120th) day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such annual meeting or, if later, the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public disclosure of the date of such annual meeting was first made by the Corporation; provided, further, that if the date of the annual meeting is more than thirty (30) days before or more than sixty (60) days after such anniversary date, to be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be so delivered, or mailed and received, not later than the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such annual meeting or, if later, the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public disclosure of the date of such annual meeting was first made by the Corporation (such notice within such time periods, “Timely Notice”). In no event shall any adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting or the announcement thereof commence a new time period for the giving of Timely Notice as described above.

(c) To be in proper form for purposes of this Section 2.4, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary of the Corporation shall set forth:

(i) As to each Proposing Person (as defined below), (A) the name and address of such Proposing Person (including, if applicable, the name and address that appear on the Corporation’s books and records); and (B) the class or series and number of shares of the Corporation that are, directly or indirectly, owned of record or beneficially owned (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) by such Proposing Person, except that such Proposing Person shall in all events be deemed to beneficially own any shares of any class or series of the Corporation as to which such Proposing Person has a right to acquire beneficial ownership at any time in the future (the disclosures to be made pursuant to the foregoing clauses (A) and (B) are referred to as “Stockholder Information”);

(ii) As to each Proposing Person, (A) the full notional amount of any securities that, directly or indirectly, underlie any “derivative security” (as such term is defined in Rule 16a-1(c) under the Exchange Act)

 

2


that constitutes a “call equivalent position” (as such term is defined in Rule 16a-1(b) under the Exchange Act) (“Synthetic Equity Position”) and that is, directly or indirectly, held or maintained by such Proposing Person with respect to any shares of any class or series of shares of the Corporation; provided that, for the purposes of the definition of “Synthetic Equity Position,” the term “derivative security” shall also include any security or instrument that would not otherwise constitute a “derivative security” as a result of any feature that would make any conversion, exercise or similar right or privilege of such security or instrument becoming determinable only at some future date or upon the happening of a future occurrence, in which case the determination of the amount of securities into which such security or instrument would be convertible or exercisable shall be made assuming that such security or instrument is immediately convertible or exercisable at the time of such determination; and, provided, further, that any Proposing Person satisfying the requirements of Rule 13d-1(b)(1) under the Exchange Act (other than a Proposing Person that so satisfies Rule 13d-1(b)(1) under the Exchange Act solely by reason of Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E)) shall not be deemed to hold or maintain the notional amount of any securities that underlie a Synthetic Equity Position held by such Proposing Person as a hedge with respect to a bona fide derivatives trade or position of such Proposing Person arising in the ordinary course of such Proposing Person’s business as a derivatives dealer, (B) any rights to dividends on the shares of any class or series of shares of the Corporation owned beneficially by such Proposing Person that are separated or separable from the underlying shares of the Corporation, (C) any material pending or threatened legal proceeding in which such Proposing Person is a party or material participant involving the Corporation or any of its officers or directors, or any affiliate of the Corporation, (D) any other material relationship between such Proposing Person, on the one hand, and the Corporation or any affiliate of the Corporation, on the other hand, (E) any direct or indirect material interest in any material contract or agreement of such Proposing Person with the Corporation or any affiliate of the Corporation (including, in any such case, any employment agreement, collective bargaining agreement or consulting agreement), (F) a representation that such Proposing Person intends or is part of a group that intends to deliver a proxy statement or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the Corporation’s outstanding capital stock required to approve or adopt the proposal or otherwise solicit proxies from stockholders in support of such proposal and (G) any other information relating to such Proposing Person that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies or consents by such Proposing Person in support of the business proposed to be brought before the meeting pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act (the disclosures to be made pursuant to the foregoing clauses (A) through (G) are referred to as “Disclosable Interests”); provided, however, that Disclosable Interests shall not include any such disclosures with respect to the ordinary course business activities of any broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee who is a Proposing Person solely as a result of being the stockholder directed to prepare and submit the notice required by these bylaws on behalf of a beneficial owner; and

(iii) As to each item of business that the stockholder proposes to bring before the annual meeting, (A) a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the annual meeting, the reasons for conducting such business at the annual meeting and any material interest in such business of each Proposing Person, (B) the text of the proposal or business (including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration and in the event that such business includes a proposal to amend these bylaws, the language of the proposed amendment), and (C) a reasonably detailed description of all agreements, arrangements and understandings (x) between or among any of the Proposing Persons or (y) between or among any Proposing Person and any other person or entity (including their names) in connection with the proposal of such business by such stockholder; and (D) any other information relating to such item of business that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies in support of the business proposed to be brought before the meeting pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act; provided, however, that the disclosures required by this Section 2.4(c)(iii) shall not include any disclosures with respect to any broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee who is a Proposing Person solely as a result of being the stockholder directed to prepare and submit the notice required by these bylaws on behalf of a beneficial owner.

For purposes of this Section 2.4, the term “Proposing Person shall mean (i) the stockholder providing the notice of business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting, (ii) the beneficial owner or beneficial

 

3


owners, if different, on whose behalf the notice of the business proposed to be brought before the annual meeting is made, and (iii) any participant (as defined in paragraphs (a)(ii)-(vi) of Instruction 3 to Item 4 of Schedule 14A) with such stockholder in such solicitation.

(d) A Proposing Person shall update and supplement its notice to the Corporation of its intent to propose business at an annual meeting, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice pursuant to this Section 2.4 shall be true and correct as of the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting and as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than five (5) business days after the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of such record date), and not later than eight (8) business days prior to the date for the meeting or, if practicable, any adjournment or postponement thereof (and, if not practicable, on the first practicable date prior to the date to which the meeting has been adjourned or postponed) (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof). For the avoidance of doubt, the obligation to update and supplement as set forth in this paragraph or any other Section of these bylaws shall not limit the Corporation’s rights with respect to any deficiencies in any notice provided by a stockholder, extend any applicable deadlines hereunder or enable or be deemed to permit a stockholder who has previously submitted notice hereunder to amend or update any proposal or to submit any new proposal, including by changing or adding matters, business or resolutions proposed to be brought before a meeting of the stockholders.

(e) Notwithstanding anything in these bylaws to the contrary, no business shall be conducted at an annual meeting that is not properly brought before the meeting in accordance with this Section 2.4. The presiding officer of the meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine that the business was not properly brought before the meeting in accordance with this Section 2.4, and if he or she should so determine, he or she shall so declare to the meeting and any such business not properly brought before the meeting shall not be transacted.

(f) This Section 2.4 is expressly intended to apply to any business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting of stockholders other than any proposal made in accordance with Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act and included in the Corporation’s proxy statement. In addition to the requirements of this Section 2.4 with respect to any business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting, each Proposing Person shall comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act with respect to any such business. Nothing in this Section 2.4 shall be deemed to affect the rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act.

(g) For purposes of these bylaws, “public disclosure” shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by a national news service or in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Sections 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.

 

  2.5

Notice of Nominations for Election to the Board.

(a) Nominations of any person for election to the Board at an annual meeting or at a special meeting (but only if the election of directors is a matter specified in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the person calling such special meeting) may be made at such meeting only (i) by or at the direction of the Board, including by any committee or persons authorized to do so by the Board or these bylaws, or (ii) by a stockholder present in person (A) who was a record owner of shares of the Corporation both at the time of giving the notice provided for in this Section 2.5 and at the time of the meeting, (B) is entitled to vote at the meeting, and (C) has complied with this Section 2.5 as to such notice and nomination. For purposes of this Section 2.5, “present in person” shall mean that the stockholder proposing that the business be brought before the meeting of the Corporation, or a qualified representative of such stockholder, appear at such meeting. A “qualified representative” of such proposing stockholder shall be a duly authorized officer, manager or partner of such

 

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stockholder or any other person authorized by a writing executed by such stockholder or an electronic transmission delivered by such stockholder to act for such stockholder as proxy at the meeting of stockholders and such person must produce such writing or electronic transmission, or a reliable reproduction of the writing or electronic transmission, at the meeting of stockholders. The foregoing clause (ii) shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to make any nomination of a person or persons for election to the Board at an annual meeting or special meeting.

(b) (i) Without qualification, for a stockholder to make any nomination of a person or persons for election to the Board at an annual meeting, the stockholder must (1) provide Timely Notice (as defined in Section 2.4) thereof in writing and in proper form to the Secretary of the Corporation, (2) provide the information, agreements and questionnaires with respect to such stockholder and its candidate for nomination as required to be set forth by this Section 2.5 and (3) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 2.5.

(ii) Without qualification, if the election of directors is a matter specified in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the person calling a special meeting, then for a stockholder to make any nomination of a person or persons for election to the Board at a special meeting, the stockholder must (i) provide Timely Notice thereof in writing and in proper form to the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, (ii) provide the information with respect to such stockholder and its candidate for nomination as required by this Section 2.5 and (iii) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 2.5. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice for nominations to be made at a special meeting must be delivered to, or mailed and received at, the principal executive offices of the Corporation not earlier than the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to such special meeting and not later than the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such special meeting or, if later, the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public disclosure (as defined in Section 2.4) of the date of such special meeting was first made.

(iii) In no event shall any adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting or special meeting or the announcement thereof commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.

(iv) In no event may a Nominating Person provide Timely Notice with respect to a greater number of director candidates than are subject to election by shareholders at the applicable meeting. If the Corporation shall, subsequent to such notice, increase the number of directors subject to election at the meeting, such notice as to any additional nominees shall be due on the later of (i) the conclusion of the time period for Timely Notice, (ii) the date set forth in Section 2.5(b)(ii) or (iii) the tenth day following the date of public disclosure (as defined in Section 2.4) of such increase.

(c) To be in proper form for purposes of this Section 2.5, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary of the Corporation shall set forth:

(i) As to each Nominating Person (as defined below), the Stockholder Information (as defined in Section 2.4(c)(i), except that for purposes of this Section 2.5, the term “Nominating Person” shall be substituted for the term “Proposing Person” in all places it appears in Section 2.4(c)(i));

(ii) As to each Nominating Person, any Disclosable Interests (as defined in Section 2.4(c)(ii), except that for purposes of this Section 2.5, the term “Nominating Person” shall be substituted for the term “Proposing Person” in all places it appears in Section 2.4(c)(ii) and the disclosure with respect to the business to be brought before the meeting in Section 2.4(c)(ii) shall be made with respect to the election of directors at the meeting); and provided that, in lieu of including the information set forth in Section 2.4(c)(ii), the Nominating Person’s notice for purposes of this Section 2.4 shall include a representation as to whether the Nominating Person intends or is part of a group which intends to (x) deliver a proxy statement and/or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the Corporation’s outstanding capital stock required to elect any nominee and (y) solicit the holders of shares representing at least 67% of

 

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the voting power of shares entitled to vote on the election of directors in support of director nominees other than the Corporation’s nominees in accordance with Rule 14a-19 promulgated under the Exchange Act; and

(iii) As to each candidate whom a Nominating Person proposes to nominate for election as a director, (A) all information with respect to such candidate for nomination that would be required to be set forth in a stockholder’s notice pursuant to this Section 2.5 if such candidate for nomination were a Nominating Person, (B) all information relating to such candidate for nomination that is required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for election of directors in a contested election pursuant to Section 14(a) under the Exchange Act (including such candidate’s written consent to being named in a proxy statement and accompanying proxy card relating to the Corporation’s next meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected and to serving as a director if elected), (C) a description of any direct or indirect material interest in any material contract or agreement between or among any Nominating Person, on the one hand, and each candidate for nomination or his or her respective associates or any other participants in such solicitation, on the other hand, including, without limitation, all information that would be required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404 under Regulation S-K if such Nominating Person were the “registrant” for purposes of such rule and the candidate for nomination were a director or executive officer of such registrant and (D) a completed and signed questionnaire, representation and agreement as provided in Section 2.5(f).

For purposes of this Section 2.5, the term “Nominating Person” shall mean (i) the stockholder providing the notice of the nomination proposed to be made at the meeting, (ii) the beneficial owner or beneficial owners, if different, on whose behalf the notice of the nomination proposed to be made at the meeting is made, and (iii) any other participant in such solicitation.

(d) A stockholder providing notice of any nomination proposed to be made at a meeting shall further update and supplement such notice, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice pursuant to this Section 2.5 shall be true and correct as of the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting and as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than five (5) business days after the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of such record date), and not later than eight (8) business days prior to the date for the meeting or, if practicable, any adjournment or postponement thereof (and, if not practicable, on the first practicable date prior to the date to which the meeting has been adjourned or postponed) (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof). For the avoidance of doubt, the obligation to update and supplement as set forth in this paragraph or any other Section of these bylaws shall not limit the Corporation’s rights with respect to any deficiencies in any notice provided by a stockholder, extend any applicable deadlines hereunder or enable or be deemed to permit a stockholder who has previously submitted notice hereunder to amend or update any nomination or to submit any new nomination.

(e) In addition to the requirements of this Section 2.5 with respect to any nomination proposed to be made at a meeting, each Nominating Person shall comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act with respect to any such nominations. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.5, unless otherwise required by law, (i) no Nominating Person shall solicit proxies in support of director nominees other than the Corporation’s nominees unless such Nominating Person has complied with Rule 14a-19 promulgated under the Exchange Act in connection with the solicitation of such proxies, including the provision to the Corporation of notices required thereunder in a timely manner and (ii) if any Nominating Person (1) provides notice pursuant to Rule 14a-19(b) promulgated under the Exchange Act and (2) subsequently fails to comply with the requirements of Rule 14a-19(a)(2) and Rule 14a-19(a)(3) promulgated under the Exchange Act, including the provision to the Corporation of notices required thereunder in a timely manner, or fails to timely provide reasonable evidence sufficient to satisfy the Corporation that such Nominating Person has met the requirements of Rule 14a-19(a)(3) promulgated under the Exchange Act in accordance with the following sentence, then the Corporation shall

 

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disregard any proxies or votes solicited for the Nominating Person’s candidates. If any Nominating Person provides notice pursuant to Rule 14a-19(b) promulgated under the Exchange Act, such Nominating Person shall deliver to the Corporation, no later than seven (7) business days prior to the applicable meeting, reasonable evidence that it has met the requirements of Rule 14a-19(a)(3) promulgated under the Exchange Act.

(f) To be eligible to be a candidate for election as a director of the Corporation at an annual or special meeting, a candidate must be nominated in the manner prescribed in Section 2.5 and the candidate for nomination, whether nominated by the Board or by a stockholder of record, must have previously delivered (in accordance with the time period prescribed for delivery in a notice to such candidate given by or on behalf of the Board), to the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, (i) a completed written questionnaire (in a form provided by the Corporation upon written request of any stockholder of record therefor) with respect to the background, qualifications, stock ownership and independence of such proposed nominee and (ii) a written representation and agreement (in form provided by the Corporation upon written request of any stockholder of record thereof) that such candidate for nomination (A) is not and, if elected as a director during his or her term of office, will not become a party to (1) any agreement, arrangement or understanding with, and has not given and will not give any commitment or assurance to, any person or entity as to how such proposed nominee, if elected as a director of the Corporation, will act or vote on any issue or question (a “Voting Commitment”) or (2) any Voting Commitment that could limit or interfere with such proposed nominee’s ability to comply, if elected as a director of the Corporation, with such proposed nominee’s fiduciary duties under applicable law, (B) is not, and will not become a party to, any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity other than the Corporation with respect to any direct or indirect compensation or reimbursement for service as a director that has not been disclosed to the Corporation, (C) if elected as a director of the Corporation, will comply with all applicable corporate governance, conflict of interest, confidentiality, stock ownership and trading and other policies and guidelines of the Corporation applicable to directors and in effect during such person’s term in office as a director (and, if requested by any candidate for nomination, the Secretary of the Corporation shall provide to such candidate for nomination all such policies and guidelines then in effect) and (D) if elected as director of the Corporation, intends to serve the entire term until the next meeting at which such candidate would face re-election.

(g) The Board may also require any proposed candidate for nomination as a Director to furnish such other information as may reasonably be requested by the Board in writing prior to the meeting of stockholders at which such candidate’s nomination is to be acted upon. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Board may request such other information in order for the Board to determine the eligibility of such candidate for nomination to be an independent director of the Corporation or to comply with the director qualification standards and additional selection criteria in accordance with the Corporation’s corporate governance guidelines. Such other information shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation (or any other office specified by the Corporation in any public announcement) not later than five (5) business days after the request by the Board has been delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Nominating Person.

(h) A candidate for nomination as a director shall further update and supplement the materials delivered pursuant to this Section 2.5, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided pursuant to this Section 2.5 shall be true and correct as of the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting and as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation (or any other office specified by the Corporation in any public announcement) not later than five (5) business days after the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of such record date), and not later than eight (8) business days prior to the date for the meeting or, if practicable, any adjournment or postponement thereof (and, if not practicable, on the first practicable date prior to the date to which the meeting has been adjourned or postponed) (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof). For the avoidance of doubt, the

 

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obligation to update and supplement as set forth in this paragraph or any other Section of these bylaws shall not limit the Corporation’s rights with respect to any deficiencies in any notice provided by a stockholder, extend any applicable deadlines hereunder or enable or be deemed to permit a stockholder who has previously submitted notice hereunder to amend or update any proposal or to submit any new proposal, including by changing or adding nominees, matters, business or resolutions proposed to be brought before a meeting of the stockholders.

(i) No candidate shall be eligible for nomination as a director of the Corporation unless such candidate for nomination and the Nominating Person seeking to place such candidate’s name in nomination has complied with this Section 2.5. The presiding officer at the meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine that a nomination was not properly made in accordance with Section 2.5, and if he or she should so determine, he or she shall so declare such determination to the meeting, the defective nomination shall be disregarded and any ballots cast for the candidate in question (but in the case of any form of ballot listing other qualified nominees, only the ballots cast for the nominee in question) shall be void and of no force or effect.

(j) Notwithstanding anything in these bylaws to the contrary, no candidate for nomination shall be eligible to be seated as a director of the Corporation unless nominated and elected in accordance with Section 2.5.

 

  2.6

Notice of Stockholders Meetings.

Unless otherwise provided by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, the notice of any meeting of stockholders shall be sent or otherwise given in accordance with Section 8.1 not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the date of the meeting to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting. The notice shall specify the place, if any, date and time of the meeting, the means of remote communication, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such meeting, and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called.

 

  2.7

Quorum.

Unless otherwise provided by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, the holders of a majority in voting power of the stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote, present in person, or by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at all meetings of the stockholders. A quorum, once established at a meeting, shall not be broken by the withdrawal of enough votes to leave less than a quorum. If, however, a quorum is not present or represented at any meeting of the stockholders, then either (i) the person presiding over the meeting or (ii) a majority in voting power of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, present in person, or by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy, shall have power to recess the meeting or adjourn the meeting from time to time in the manner provided in Section 2.8 until a quorum is present or represented. At any recessed or adjourned meeting at which a quorum is present or represented, any business may be transacted that might have been transacted at the meeting as originally noticed.

 

  2.8

Adjourned Meeting; Notice.

When a meeting is adjourned to another time or place, unless these bylaws otherwise require, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting if the time, place, if any, thereof, and the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such adjourned meeting are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken or are provided in any other manner permitted by the DGCL. At any adjourned meeting, the Corporation may transact any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than thirty (30) days, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting. If after the adjournment a new record date for determination of stockholders entitled to vote is fixed for the adjourned meeting, the Board shall fix as the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting the same or an earlier date as that fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to vote

 

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at the adjourned meeting, and shall give notice of the adjourned meeting to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at such meeting as of the record date so fixed for notice of such adjourned meeting.

 

  2.9

Conduct of Business.

The date and time of the opening and the closing of the polls for each matter upon which the stockholders will vote at a meeting shall be announced at the meeting by the person presiding over the meeting. The Board may adopt by resolution such rules and regulations for the conduct of the meeting of stockholders as it shall deem appropriate. Except to the extent inconsistent with such rules and regulations as adopted by the Board, the person presiding over any meeting of stockholders shall have the right and authority to convene and (for any or no reason) to recess and/or adjourn the meeting, to prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures (which need not be in writing) and to do all such acts as, in the judgment of such presiding person, are appropriate for the proper conduct of the meeting. Such rules, regulations or procedures, whether adopted by the Board or prescribed by the person presiding over the meeting, may include, without limitation, the following: (i) the establishment of an agenda or order of business for the meeting; (ii) rules and procedures for maintaining order at the meeting and the safety of those present (including, without limitation, rules and procedures for removal of disruptive persons from the meeting); (iii) limitations on attendance at or participation in the meeting to stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, their duly authorized and constituted proxies or such other persons as the person presiding over the meeting shall determine; (iv) restrictions on entry to the meeting after the time fixed for the commencement thereof; and (v) limitations on the time allotted to questions or comments by participants. The presiding person at any meeting of stockholders, in addition to making any other determinations that may be appropriate to the conduct of the meeting (including, without limitation, determinations with respect to the administration and/or interpretation of any of the rules, regulations or procedures of the meeting, whether adopted by the Board or prescribed by the person presiding over the meeting), shall, if the facts warrant, determine and declare to the meeting that a matter of business was not properly brought before the meeting and if such presiding person should so determine, such presiding person shall so declare to the meeting and any such matter or business not properly brought before the meeting shall not be transacted or considered. Unless and to the extent determined by the Board or the person presiding over the meeting, meetings of stockholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with the rules of parliamentary procedure.

 

  2.10

Voting.

Except as may be otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, these bylaws or the DGCL, each stockholder shall be entitled to one (1) vote for each share of capital stock held by such stockholder.

Except as otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation, at all duly called or convened meetings of stockholders at which a quorum is present, for the election of directors, a plurality of the votes cast shall be sufficient to elect a director. Except as otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation, these bylaws, the rules or regulations of any stock exchange applicable to the Corporation, or applicable law or pursuant to any regulation applicable to the Corporation or its securities, each other matter presented to the stockholders at a duly called or convened meeting at which a quorum is present shall be decided by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority in voting power of the votes cast (excluding abstentions and broker non-votes) on such matter.

 

  2.11

Record Date for Stockholder Meetings and Other Purposes.

In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, the Board may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board, and which record date shall, unless otherwise required by law, not be more than sixty (60) days nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting. If the Board so fixes a date, such date shall also be the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting unless the Board determines, at the time it fixes such record date, that a later date on or before the date of the meeting shall be the date for making such determination. If no record date is fixed by

 

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the Board, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be the close of business on the next day preceding the day on which notice is first given, or, if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board may fix a new record date for determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting; and in such case shall also fix as the record date for stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting the same or an earlier date as that fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to vote in accordance herewith at the adjourned meeting.

In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment or any rights or the stockholders entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of capital stock, or for the purposes of any other lawful action, the Board may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted, and which record date shall be not more than sixty (60) days prior to such action. If no record date is fixed, the record date for determining stockholders for any such purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board adopts the resolution relating thereto.

 

  2.12

Proxies.

Each stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder by proxy authorized by an instrument in writing or by a transmission permitted by law, including Rule 14n-19 promulgated under the Exchange Act, filed in accordance with the procedure established for the meeting, but no such proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three (3) years from its date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period. The revocability of a proxy that states on its face that it is irrevocable shall be governed by the provisions of Section 212 of the DGCL. A proxy may be in the form of an electronic transmission which sets forth or is submitted with information from which it can be determined that the transmission was authorized by the stockholder.

Any stockholder directly or indirectly soliciting proxies from other stockholders must use a proxy card color other than white, which shall be reserved for the exclusive use by the Board.

 

  2.13

List of Stockholders Entitled to Vote.

The Corporation shall prepare, at least ten (10) days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (provided, however, that if the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote is less than ten (10) days before the date of the meeting, the list shall reflect the stockholders entitled to vote as of the tenth (10th) day before the meeting date), arranged in alphabetical order, and showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. The Corporation shall not be required to include electronic mail addresses or other electronic contact information on such list. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting for a period of at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting: (i) on a reasonably accessible electronic network, provided that the information required to gain access to such list is provided with the notice of the meeting, or (ii) during ordinary business hours, at the Corporation’s principal executive office. In the event that the Corporation determines to make the list available on an electronic network, the Corporation may take reasonable steps to ensure that such information is available only to stockholders of the Corporation. If the meeting is to be held at a place, then the list shall be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof, and may be inspected by any stockholder who is present. If the meeting is to be held solely by means of remote communication, then the list shall also be open to the examination of any stockholder during the whole time of the meeting on a reasonably accessible electronic network, and the information required to access such list shall be provided with the notice of the meeting. Such list shall presumptively determine the identity of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting and the number of shares

 

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held by each of them. Except as otherwise provided by law, the stock ledger shall be the only evidence as to who are the stockholders entitled to examine the list of stockholders required by this Section 2.13 or to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of stockholders.

 

  2.14

Inspectors of Election.

Before any meeting of stockholders, the Corporation shall appoint an inspector or inspectors of election to act at the meeting or its adjournment and make a written report thereof. The Corporation may designate one or more persons as alternate inspectors to replace any inspector who fails to act. If any person appointed as inspector or any alternate fails to appear or fails or refuses to act, then the person presiding over the meeting shall appoint a person to fill that vacancy.

Such inspectors shall:

(i) determine the number of shares outstanding and the voting power of each, the number of shares represented at the meeting and the validity of any proxies and ballots;

(ii) count all votes or ballots;

(iii) count and tabulate all votes;

(iv) determine and retain for a reasonable period a record of the disposition of any challenges made to any determination by the inspector(s); and

(v) certify its or their determination of the number of shares represented at the meeting and its or their count of all votes and ballots.

Each inspector, before entering upon the discharge of the duties of inspector, shall take and sign an oath faithfully to execute the duties of inspection with strict impartiality and according to the best of such inspector’s ability. Any report or certificate made by the inspectors of election is prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein. The inspectors of election may appoint such persons to assist them in performing their duties as they determine.

 

  2.15

Delivery to the Corporation.

Whenever this Article II requires one or more persons (including a record or beneficial owner of stock) to deliver a document or information to the Corporation or any officer, employee or agent thereof (including any notice, request, questionnaire, revocation, representation or other document or agreement), such document or information shall be in writing exclusively (and not in an electronic transmission) and shall be delivered exclusively by hand (including, without limitation, overnight courier service) or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, and the Corporation shall not be required to accept delivery of any document not in such written form or so delivered. For the avoidance of doubt, the Corporation expressly opts out of Section 116 of the DGCL with respect to the delivery of information and documents to the Corporation required by this Article II.

Article III - Directors

 

  3.1

Powers.

Except as otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation or the DGCL, the business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board.

 

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  3.2

Number of Directors.

Subject to the Certificate of Incorporation, the total number of directors constituting the Board shall be determined from time to time by resolution of the Board. No reduction of the authorized number of directors shall have the effect of removing any director before that director’s term of office expires.

 

  3.3

Election, Qualification and Term of Office of Directors.

Except as provided in Section 3.4, and subject to the Certificate of Incorporation, each director, including a director elected to fill a vacancy or newly created directorship, shall hold office until the expiration of the term of the class, if any, for which elected and until such director’s successor is elected and qualified or until such director’s earlier death, resignation, disqualification or removal. Directors need not be stockholders or residents of the State of Delaware. The Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws may prescribe qualifications for directors.

 

  3.4

Resignation and Vacancies.

Any director may resign at any time upon notice given in writing or by electronic transmission to the Corporation. The resignation shall take effect at the time specified therein or upon the happening of an event specified therein, and if no time or event is specified, at the time of its receipt. When one or more directors so resigns and the resignation is effective at a future date or upon the happening of an event to occur on a future date, a majority of the directors then in office, including those who have so resigned, shall have power to fill such vacancy or vacancies, the vote thereon to take effect when such resignation or resignations shall become effective, and each director so chosen shall hold office as provided in Section 3.3.

Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, vacancies resulting from the death, resignation, disqualification or removal of any director, and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors shall be filled only by a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director.

 

  3.5

Place of Meetings; Meetings by Telephone.

The Board may hold meetings, both regular and special, either within or outside the State of Delaware.

Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, members of the Board, or any committee designated by the Board, may participate in a meeting of the Board, or any committee, by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and such participation in a meeting pursuant to this bylaw shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.

 

  3.6

Regular Meetings.

Regular meetings of the Board may be held within or outside the State of Delaware and at such time and at such place as which has been designated by the Board and publicized among all directors, either orally or in writing, by telephone, including a voice-messaging system or other system designed to record and communicate messages, or facsimile, or by electronic mail or other means of electronic transmission. No further notice shall be required for regular meetings of the Board.

 

  3.7

Special Meetings; Notice.

Special meetings of the Board for any purpose or purposes may be called at any time by the Chairperson of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President or the Secretary of the Corporation or a majority of the total number of directors constituting the Board.

 

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Notice of the time and place of special meetings shall be:

(i) delivered personally by hand, by courier or by telephone;

(ii) sent by United States first-class mail, postage prepaid;

(iii) sent by facsimile or electronic mail; or

(iv) sent by other means of electronic transmission,

directed to each director at that director’s address, telephone number, facsimile number or electronic mail address, or other address for electronic transmission, as the case may be, as shown on the Corporation’s records.

If the notice is (i) delivered personally by hand, by courier or by telephone, (ii) sent by facsimile or electronic mail, or (iii) sent by other means of electronic transmission, it shall be delivered or sent at least twenty-four (24) hours before the time of the holding of the meeting. If the notice is sent by U.S. mail, it shall be deposited in the U.S. mail at least four (4) days before the time of the holding of the meeting. The notice need not specify the place of the meeting (if the meeting is to be held at the Corporation’s principal executive office) nor the purpose of the meeting.

 

  3.8

Quorum.

At all meetings of the Board, unless otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation, a majority of the total number of directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The vote of a majority of the directors present at any meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board, except as may be otherwise specifically provided by statute, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws. If a quorum is not present at any meeting of the Board, then the directors present thereat may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum is present.

 

  3.9

Board Action without a Meeting.

Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board, or of any committee thereof, may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission. After an action is taken, the consent or consents relating thereto shall be filed with the minutes of the proceedings of the Board, or the committee thereof, in the same paper or electronic form as the minutes are maintained. Such action by written consent or consent by electronic transmission shall have the same force and effect as a unanimous vote of the Board.

 

  3.10

Fees and Compensation of Directors.

Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, the Board shall have the authority to fix the compensation, including fees and reimbursement of expenses, of directors for services to the Corporation in any capacity.

Article IV - Committees

 

  4.1

Committees of Directors.

The Board may designate one (1) or more committees, each committee to consist, of one (1) or more of the directors of the Corporation. The Board may designate one (1) or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. In the absence or

 

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disqualification of a member of a committee, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not such member or members constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board to act at the meeting in the place of any such absent or disqualified member. Any such committee, to the extent provided in the resolution of the Board or in these bylaws, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board 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 that may require it; but no such committee shall have the power or authority to (i) approve or adopt, or recommend to the stockholders, any action or matter expressly required by the DGCL to be submitted to stockholders for approval, or (ii) adopt, amend or repeal any bylaw of the Corporation.

 

  4.2

Committee Minutes.

Each committee shall keep regular minutes of its meetings and report the same to the Board when required.

 

  4.3

Meetings and Actions of Committees.

Meetings and actions of committees shall be governed by, and held and taken in accordance with, the provisions of:

 

  (i)

Section 3.5 (place of meetings; meetings by telephone);

 

  (ii)

Section 3.6 (regular meetings);

 

  (iii)

Section 3.7 (special meetings; notice);

 

  (iv)

Section 3.9 (board action without a meeting); and

 

  (v)

Section 7.13 (waiver of notice),

with such changes in the context of these bylaws as are necessary to substitute the committee and its members for the Board and its members; provided, however, that:

(i) the time of regular meetings of committees may be determined either by resolution of the Board or by resolution of the committee;

(ii) special meetings of committees may also be called by resolution of the Board or the chairperson of the applicable committee; and

(iii) the Board may adopt rules for the governance of any committee to override the provisions that would otherwise apply to the committee pursuant to this Section 4.3, provided that such rules do not violate the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation or applicable law.

 

  4.4

Subcommittees.

Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, these bylaws or the resolutions of the Board designating the committee, a committee may create one (1) or more subcommittees, each subcommittee to consist of one (1) or more members of the committee, and delegate to a subcommittee any or all of the powers and authority of the committee.

Article V - Officers

 

  5.1

Officers.

The officers of the Corporation shall include a Chief Executive Officer, a President, a Chief Financial Officer and a Secretary. The Corporation may also have, at the discretion of the Board, a Chairperson of the

 

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Board, a Vice Chairperson of the Board, a Chief Operating Officer, a Treasurer, one (1) or more Vice Presidents, one (1) or more Assistant Vice Presidents, one (1) or more Assistant Treasurers, one (1) or more Assistant Secretaries, and any such other officers as may be appointed in accordance with the provisions of these bylaws. Any number of offices may be held by the same person. No officer need be a stockholder or director of the Corporation.

 

  5.2

Appointment of Officers.

The Board shall appoint the officers of the Corporation, except such officers as may be appointed in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.3.

 

  5.3

Subordinate Officers.

The Board may appoint, or empower the Chief Executive Officer or, in the absence of a Chief Executive Officer, the President, to appoint, such other officers and agents as the business of the Corporation may require. Each of such officers and agents shall hold office for such period, have such authority, and perform such duties as are provided in these bylaws or as the Board may from time to time determine.

 

  5.4

Removal and Resignation of Officers.

Subject to the rights, if any, of an officer under any contract of employment, any officer may be removed, either with or without cause, by the Board or, except in the case of an officer chosen by the Board, by any officer upon whom such power of removal may be conferred by the Board.

Any officer may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Corporation. Any resignation shall take effect at the date of the receipt of that notice or at any later time specified in that notice. Unless otherwise specified in the notice of resignation, the acceptance of the resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective. Any resignation is without prejudice to the rights, if any, of the Corporation under any contract to which the officer is a party.

 

  5.5

Vacancies in Offices.

Any vacancy occurring in any office of the Corporation shall be filled by the Board or as provided in Section 5.2.

 

  5.6

Representation of Shares of Other Corporations.

The Chairperson of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, or the President of this Corporation, or any other person authorized by the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the President, is authorized to vote, represent and exercise on behalf of this Corporation all rights incident to any and all shares or voting securities of any other corporation or other person standing in the name of this Corporation. The authority granted herein may be exercised either by such person directly or by any other person authorized to do so by proxy or power of attorney duly executed by such person having the authority.

 

  5.7

Authority and Duties of Officers.

All officers of the Corporation shall respectively have such authority and perform such duties in the management of the business of the Corporation as may be provided herein or designated from time to time by the Board and, to the extent not so provided, as generally pertain to their respective offices, subject to the control of the Board.

 

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  5.8

Compensation.

The compensation of the officers of the Corporation for their services as such shall be fixed from time to time by or at the direction of the Board. An officer of the Corporation shall not be prevented from receiving compensation by reason of the fact that he or she is also a director of the Corporation.

Article VI - Records

A stock ledger consisting of one or more records in which the names of all of the Corporation’s stockholders of record, the address and number of shares registered in the name of each such stockholder, and all issuances and transfers of stock of the corporation are recorded in accordance with Section 224 of the DGCL shall be administered by or on behalf of the Corporation. Any records administered by or on behalf of the Corporation in the regular course of its business, including its stock ledger, books of account, and minute books, may be kept on, or by means of, or be in the form of, any information storage device, or method, or one or more electronic networks or databases (including one or more distributed electronic networks or databases), provided that the records so kept can be converted into clearly legible paper form within a reasonable time and, with respect to the stock ledger, that the records so kept (i) can be used to prepare the list of stockholders specified in Sections 219 and 220 of the DGCL, (ii) record the information specified in Sections 156, 159, 217(a) and 218 of the DGCL, and (iii) record transfers of stock as governed by Article 8 of the Uniform Commercial Code as adopted in the State of Delaware.

Article VII - General Matters

 

  7.1

Execution of Corporate Contracts and Instruments.

The Board, except as otherwise provided in these bylaws, may authorize any officer or officers, or agent or agents, to enter into any contract or execute any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation; such authority may be general or confined to specific instances.

 

  7.2

Stock Certificates.

The shares of the Corporation shall be represented by certificates or shall be uncertificated, subject to the sole discretion of the Board and the requirements of the DGCL. Certificates for the shares of stock, if any, shall be in such form as is consistent with the Certificate of Incorporation and applicable law. Every holder of stock represented by a certificate shall be entitled to have a certificate signed by, or in the name of the Corporation by, any two officers authorized to sign stock certificates representing the number of shares registered in certificate form. The Chairperson or Vice Chairperson of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Corporation shall be specifically authorized to sign stock certificates. Any or all of the signatures on the certificate may be a facsimile. In case any officer, transfer agent or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate has ceased to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if he or she were such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue.

The Corporation may issue the whole or any part of its shares as partly paid and subject to call for the remainder of the consideration to be paid therefor. Upon the face or back of each stock certificate issued to represent any such partly paid shares, or upon the books and records of the Corporation in the case of uncertificated partly paid shares, the total amount of the consideration to be paid therefor and the amount paid thereon shall be stated. Upon the declaration of any dividend on fully paid shares, the Corporation shall declare a dividend upon partly paid shares of the same class, but only upon the basis of the percentage of the consideration actually paid thereon.

 

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  7.3

Special Designation of Certificates.

If the Corporation is authorized to issue more than one class of stock or more than one series of any class, then the powers, the designations, the preferences and the relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights shall be set forth in full or summarized on the face or on the back of the certificate that the Corporation shall issue to represent such class or series of stock (or, in the case of uncertificated shares, set forth in a notice provided pursuant to Section 151 of the DGCL); provided, however, that except as otherwise provided in Section 202 of the DGCL, in lieu of the foregoing requirements, there may be set forth on the face of back of the certificate that the Corporation shall issue to represent such class or series of stock (or, in the case of any uncertificated shares, included in the aforementioned notice) a statement that the Corporation will furnish without charge to each stockholder who so requests the powers, the designations, the preferences and the relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights.

 

  7.4

Lost Certificates.

Except as provided in this Section 7.4, no new certificates for shares shall be issued to replace a previously issued certificate unless the latter is surrendered to the Corporation and cancelled at the same time. The Corporation may issue a new certificate of stock or uncertificated shares in the place of any certificate theretofore issued by it, alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, and the Corporation may require the owner of the lost, stolen or destroyed certificate, or such owner’s legal representative, to give the Corporation a bond sufficient to indemnify it against any claim that may be made against it on account of the alleged loss, theft or destruction of any such certificate or the issuance of such new certificate or uncertificated shares.

 

  7.5

Shares Without Certificates

The Corporation may adopt a system of issuance, recordation and transfer of its shares of stock by electronic or other means not involving the issuance of certificates, provided the use of such system by the Corporation is permitted in accordance with applicable law.

 

  7.6

Construction; Definitions.

Unless the context requires otherwise, the general provisions, rules of construction and definitions in the DGCL shall govern the construction of these bylaws. Without limiting the generality of this provision, the singular number includes the plural and the plural number includes the singular.

 

  7.7

Dividends.

The Board, subject to any restrictions contained in either (i) the DGCL or (ii) the Certificate of Incorporation, may declare and pay dividends upon the shares of its capital stock. Dividends may be paid in cash, in property or in shares of the Corporation’s capital stock.

The Board may set apart out of any of the funds of the Corporation available for dividends a reserve or reserves for any proper purpose and may abolish any such reserve. Such purposes shall include but not be limited to equalizing dividends, repairing or maintaining any property of the Corporation, and meeting contingencies.

 

  7.8

Fiscal Year.

The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be fixed by resolution of the Board and may be changed by the Board.

 

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  7.9

Seal.

The Corporation may adopt a corporate seal, which shall be adopted and which may be altered by the Board. The Corporation may use the corporate seal by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or in any other manner reproduced.

 

  7.10

Transfer of Stock.

Shares of the stock of the Corporation shall be transferable in the manner prescribed by law and in these bylaws. Shares of stock of the Corporation shall be transferred on the books of the Corporation only by the holder of record thereof or by such holder’s attorney duly authorized in writing, upon surrender to the Corporation of the certificate or certificates representing such shares endorsed by the appropriate person or persons (or by delivery of duly executed instructions with respect to uncertificated shares), with such evidence of the authenticity of such endorsement or execution, transfer, authorization and other matters as the Corporation may reasonably require, and accompanied by all necessary stock transfer stamps. No transfer of stock shall be valid as against the Corporation for any purpose until it shall have been entered in the stock records of the Corporation by an entry showing the names of the persons from and to whom it was transferred.

 

  7.11

Stock Transfer Agreements.

The Corporation shall have power to enter into and perform any agreement with any number of stockholders of any one or more classes or series of stock of the Corporation to restrict the transfer of shares of stock of the Corporation of any one or more classes owned by such stockholders in any manner not prohibited by the DGCL.

 

  7.12

Registered Stockholders.

The Corporation:

(i) shall be entitled to recognize the exclusive right of a person registered on its books as the owner of shares to receive dividends and to vote as such owner; and

(ii) shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or shares on the part of another person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by the laws of the State of Delaware.

 

  7.13

Waiver of Notice.

Whenever notice is required to be given under any provision of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, a written waiver, signed by the person entitled to notice, or a waiver by electronic transmission by the person entitled to notice, whether before or after the time of the event for which notice is to be given, shall be deemed equivalent to notice. Attendance of a person at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except when the person attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular or special meeting of the stockholders need be specified in any written waiver of notice or any waiver by electronic transmission unless so required by the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws.

Article VIII - Notice

 

  8.1

Delivery of Notice; Notice by Electronic Transmission.

Without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given effectively to stockholders, any notice to stockholders given by the Corporation under any provisions of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation, or these bylaws may be given in writing directed to the stockholder’s mailing address (or by electronic transmission

 

18


directed to the stockholder’s electronic mail address, as applicable) as it appears on the records of the Corporation and shall be given (1) if mailed, when the notice is deposited in the U.S. mail, postage prepaid, (2) if delivered by courier service, the earlier of when the notice is received or left at such stockholder’s address or (3) if given by electronic mail, when directed to such stockholder’s electronic mail address unless the stockholder has notified the Corporation in writing or by electronic transmission of an objection to receiving notice by electronic mail. A notice by electronic mail must include a prominent legend that the communication is an important notice regarding the Corporation.

Without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given effectively to stockholders, any notice to stockholders given by the Corporation under any provision of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws shall be effective if given by a form of electronic transmission consented to by the stockholder to whom the notice is given. Any such consent shall be revocable by the stockholder by written notice or electronic transmission to the Corporation. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph, the Corporation may give a notice by electronic mail in accordance with the first paragraph of this section without obtaining the consent required by this paragraph.

Any notice given pursuant to the preceding paragraph shall be deemed given:

 

  (i)

if by facsimile telecommunication, when directed to a number at which the stockholder has consented to receive notice;

 

  (ii)

if by a posting on an electronic network together with separate notice to the stockholder of such specific posting, upon the later of (A) such posting and (B) the giving of such separate notice; and

 

  (iii)

if by any other form of electronic transmission, when directed to the stockholder.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, a notice may not be given by an electronic transmission from and after the time that (1) the Corporation is unable to deliver by such electronic transmission two (2) consecutive notices given by the Corporation and (2) such inability becomes known to the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Corporation or to the transfer agent, or other person responsible for the giving of notice; provided, however, that the inadvertent failure to discover such inability shall not invalidate any meeting or other action.

An affidavit of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Corporation or of the transfer agent or other agent of the Corporation that the notice has been given shall, in the absence of fraud, be prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein.

Article IX - Indemnification

 

  9.1

Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

The Corporation shall indemnify and hold harmless, to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL or any other applicable law, as it presently exists or may hereafter be amended, any person who was or is made or is threatened to be made a party or is otherwise involved in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (a “Proceeding”) by reason of the fact that he or she, or a person for whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was a director or officer of the Corporation or, while serving as a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust, other enterprise or non-profit entity, including service with respect to employee benefit plans (hereinafter, an “indemnitee”), whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as director, officer, employee, or agent, or in any other capacity while serving as director, officer, employee or agent, against all liability and loss suffered and expenses (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines ERISA excise taxes or penalties and amounts paid in settlement) reasonably incurred by such indemnitee in connection with any such Proceeding; provided that such indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner such indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best

 

19


interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe such indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, except as otherwise provided in Section 9.4, the Corporation shall be required to indemnify a person in connection with a Proceeding initiated by such indemnitee only if the Proceeding was authorized in the specific case by the Board.

 

  9.2

Indemnification of Others.

The Corporation shall have the power to indemnify and hold harmless, to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL or any other applicable law, as it presently exists or may hereafter be amended, any employee or agent of the Corporation who was or is made or is threatened to be made a party or is otherwise involved in any Proceeding by reason of the fact that he or she, or a person for whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was an employee or agent of the Corporation or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or non-profit entity, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, against all liability and loss suffered and expenses reasonably incurred by such person in connection with any such Proceeding.

 

  9.3

Prepayment of Expenses.

In addition to the obligation to indemnify conferred in Section 9.1, the Corporation shall to the fullest extent not prohibited by the DGCL or any other applicable law pay the expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by any indemnitee, and may pay the expenses incurred by any employee or agent of the Corporation, in defending any Proceeding in advance of its final disposition; provided, however, that such payment of expenses in advance of the final disposition of the Proceeding shall be made only upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the person to repay all amounts advanced if it should be ultimately determined that the person is not entitled to be indemnified under this Article IX or otherwise.

 

  9.4

Determination; Claim.

If a claim for indemnification (following the final disposition of such Proceeding) under this Article IX is not paid in full within sixty (60) days, or a claim for advancement of expenses under this Article IX is not paid in full within thirty (30) days, after a written claim therefor has been received by the Corporation the indemnitee may thereafter (but not before) file suit to recover the unpaid amount of such claim and, if successful in whole or in part, shall be entitled to be paid the expense of prosecuting such claim to the fullest extent permitted by law. In any such action the Corporation shall have the burden of proving that the claimant was not entitled to the requested indemnification or payment of expenses under applicable law.

 

  9.5

Non-Exclusivity of Rights.

The rights conferred on any person by this Article IX shall not be exclusive of any other rights which such person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of the Certificate of Incorporation, these bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.

 

  9.6

Insurance.

The Corporation shall purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust enterprise or non-profit entity against any liability asserted against him or her and incurred by him or her in any such capacity, or arising out of his or her status as such, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify him or her against such liability under the provisions of the DGCL.

 

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  9.7

Other Indemnification.

The Corporation’s obligation, if any, to indemnify or advance expenses to any person who was or is serving at its request as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or non-profit entity shall be reduced by any amount such person may collect as indemnification or advancement of expenses from such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or non-profit enterprise.

 

  9.8

Continuation of Indemnification.

The rights to indemnification and to prepayment of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, this Article IX shall continue notwithstanding that the person has ceased to be a director or officer of the Corporation and shall inure to the benefit of the estate, heirs, executors, administrators, legatees and distributees of such person.

 

  9.9

Amendment or Repeal; Interpretation.

The provisions of this Article IX shall constitute a contract between the Corporation, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, each individual who serves or has served as a director or officer of the Corporation (whether before or after the adoption of these bylaws), in consideration of such person’s performance of such services, and pursuant to this Article IX the Corporation intends to be legally bound to each such current or former director or officer of the Corporation. With respect to current and former directors and officers of the Corporation, the rights conferred under this Article IX are present contractual rights and such rights are fully vested, and shall be deemed to have vested fully, immediately upon adoption of theses bylaws. With respect to any directors or officers of the Corporation who commence service following adoption of these bylaws, the rights conferred under this provision shall be present contractual rights and such rights shall fully vest, and be deemed to have vested fully, immediately upon such director or officer commencing service as a director or officer of the Corporation. Any repeal or modification of the foregoing provisions of this Article IX shall not adversely affect any right or protection (i) hereunder of any person in respect of any act or omission occurring prior to the time of such repeal or modification or (ii) under any agreement providing for indemnification or advancement of expenses to an officer or director of the Corporation in effect prior to the time of such repeal or modification.

Any reference to an officer of the Corporation in this Article IX shall be deemed to refer exclusively to the Chief Executive Officer, the President and the Secretary of the Corporation, or other officer of the Corporation appointed by (x) the Board pursuant to Article V or (y) an officer to whom the Board has delegated the power to appoint officers pursuant to Article V, and any reference to an officer of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise shall be deemed to refer exclusively to an officer appointed by the board of directors (or equivalent governing body) of such other entity pursuant to the certificate of incorporation and bylaws (or equivalent organizational documents) of such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise. The fact that any person who is or was an employee of the Corporation or an employee of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise has been given or has used the title of “Vice President” or any other title that could be construed to suggest or imply that such person is or may be an officer of the Corporation or of such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise shall not result in such person being constituted as, or being deemed to be, an officer of the Corporation or of such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise for purposes of this Article IX.

Article X - Amendments

The Board is expressly empowered to adopt, amend or repeal the bylaws of the Corporation. The stockholders also shall have power to adopt, amend or repeal the bylaws of the Corporation; provided, however, that such action by stockholders shall require, in addition to any other vote required by the Certificate of

 

21


Incorporation or applicable law, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the voting power of all the then-outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation with the power to vote generally in an election of directors, voting together as a single class.

Article XI - Forum Selection

Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, (a) the Court of Chancery (the “Chancery Court”) of the State of Delaware (or, in the event that the Chancery Court does not have jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware or other state courts of the State of Delaware) shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative Proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (ii) any Proceeding asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or stockholder of the Corporation to the Corporation or to the Corporation’s stockholders, (iii) any Proceeding arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws (as either may be amended from time to time) or (iv) any Proceeding asserting a claim against the Corporation governed by the internal affairs doctrine; and (b) subject to the preceding provisions of this Article XI, the federal district courts of the United States of America shall be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. If any action the subject matter of which is within the scope of clause (a) of the immediately preceding sentence is filed in a court other than the courts in the State of Delaware (a “Foreign Action”) in the name of any stockholder, such stockholder shall be deemed to have consented to (x) the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts in the State of Delaware in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce the provisions of clause (a) of the immediately preceding sentence and (y) having service of process made upon such stockholder in any such action by service upon such stockholder’s counsel in the Foreign Action as agent for such stockholder. If any action the subject matter of which is within the scope of clause (b) of the immediately preceding sentence is filed in a court other than the federal district courts of the United States of America (a “Foreign Securities Act Action”) in the name of any stockholder, such stockholder shall be deemed to have consented to (i) the personal jurisdiction of the federal district courts of the United States of America in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce clause (b) (a “Securities Act Enforcement Action”), and (ii) having service of process made upon such stockholder in any such Securities Act Enforcement Action by service upon such stockholder’s counsel in the Foreign Securities Act Action as agent for such stockholder.

Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in any security of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to this Article XI. This provision is intended to benefit and may be enforced by the Corporation, its officers and directors, the underwriters to any offering giving rise to such complaint, and any other professional or entity whose profession gives authority to a statement made by that person or entity and who has prepared or certified any part of the documents underlying the offering. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of this Article XI shall not apply to suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any other claim for which the federal courts of the United States have exclusive jurisdiction.

If any provision or provisions of this Article XI shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any circumstance for any reason whatsoever, (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of such provisions in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Article XI (including, without limitation, each portion of any paragraph of this Article XI containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and (b) the application of such provision to other persons or entities and circumstances shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

 

22


Article XII - Definitions

As used in these bylaws, unless the context otherwise requires, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

An “electronic transmission” means any form of communication, not directly involving the physical transmission of paper, including the use of, or participation in, one or more electronic networks or databases (including one or more distributed electronic networks or databases), that creates a record that may be retained, retrieved and reviewed by a recipient thereof, and that may be directly reproduced in paper form by such a recipient through an automated process.

An “electronic mail” means an electronic transmission directed to a unique electronic mail address (which electronic mail shall be deemed to include any files attached thereto and any information hyperlinked to a website if such electronic mail includes the contact information of an officer or agent of the Corporation who is available to assist with accessing such files and information).

An “electronic mail address” means a destination, commonly expressed as a string of characters, consisting of a unique user name or mailbox (commonly referred to as the “local part” of the address) and a reference to an internet domain (commonly referred to as the “domain part” of the address), whether or not displayed, to which electronic mail can be sent or delivered.

The term “person” means any individual, general partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, corporation, trust, business trust, joint stock company, joint venture, unincorporated association, cooperative or association or any other legal entity or organization of whatever nature, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.

 

23


Sable Offshore Corp.

Certificate of Amendment and Restatement of Bylaws

 

 

The undersigned hereby certifies that he is the duly elected, qualified, and acting Secretary of Sable Offshore Corp., a Delaware corporation (the “Corporation”), and that the attached Bylaws are a true and correct copy of the Bylaws of the Corporation in effect as of the date of this certificate.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his hand this February 14, 2024.

 

/s/ James C. Flores

Name: James C. Flores
Title: Chairman of the Board of Directors

 

24

Certain portions of this Exhibit have been redacted pursuant to Item 601(b)(10) of Regulation S-K and, where applicable, have been marked with “[***]” to indicate where redactions have been made.

Exhibit 10.1

February 14, 2024

Senior Secured Term Loan Agreement

between

Sable Offshore Corp. (f/k/a Flame Acquisition Corp.)

as Borrower

Exxon Mobil Corporation

as Lender

Alter Domus Products Corp.

as Administrative Agent


Table of Contents

 

          Page  

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS

     1  

Section 1.01

  

Defined Terms

     1  

Section 1.02

  

Terms Generally

     13  

Section 1.03

  

Accounting Terms; Changes in GAAP

     13  

ARTICLE II TERM LOAN

     13  

Section 2.01

  

Term Loan

     13  

Section 2.02

  

Prepayments

     14  

Section 2.03

  

Repayment of Loan

     15  

Section 2.04

  

Interest

     15  

Section 2.05

  

Evidence of Debt

     15  

Section 2.06

  

Payments Generally

     16  

ARTICLE III REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

     16  

Section 3.01

  

Organization; Powers

     16  

Section 3.02

  

Authority; Enforceability

     16  

Section 3.03

  

Approvals; No Conflicts

     16  

Section 3.04

  

Financial Statements

     17  

Section 3.05

  

Litigation

     17  

Section 3.06

  

Restriction on Liens

     17  

Section 3.07

  

Compliance with the Laws and Agreements; PATRIOT ACT; No Defaults

     17  

Section 3.08

  

Investment Company Act

     17  

Section 3.09

  

Taxes

     17  

Section 3.10

  

Insurance

     18  

Section 3.11

  

Properties; Defensible Title, Etc.

     18  

Section 3.12

  

Solvency

     18  

Section 3.13

  

AntCorruption Laws; Sanctions

     18  

Section 3.14

  

Subsidiaries

     19  

Section 3.15

  

Burdensome Restrictions

     19  

ARTICLE IV CONDITIONS

     19  

ARTICLE V AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

     21  

Section 5.01

  

Financial Statements; Other Information

     21  

Section 5.02

  

Notices of Material Events

     23  

Section 5.03

  

Existence; Conduct of Business

     24  

Section 5.04

  

Payment of Obligations

     24  

Section 5.05

  

Performance of Obligations under Financing Documents

     24  

Section 5.06

  

Operation and Maintenance of Properties; Material Contracts

     24  

Section 5.07

  

Insurance

     25  

Section 5.08

  

Books and Records; Inspection Rights

     25  

Section 5.09

  

Compliance with Laws

     25  

Section 5.10

  

Environmental Matters

     25  

Section 5.11

  

ERISA Compliance

     26  

Section 5.12

  

Additional Collateral; Additional Guarantors

     26  

Section 5.13

  

Further Assurances

     27  

ARTICLE VI NEGATIVE COVENANTS

     28  

Section 6.01

  

Fundamental Changes

     28  

Section 6.02

  

Debt

     28  

Section 6.03

  

Liens

     29  

 

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          Page  

Section 6.04

  

Restricted Payments

     29  

Section 6.05

  

Investments, Loans and Advances

     29  

Section 6.06

  

Sale or Discount of Receivables

     30  

Section 6.07

  

Sale of Properties

     30  

Section 6.08

  

Sales and Leasebacks

     30  

Section 6.09

  

Transactions with Affiliates

     30  

Section 6.10

  

Negative Pledge Agreements; Dividend Restrictions

     31  

Section 6.11

  

Other Prepayments

     31  

Section 6.12

  

Amendments to Organizational Documents and Material Contracts

     31  

Section 6.13

  

Changes in Fiscal Periods

     31  

Section 6.14

  

Additional Subsidiaries

     31  

Section 6.15

  

Changes to Nature of Business

     31  

ARTICLE VII EVENTS OF DEFAULT

     32  

Section 7.01

  

Events of Default

     32  

Section 7.02

  

Remedies Upon Event of Default

     34  

Section 7.03

  

Application of Payments

     34  

ARTICLE VIII AGENCY

     34  

Section 8.01

  

Appointment and Authority

     34  

Section 8.02

  

Exculpatory Provisions

     35  

Section 8.03

  

Reliance by Lender

     36  

Section 8.04

  

Resignation or Removal of Administrative Agent

     36  

Section 8.05

  

Non-Reliance

     37  

Section 8.06

  

Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim

     37  

Section 8.07

  

Collateral and Guaranty Matters

     37  

ARTICLE IX MISCELLANEOUS

     38  

Section 9.01

  

Notices

     38  

Section 9.02

  

Waivers; Amendments

     39  

Section 9.03

  

Expenses; Indemnity; Insurance; Damage Waiver

     40  

Section 9.04

  

Successors and Assigns

     41  

Section 9.05

  

Survival

     42  

Section 9.06

  

Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness; Electronic Execution

     42  

Section 9.07

  

Severability

     43  

Section 9.08

  

Right of Setoff

     43  

Section 9.09

  

Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc.

     43  

Section 9.10

  

Waiver of Jury Trial

     44  

Section 9.11

  

Headings

     44  

Section 9.12

  

Interest Rate Limitation

     44  

Section 9.13

  

Payments Set Aside

     45  

Section 9.14

  

Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality

     45  

 

Exhibits
Exhibit A     Form of Guarantee and Collateral Agreement
Exhibit B     Form of Prepayment Notice
Exhibit C     Form of Solvency Certificate
Exhibit D     Form of Notice of Borrowing
Exhibit E     Form of Note

 

ii


Schedules
Schedule 1.02     Knowledge Persons
Schedule 3.16     Subsidiaries
Schedule 6.02     Existing Debt
Schedule 6.03     Existing Liens
Schedule 6.09     Transactions with Affiliates

 

iii


This Senior Secured Term Loan Agreement is dated as of February 14, 2024 (this “Agreement”), between Sable Offshore Corp. (formerly known as Flame Acquisition Corp.), a Delaware corporation, as borrower (together with its successors and permitted assigns, the “Borrower”), Exxon Mobil Corporation, a New Jersey corporation, as lender (together with its successors and permitted assigns, “Lender”), and Alter Domus Products Corp., a Delaware corporation, as administrative agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties (in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”), each a “Party” and together, the “Parties”.

The Borrower and Lender have entered into that certain Purchase and Sale Agreement effective as of January 1, 2022 (amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “PSA”), between the Borrower, as purchaser, and the Lender, as seller.

The Borrower wishes to borrow, and the Lender wishes to lend, certain amounts to finance the acquisition by the Borrower from the Lender of certain oil and gas and midstream assets pursuant to the PSA.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and of the mutual covenants herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

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

Administrative Agent” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereof.

Administrative Agent Fee Letter” means that certain Fee Letter, dated as of the date hereof, by and between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

Affiliate” means with respect to any Person, a Person that, directly or indirectly, through one or more entities, controls, is controlled by or is under common control with the Person specified. For the purpose of the immediately preceding sentence, the term “control” and its syntactical variants mean the power, direct or indirect, to direct or cause the direction of the management of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract, agency or otherwise.

Agreement” has the meaning specified in introductory paragraph hereof.

Anti-Corruption Laws” means the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended (“FCPA”), and any other applicable laws, rules and regulations of any jurisdiction applicable to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries from time to time concerning or relating to bribery or corruption.

Anti-Money Laundering Laws” means the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by the USA Patriot Act, and any other similar Applicable Laws concerning or relating to terrorism financing or money laundering of the jurisdictions in which any Credit Party or any of its Subsidiaries operates.

Applicable Law” means, as to any Person, all applicable Laws binding upon such Person or to which such a Person is subject.

Assets” has the meaning given to such term in the PSA.

Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by the Lender and a new lender pursuant to Section 9.04.

Assumed Obligations” has the meaning set forth in the PSA.

 

1


Beneficial Ownership Regulation” means 31 C.F.R. § 1010.230.

Borrower” has the meaning specified in introductory paragraph hereof.

Business Day” means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day that is a legal holiday under the laws of the State of Texas or New York or is a day on which banking institutions in such state are authorized or required by Law to close.

Buyer” has the meaning assigned to such term in the PSA.

Capital Lease” means, in respect of any Person, all leases that are or should be, in accordance with GAAP, recorded as finance leases on the balance sheet of the Person liable (whether contingent or otherwise) for the payment of rent thereunder. Any lease that was treated as an operating lease under GAAP at the time it was entered into that later becomes a capital lease as a result of a change in GAAP during the life of such lease, including any renewals, shall be treated as an operating lease for all purposes under this Agreement, and any lease that was treated as a capital lease under GAAP at the time it was entered into that later becomes an operating lease as a result of a change in GAAP during the life of such lease, including any renewals, shall be treated as a capital lease for all purposes under this Agreement.

Cash Equivalent” means (a) marketable direct obligations issued by, or unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States Government or issued by any agency thereof and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, in each case maturing within one (1) year from the date of acquisition, (b) commercial paper maturing within one (1) year from the date of acquisition thereof rated in one of the two highest grades by S&P or Moody’s, (c) Investments with average maturities of twelve (12) months or less from the date of acquisition in money market or similar funds with assets of at least One Billion Dollars ($1,000,000,000) and rated Aaa by Moody’s or AAA by S&P.

Casualty Event” means (a) any loss, casualty or other insured damage to, or (b) final, unappealable nationalization, taking under power of eminent domain or by condemnation or similar proceeding of, any Property of any Credit Party; provided that, any such event generating net proceeds of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) or less shall not constitute a Casualty Event hereunder.

Change of Control” means (a) an event or series of events by which any “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934), except for a Permitted Holder, is or becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934), directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the voting power of the Equity Interests in the Borrower or (b) the Key Employee ceasing to be directly and actively involved in the day-to-day management of the Borrower with a substantially similar level of duties, responsibilities and decision-making authority as such Person has as of the Closing Date, unless an interim or permanent replacement has been approved in writing by the Lender (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld) within forty-five (45) days of such cessation.

Charges” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.12.

Closing Date” means the date on which all conditions set forth in Article IV shall have been satisfied (or waived in accordance therewith).

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

Collateral” means all Property of the Credit Parties, now owned or hereafter acquired, upon which a Lien is purported to be created by any Collateral Document.

 

2


Collateral Documents” means the Mortgages, the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, the Deeds of Trust and any other security agreements, deeds of trust, account control agreements and any and all other agreements, instruments, consents or certificates now or hereafter executed and delivered by the Borrower, the other Credit Parties or any other Person pursuant to the terms of, or as security for the payment or performance of the Obligations.

Credit Parties” means the Borrower and the Guarantors, and “Credit Party” shall mean each of them.

Debt” means, for any Person, the sum of the following (without duplication): (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money or evidenced by bonds, bankers’ acceptances, debentures, notes or other similar instruments; (b) all obligations of such Person (whether contingent or otherwise) in respect of letters of credit, surety or other bonds and similar instruments; (c) all accounts payable and all accrued expenses, liabilities or other obligations of such Person to pay the deferred purchase price of Property or services that are more than ninety (90) days past the due date other than those which are being contested in good faith by appropriate action and for which adequate reserves have been maintained in accordance with GAAP; (d) all obligations of such Person under Capital Leases; (e) all obligations of such Person under Synthetic Leases; (f) all Debt (as defined in the other clauses of this definition) of others secured by (or for which the holder of such Debt has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) a Lien on any Property of such Person, whether or not such Debt is assumed by such Person; (g) all Debt (as defined in the other clauses of this definition) of others guaranteed by such Person or in which such Person otherwise assures a creditor against loss of the Debt (howsoever such assurance shall be made) to the extent of the lesser of the amount of such Debt and the maximum stated amount of such guarantee or assurance against loss; (h) all obligations or undertakings of such Person to maintain or cause to be maintained the financial position or covenants of others and, to the extent entered into as a means of providing credit support for the debt payment obligations of others and not primarily to enable such Person to acquire any such Property, all obligations or undertakings of such Person to purchase the Debt or Property of others; (i) obligations to deliver commodities, goods or services, including Hydrocarbons, in consideration of one or more advance payments, made more than one month in advance of the month in which the commodities, goods or services are to be delivered other than gas balancing arrangements in the ordinary course of business; (j) any Debt of a partnership for which such Person is liable either by agreement, by operation of law or by a Governmental Requirement but only to the extent of such liability; (k) the obligation of such Person in respect of Disqualified Capital Stock; and (l) the undischarged balance of any production payment created by such Person or for the creation of which such Person directly or indirectly received payment. The Debt of any Person shall include all obligations of such Person of the character described above to the extent such Person remains legally liable in respect thereof notwithstanding that any such obligation is not included as a liability of such Person under GAAP. Debt shall not include liabilities resulting from endorsements of instruments for collection in the ordinary course of business.

Debtor Relief Laws” means the Bankruptcy Code of the United States of America, and all other liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, moratorium, rearrangement, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar debtor relief Laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdictions from time to time in effect.

Deeds of Trust” means (i) that certain Deed of Trust, Fixture Filing, Assignment of As-Extracted Collateral, Security Agreement and Financing Statement, dated as of the Closing Date, made by the Borrower in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties and (ii) that certain Deed of Trust, Fixture Filing, Assignment of As-Extracted Collateral, Security Agreement and Financing Statement, dated as of the Closing Date, made by the Pacific Pipeline Company, a Delaware corporation, in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties, as the same may be amended, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time; each, a “Deed of Trust”.

Default” means any event or condition that constitutes an Event of Default or that, with the giving of any notice, the passage of time, or both, would be an Event of Default.

 

3


Default Rate” means an interest rate from and after Default at the rate of an additional two percent (2%) per month until the total amount is paid in full.

Discharge of the Obligations” means (a) the payment in full in cash of all Obligations (other than any obligations that expressly survive under the Financing Documents by their terms) or (b) the exercise by the Lender of the Reassignment Option and the consummation thereof together with the corresponding deemed repayment in full of the Obligations (other than obligations that expressly survive under the Financing Documents by their terms).

Disposition” or “Dispose” means the sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition of any property by any Person (including any sale and leaseback transaction and any sale or issuance of Equity Interests in or by a Subsidiary of such Person (other than to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary of the Borrower)), including any sale, assignment, transfer or other disposal, with or without recourse, of any notes or accounts receivable or any rights and claims associated therewith.

Dispute Arbitration” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.09(c).

Disputed Claim” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.09(b).

Disqualified Capital Stock” means any Equity Interest that, by its terms (or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable) or upon the happening of any event, matures or is mandatorily redeemable for any consideration other than other Equity Interests (which would not constitute Disqualified Capital Stock), pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, or is convertible or exchangeable for Debt or redeemable for any consideration other than other Equity Interests (which would not constitute Disqualified Capital Stock) at the option of the holder thereof, in whole or in part, on or prior to the date that is one (1) year after the earlier of (a) the Maturity Date and (b) the date on which there are no Loans or other obligations hereunder outstanding.

Dollar” and “$” mean lawful money of the United States.

Effective Time” means 12:00:01 a.m. (Houston time) on January 1, 2022.

Environmental Laws” means any Laws pertaining to safety, health or conservation or protection of the environment, wildlife, or natural resources in effect in any and all jurisdictions in which the Assets are located, or otherwise applicable to the Assets, including the Clean Air Act, as amended, the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended, the Safe Drinking Water Act, as amended, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, as amended (“CERCLA”), the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986, as amended, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, as amended (“RCRA”), the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments Act of 1984, as amended, the Toxic Substances Control Act, as amended, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, as amended, the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act, as amended, the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act, as amended, the National Environmental Policy Act, as amended, the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, as amended and any applicable state, tribal, or local counterparts, but shall not include any Law to the extent associated with plugging and abandonment of any well. The terms “hazardous substance”, “release”, and “threatened release” shall have the meanings specified in CERCLA; provided, however, that to the extent the Laws of the state in which the Assets are located have established a meaning for “hazardous substance”, “release”, “threatened release”, “solid waste”, “hazardous waste”, and “disposal” that is broader than that specified in CERCLA or RCRA, such broader meaning shall apply with respect to the matters covered by such Laws.

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

 

4


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

ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the regulations and administrative guidance promulgated thereunder.

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

ERISA Event” means (a) a Reportable Event with respect to any Plan, (b) the withdrawal of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or ERISA Affiliates from a Plan during a plan year in which it was a “substantial employer” (as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA), (c) the filing by the applicable Credit Party with the PBGC of a notice of intent under Section 4041(a)(2) of ERISA to terminate a Plan or the treatment of an amendment to such a Plan as a termination under Section 4041(c) of ERISA, or the filing of a notice of intent to terminate any Plan, if such termination would require material additional contributions in order to be considered a standard termination within the meaning of Section 4041(b) of ERISA, (d) the institution by the PBGC of proceedings to terminate a Plan under Section 4042 of ERISA, (e) any event or condition (i) that provides a basis under Section 4042(a)(1), (2), or (3) of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Plan, or (ii) that could reasonably be expected to constitute a termination of a Multiemployer Plan pursuant to Section 4041A of ERISA, (f) the incurrence by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or ERISA Affiliates of any liability with respect to the partial or complete withdrawal within the meaning of Sections 4203 and 4205 of ERISA, of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or ERISA Affiliates from a Multiemployer Plan, (g) the failure to make a required contribution to any Plan that would result in the imposition of a lien or other encumbrance under Section 430 of the Code or Section 303 or 4068 of ERISA, or the arising of such a lien or encumbrance; the failure to satisfy the minimum funding standard under Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, whether or not waived, with respect to any Plan; or the filing of any request for or receipt of a minimum funding waiver under Section 412 of the Code with respect to any Plan, or that such filing may be made; or a determination that any Plan is, or is expected to be, considered an at-risk plan within the meaning of Section 430 of the Code or Section 303 of ERISA; the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate incurring any liability under Section 436 of the Code, or a violation of Section 436 of the Code with respect to a Plan; or the failure to make any required contribution to a Multiemployer Plan, (h) the insolvency under Title IV of ERISA of any Multiemployer Plan; or the receipt by any Borrower, any Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate, of any notice, or the receipt by any Multiemployer Plan from any Borrower, Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, that a Multiemployer Plan is in endangered or critical status under Section 432 of the Code or Section 305 of ERISA, (i) the Borrower, a Subsidiary or an ERISA Affiliate incurring any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to any Plan (other than premiums due and not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA), or (j) the Borrower, a Subsidiary or ERISA Affiliate engaging in a non-exempt prohibited transaction within the meaning of Section 4975 of the Code or Section 406 of ERISA with respect to a Plan.

Event of Default” has the meaning specified in Article VII.

Excepted Liens” means:

(a) Liens for Taxes, assessments or other governmental charges or levies which are not delinquent or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate action and, in each case, for which adequate reserves have been maintained in accordance with GAAP;

(b) Liens in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance or other social security, old age pension or public liability obligations (other than Liens imposed pursuant to ERISA) which are not delinquent for a period of more than thirty (30) days or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate action and for which adequate reserves have been maintained in accordance with GAAP;

 

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(c) landlord’s liens, operators’, vendors’, carriers’, warehousemen’s, repairmen’s, mechanics’, suppliers’, workers’, materialmen’s, construction or other like Liens arising by operation of law or otherwise in the ordinary course of business or incident to the exploration, development, operation and maintenance of Oil and Gas Properties each of which is in respect of obligations that are not delinquent for a period of more than thirty (30) days or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate action and for which adequate reserves have been maintained in accordance with GAAP;

(d) contractual Liens which arise in the ordinary course of business under operating agreements, joint venture agreements, oil and gas partnership agreements, oil and gas leases, farm out agreements, division orders, contracts for the sale, transportation or exchange of oil and natural gas, unitization and pooling declarations and agreements, area of mutual interest agreements, overriding royalty agreements, marketing agreements, processing agreements, net profits agreements, development agreements, gas balancing or deferred production agreements, injection, repressuring and recycling agreements, salt water or other disposal agreements, seismic or other geophysical permits or agreements, and other agreements which are usual and customary in the oil and gas business and are for claims which are not delinquent or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate action and for which adequate reserves have been maintained in accordance with GAAP; provided that, any such Lien referred to in this clause does not materially impair the use of the Property covered by such Lien for the purposes for which such Property is held by any Credit Party or materially impair the value of such Property subject thereto;

(e) Liens arising solely by virtue of any statutory or common law provision or customary deposit account terms relating to banker’s liens, rights of set off or similar rights and remedies and burdening only deposit accounts or other funds maintained with a creditor depository institution; provided that, no such deposit account is a dedicated cash collateral account or is subject to restrictions against access by the depositor in excess of those set forth by regulations promulgated by the Federal Reserve Board and no such deposit account is intended by any Credit Party to provide collateral to the depository institution (other than pursuant to the Financing Documents);

(f) zoning and land use requirements, easements, restrictions, servitudes, permits, conditions, covenants, exceptions or reservations in any Property of any Credit Party for the purpose of roads, pipelines, transmission lines, transportation lines, distribution lines for the removal of gas, oil, coal or other minerals or timber, and other like purposes, or for the joint or common use of real estate, rights of way, facilities and equipment, that do not secure any monetary obligations and which in the aggregate do not materially impair the use of such Property for the purposes of which such Property is held by any Credit Party or materially impair the value of such Property subject thereto;

(g) Liens on cash or securities pledged to secure performance of tenders, surety and appeal bonds, government contracts, performance and return of money bonds, bids, trade contracts, asset sale agreements, leases, statutory obligations, regulatory obligations and other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business and not in connection with the borrowing of money;

(h) Liens on cash, securities, or other property agreed by Lender pledged to secure any bonds, letters of credit, or other financial security provided pursuant to the PSA;

(i) judgment and attachment Liens not giving rise to an Event of Default; provided that, any appropriate legal proceedings which may have been duly initiated for the review of such judgment shall not have been finally terminated or the period within which such proceeding may be initiated shall not have expired and no action to enforce such Lien has been commenced;

(j) royalties, overriding royalties, reversionary interests, production payments and similar lease burdens which (i) are customarily granted in the ordinary course of business in the oil and gas industry, (ii) with respect to each Oil and Gas Property, do not operate to reduce any Credit Party’s net revenue interest in production for such Oil and Gas Property (if any) below such interests reflected in the PSA or increase the working interest for such Oil and Gas Property (if any) as reflected or warranted in the PSA without a corresponding increase in the corresponding net revenue interest;

 

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(k) Liens to secure plugging and abandonment obligations;

(l) Liens arising from precautionary UCC financing statement filings regarding operating leases entered into in the ordinary course of business covering only the Property under such lease and proceeds thereof; and

(m) Permitted Encumbrances;

provided further, that Liens described in clauses (a) through (d) shall remain “Excepted Liens” only for so long as no action to enforce such Lien has been commenced, and no intention to subordinate the first priority Lien granted in favor of the Lender is to be hereby implied or expressed by the permitted existence of such Excepted Liens.

Financing Documents” means, collectively, this Agreement, any promissory notes issued in connection hereto, the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, the other Collateral Documents and any other documents entered into in connection herewith (it being understood and agreed that “Financing Documents” shall not include the PSA or the Plains PSA).

GAAP” means, subject to Section 1.03, generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, consistently applied.

Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States of America or any other nation, or of any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government.

Governmental Requirement” means any law, statute, code, ordinance, order, determination, rule, regulation, judgment, decree, injunction, franchise, permit, certificate, license, rules of common law, authorization or other directive or requirement, whether now or hereinafter in effect, of any Governmental Authority.

Guarantee and Collateral Agreement” means that certain Guarantee and Collateral Agreement dated as of the Closing Date, in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (or such other form reasonably acceptable to the Lender), covering, among other things, the rights and interests of the Credit Parties in all or substantially all of the assets of such Credit Parties and unconditionally guaranteeing on a joint and several basis, payment of the Obligations as the same may be amended, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

Guarantors” means each Subsidiary of the Borrower from time to time.

Hazardous Materials” means any (a) chemical, compound, material, product, byproduct, substance or waste defined as or included in the definition or meaning of “hazardous substance,” “hazardous material,” “hazardous waste,” “toxic waste,” “extremely hazardous substance,” “toxic substance,” or words of similar meaning or import found in any applicable Environmental Law; (b) Hydrocarbons, petroleum products, petroleum substances, natural gas, oil, oil and gas waste (including drilling fluids and any produced water), crude oil, and any components, fractions, or derivatives thereof; and (c) radioactive materials, explosives, asbestos or asbestos containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon, infectious materials or medical wastes.

Hydrocarbon Interests” means all rights, titles, interests and estates now or hereafter acquired in and to oil and gas leases, oil, gas and mineral leases, or other liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon leases, mineral fee interests, overriding royalty and royalty interests, net profit interests and production payment interests, including any reserved or residual interests of whatever nature. Unless otherwise indicated herein, each reference to the term “Hydrocarbon Interests” shall mean Hydrocarbon Interests of the Borrower or any other Credit Party, as the context may require.

 

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Hydrocarbons” means all of the oil, liquid hydrocarbons, gas and any and all other liquid or gaseous hydrocarbons, as well as their respective constituent products (including condensate, casinghead gas, distillate, and natural gas liquids), and any other minerals produced or processed in association therewith (including elemental sulfur, helium, carbon dioxide, and other non-hydrocarbon substances produced in association with any of the above described items).

Indemnified Person” has the meaning specified in Section 9.03(b).

Interest Payment Date” has the meaning given to such term in Section 2.04(c).

Interest Rate” means ten percent (10.0%) compounded annually during the term of this Agreement in accordance with the terms hereof.

Investment” means, for any Person: (a) the acquisition (whether for cash, Property, services or securities or otherwise) of Equity Interests of any other Person (including any “short sale” or any sale of any securities at a time when such securities are not owned by the Person entering into such short sale); (b) the making of any advance, loan or capital contribution to, assumption of Debt of, purchase or other acquisition of any other Debt of or equity participation or interest in, or other extension of credit to, any other Person (including the purchase of Property from another Person subject to an understanding or agreement, contingent or otherwise, to resell such Property to such Person, but excluding any such advance, loan or extension of credit having a term not exceeding ninety (90) days representing the purchase price of goods or services sold by such Person in the ordinary course of business); (c) the purchase or acquisition (in one or a series of transactions) of Property of another Person that constitutes a business unit; (d) the entering into of any guarantee of, or other contingent obligation (including the deposit of any Equity Interests to be sold) with respect to, Debt or other liability of any other Person and (without duplication) any amount committed to be advanced, lent or extended to such Person; or (e) the purchase or acquisition of Oil and Gas Properties.

Key Employee” means James Flores, Chief Executive Officer of the Borrower, or any interim or permanent replacement of the Chief Executive Officer (or functionally equivalent title) of the Borrower approved by the Lender in accordance with the definition of “Change of Control”.

Knowledge” means the actual knowledge of the Persons set forth on Schedule 1.02.

Laws” means any applicable law, statute, regulation, ordinance, order, code, ruling, writ, injunction, decree or other act of or by any governmental authority (including any administrative, executive, judicial, legislative, regulatory or taxing authority).

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

Loan” means the term loan deemed made by the Lender to the Borrower on the Closing Date pursuant to this Agreement.

 

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Material Adverse Effect” means (a) a material adverse change in, or a material adverse effect on, the operations, business, properties, liabilities or financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole; or (b) a material adverse effect on (i) the ability of the Credit Parties to perform the Obligations, (ii) the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability against the Borrower of any Financing Document to which it is a party or (iii) the rights, remedies and benefits available to, or conferred upon, the Lender under any Financing Documents.

Maturity Date” means the earliest to occur of (a) the fifth (5th) anniversary of the Effective Time, (b) ninety (90) days after Restart Production and (c) the acceleration of the Loan in accordance with Section 7.01; provided that if any such day is not a Business Day, then the Maturity Date shall be the immediately preceding Business Day.

Maximum Debt Threshold” means an amount equal to Two Hundred and Fifty Million Dollars ($250,000,000).

Maximum Rate” has the meaning specified in Section 9.12.

Midstream Properties” means all tangible and intangible property owned or leased by any Credit Party used in (a) gathering, compressing, treating, processing and transporting Hydrocarbons, fresh water and produced water; (b) fractionating and transporting Hydrocarbons; or (c) marketing Hydrocarbons, including, without limitation, processing plants, gathering systems, pipelines, storage facilities, surface leases, easements and rights of way related to each of the foregoing.

Mortgages” means, collectively, the Deeds of Trust and any other mortgage or deed of trust executed by one or more Credit Parties for the benefit of the Secured Parties as security for the Obligations.

Multiemployer Plan” means a multiemployer plan, as defined in Section 3(37) or 4001(a)(3) of ERISA, that is subject to Title IV of ERISA and to which the Borrower, a Subsidiary or an ERISA Affiliate is making or accruing an obligation to make contributions or was obligated to make contributions within the last six (6) years.

Notice of Borrowing” shall mean a written notice of a Borrowing in the form of Exhibit D.

Obligations” means (a) all advances to, and debts, liabilities, obligations, covenants and duties of, the Borrower or any other Credit Party arising under any Financing Document or otherwise with respect to the Loan, whether direct or indirect, absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising and including interest and fees that accrue after the commencement by or against the Borrower or any Credit Party of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Laws naming such Person as the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether such interest and fees are allowed claims in such proceeding and (b) all indemnity obligations (contingent and otherwise) owing by the Borrower as “Purchaser” under the PSA to the Lender as “Seller” under the PSA in respect of any of the Assumed Obligations, including Plugging and Abandonment Obligations. Without limiting the foregoing, the Obligations include (i) the obligation to pay principal, interest, charges, expenses, fees, indemnities and other amounts payable by the Borrower under any Financing Document and (ii) the obligation of the Borrower to reimburse any amount in respect of any of the foregoing that the Lender, in each case in its sole discretion, may elect to pay or advance on behalf of the Borrower or any Credit Party.

Oil and Gas Properties” means: (a) Hydrocarbon Interests; (b) the Properties now or hereafter pooled or unitized with Hydrocarbon Interests; (c) all presently existing or future unitization agreements, pooling agreements and declarations of pooled units and the units created thereby (including all units created under orders, regulations and rules of any Governmental Authority) which may affect all or any portion of the Hydrocarbon Interests; (d) all operating agreements, contracts and other agreements, including production sharing contracts and agreements, which relate to any of the Hydrocarbon Interests or the production, sale, transportation, purchase, exchange or processing of Hydrocarbons from or attributable to such Hydrocarbon

 

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Interests; (e) all Hydrocarbons in and under and which may be produced and saved or attributable to the Hydrocarbon Interests, including all oil in tanks, and all rents, issues, profits, proceeds, products, revenues and other incomes from or attributable to the Hydrocarbon Interests; (f) all tenements, hereditaments, appurtenances and Properties in any manner appertaining, belonging, affixed or incidental to the Hydrocarbon Interests; and (g) all Properties, rights, titles, interests and estates described or referred to above, including any and all Property, real or personal, now owned or hereafter acquired and situated upon, used, held for use or useful in connection with the operating, working or development of any of such Hydrocarbon Interests or Property (excluding drilling rigs, automotive equipment, rental equipment or other personal Property which may be on such premises for the purpose of drilling a well or for other similar temporary uses) and including any and all oil wells, gas wells, injection wells or other wells, buildings, structures, fuel separators, liquid extraction plants, plant compressors, pumps, pumping units, field gathering systems, gas processing plants and pipeline systems and any related infrastructure to any thereof, tanks and tank batteries, fixtures, valves, fittings, machinery and parts, engines, boilers, meters, apparatus, equipment, appliances, tools, implements, cables, wires, towers, casing, tubing and rods, surface leases, rights of way, easements and servitudes together with all additions, substitutions, replacements, accessions and attachments to any and all of the foregoing. Unless otherwise indicated herein, each reference to the term “Oil and Gas Properties” means Oil and Gas Properties of the Borrower or any other Credit Party, as the context may require.

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

Plains PSA” has meaning set forth in the PSA.

Participant” has the meaning specified in Section 9.04(f).

Participant Register” has the meaning specified in Section 9.04(f).

PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation as defined in Title IV of ERISA, or any successor thereto.

Permitted Encumbrances” has the meaning set forth in the PSA.

Permitted Holder” means James Flores or his spouse and any direct descendent (including any trust organized for the benefit of such spouse or direct descendent) or any funds controlled or managed by James Flores or any such spouse, direct descendent or trust organized for the benefit of such spouse or direct descendent.

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

PIK Interest” has the meaning specified in Section 2.04(c).

Plains” means Plains Pipeline LP.

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

 

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Plugging and Abandonment Obligations” has the meaning set forth in the PSA.

Prepayment Notice” means a notice by the Borrower to prepay the Loan, which shall meet the requirements of Section 2.02(b) and otherwise be in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B.

Prohibited Transaction” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975(c) of the Code.

Property” or “Properties” means any interest in any kind of property or asset, whether real, personal or mixed, or tangible or intangible, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.

PSA” has the meaning specified in the second introductory paragraph hereof.

Purchase Money Security Interest” means Liens upon tangible personal property and proceeds thereof securing loans to any Credit Party or deferred payments by such Credit Party for the purchase of such tangible personal property.

Purchase Price” has the meaning set forth in the PSA.

Reassignment Option” has the meaning set forth in the PSA.

Register” has the meaning specified in Section 9.04(d).

Related Parties” means, with respect to any Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, trustees, administrators, managers, advisors and representatives of such Person and of such Person’s Affiliates.

Release” or “Released” means any depositing, spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, placing, emitting, discarding, abandoning, emptying, discharging, migrating, injecting, escaping, leaching, dumping, or disposing.

Remedial Work” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.10(a)(iii).

Reportable Event” means any of the events described in Section 4043(c) of ERISA and the regulations issued thereunder with respect to a Plan other than a Reportable Event as to which the provision of thirty (30) days’ notice to the PBGC has been waived.

Resignation Effective Date” has the meaning specified in Section 8.04(a).

Responsible Officer” means the chief executive officer, president, executive vice president, vice president, chief financial officer or treasurer of the Borrower. Any document delivered hereunder that is signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate or other action on the part of the Borrower and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of the Borrower.

Restart Production” means the date of “Restart Production” as set out in the PSA. Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of the occurrence of Restart Production as soon as reasonably possible.

Restricted Payment” means (a) any dividend or other distribution or return of capital (whether in cash, securities or other Property) with respect to any Equity Interests in any Person, or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other Property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, conversion to cash, cancellation or termination of any such Equity Interests and (b) the payment of management fees.

 

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Sanctioned Country” means, at any time, a country, region or territory which is itself the subject or target of any Sanctions.

Sanctioned Person” means, at any time, (a) any Person listed in any Sanctions-related list of designated Persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury or the U.S. Department of State, (b) any Person operating, organized or resident in a Sanctioned Country, or (c) any Person owned or controlled by any such Person or Persons described in the foregoing clauses (a) or (b).

Sanctions” means all economic or financial sanctions or trade embargoes imposed, administered or enforced from time to time by the U.S. government, including those administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury or the U.S. Department of State.

SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any of its principal functions.

Secured Parties” means, collectively, the Administrative Agent, the Lender, each Indemnified Person and any other Person owed Obligations and “Secured Party” means any of them individually.

Seller” has the meaning assigned to such term in the PSA.

Solvency Certificate” means a certificate in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C certifying as to the solvency of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries after giving effect to the Transactions.

Subsidiary” of a Person means a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, association or joint venture or other business entity of which a majority of the equity interests having ordinary voting power for the election of directors or other governing body (other than securities or interests having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency) are at the time owned or the management of which is controlled, directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, by such Person. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to a “Subsidiary” or to “Subsidiaries” shall refer to a Subsidiary or the Subsidiaries of the Borrower.

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

Tax” or “Taxes” means all taxes, assessments, charges, duties, fees, levies, imposts or other similar charges imposed by a governmental authority, including all income, franchise, profits, capital gains, capital stock, transfer, gross receipts, sales, use, service, occupation, ad valorem, property, excise, severance, windfall profits, premium, stamp, license, payroll, employment, social security, unemployment, disability, environmental, alternative minimum, add-on, value-added, withholding and other taxes, assessments, charges, duties, fees, levies, imposts or other similar charges of any kind, and all estimated taxes, deficiency assessments, additions to tax, penalties and interest.

Transactions” means, collectively, (a) the execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of this Agreement, each other Financing Document to which it is a party, the borrowing of the Loan, the use of the proceeds thereof, the Borrower’s grant of the security interests and provision of collateral under the Collateral Documents, and Borrower’s grant of Liens on its Properties (including the Assets) pursuant to the Collateral Documents, (b) the execution, delivery and performance by each other Credit Party of each Financing Document to which it is a party, the guaranteeing of the Obligations and the other obligations under the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement by such Credit Party and such Credit Party’s grant of the security interests and provision of

 

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collateral under the Collateral Documents, and the grant of Liens by such Credit Party on its Properties (including the Assets) pursuant to the Collateral Documents, (c) the consummation of the transaction contemplated by the PSA (including the acquisition of the Assets by the Borrower from the Lender) and (d) the payment of all fees and expenses in connection with the foregoing.

UCC” or “Uniform Commercial Code” means the Uniform Commercial Code (or any similar or equivalent legislation) as in effect in any applicable jurisdiction.

United States” and “U.S.” mean the United States of America.

Section 1.02 Terms Generally. The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation” The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall” The word “or” is not exclusive. Unless the context requires otherwise (a) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein), (b) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, (c) the words “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder,” and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof, (d) all references herein to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, this Agreement, (e) any reference to any law or regulation herein shall, unless otherwise specified, refer to such law or regulation as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, and (f) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.

Section 1.03 Accounting Terms; Changes in GAAP.

(a) Accounting Terms. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all accounting terms not otherwise defined herein shall be construed in conformity with GAAP.

(b) Changes in GAAP. If the Borrower notifies the Lender that the Borrower requests an amendment to any provision hereof to eliminate the effect of any change occurring after the date hereof in GAAP or in the application thereof on the operation of such provision (or if the Lender notifies the Borrower that it requests an amendment to any provision hereof for such purpose), regardless of whether any such notice is given before or after such change in GAAP or in the application thereof, then such provision shall be interpreted on the basis of GAAP as in effect and applied without giving effect to such change until such notice shall have been withdrawn or such provision amended in accordance herewith.

ARTICLE II

TERM LOAN

Section 2.01 Term Loan. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Lender agrees to make a Loan to the Borrower on the Closing Date in an aggregate principal amount equal to Six Hundred Twenty Two Million Eight Hundred Eighty Six Thousand Nine Hundred Eighty Two Dollars ($622,886,982.00) and shall be deemed funded in full on the Closing Date (without further action by the Borrower or the Lender) on the consummation of the PSA and the Borrower’s acquisition of the Assets pursuant thereto.

 

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Section 2.02 Prepayments.

(a) Optional Prepayments. The Borrower may, upon notice to the Lender, at any time and from time to time prior to the Maturity Date, prepay in whole or in part, the Loan, without premium or penalty, subject to the other requirements of this Section.

(b) Notices of Optional Prepayment. Each such notice for an optional prepayment to be made pursuant to clause (a) of this Section shall be in the form of a written Prepayment Notice, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower, or may be given by telephone to the Lender (if promptly confirmed by a written Prepayment Notice consistent with such telephonic notice) and must be received by the Lender not later than 12:00 noon (Houston, Texas time) one (1) Business Day before the date of such prepayment. Each Prepayment Notice shall specify (x) the prepayment date (which shall be a Business Day), (y) the principal amount of the Loan or portion thereof to be prepaid, which shall not be less than the lesser of (x) the outstanding Loan amount or (y) Five Million Dollars ($5,000,000) and integral multiples of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) in excess of that amount and (z) accrued but unpaid interest to be paid in connection with the principal payment described in clause (y) above. Each Prepayment Notice shall be irrevocable once delivered to the Lender.

(c) Mandatory Prepayments.

(i) Dispositions. Upon any Disposition by any Credit Party (other than a Disposition expressly permitted by Section 6.07) of any of its Properties resulting in net cash proceeds in excess of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) in a single transaction or series of related transactions, the Borrower shall prepay the Loan in cash in an aggregate amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of such net cash proceeds; provided, however, that, with respect to any net cash proceeds realized under a Disposition described in this Section 2.02(c)(i), at the election of the Borrower (and as approved by the Lender, such approval not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), and so long as no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the applicable Credit Party may reinvest all or any portion of such net cash proceeds in assets useful in the business of the Credit Parties so long as within one hundred eighty (180) days after the receipt of such net cash proceeds, such purchase shall have been consummated (as certified by the Borrower in writing to the Lender); and provided further, however, that any net cash proceeds not so reinvested within such one hundred eighty (180)-day period shall be immediately applied to the prepayment of the Loans as set forth in this Section 2.02(c)(i).

(ii) Insurance Proceeds. Upon receipt of insurance proceeds following a Casualty Event to the extent that the aggregate amount of net cash proceeds received by any Credit Party in respect of such Casualty Event are in excess of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000), the Borrower shall prepay the Loan in cash in an aggregate amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of such net cash proceeds; provided, however, that, with respect to any insurance proceeds received following a Casualty Event described in this Section 2.02(c)(ii), at the election of the Borrower (and as approved by the Lender, such approval not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), and so long as no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the applicable Credit Party may reinvest all or any portion of such insurance proceeds to replace or repair the assets in respect of which such insurance proceeds were received so long as such proceeds shall be applied as described above within one hundred eighty (180) days after the receipt of such insurance proceeds (as certified by the Borrower in writing to the Lender); and provided further, however, that any net cash proceeds not so applied within such one hundred eighty (180)-day period shall be immediately applied to the prepayment of the Loans as set forth in this Section 2.02(c)(ii).

(iii) Debt. Promptly upon receipt, the Borrower shall prepay the Loan in an amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the net proceeds received by any Credit Party from the incurrence or issuance of any Debt other than Debt expressly permitted by Section 6.02; provided that, the foregoing shall in no event be deemed to imply consent to any incurrence or issuance of Debt not otherwise permitted under the Financing Documents.

(d) Application. All prepayments of the Loan shall be accompanied by accrued and unpaid