Form S-3
Table of Contents

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 23, 2004

Registration No. 333-            

 


SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 


 

FORM S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Under

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 


 

WHITING PETROLEUM CORPORATION*

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware   20-0098515
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)   (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

 

1700 Broadway, Suite 2300

Denver, Colorado 80290-2300

(303) 837-1661

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

 


 

James J. Volker

Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

1700 Broadway, Suite 2300

Denver, Colorado 80290-2300

(303) 837-1661

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

with copies to:

 

Benjamin F. Garmer, III, Esq.

Foley & Lardner LLP

777 East Wisconsin Avenue

Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202-5306

(414) 271-2400

 

Kendor P. Jones, Esq.

Welborn Sullivan Meck & Tooley, P.C.

821 17th Street, Suite 500

Denver, Colorado 80202

(303) 830-2500

 

David P. Oelman, Esq.

Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.

2300 First City Tower

1001 Fannin

Houston, Texas 77002

(713) 758-2222

 


 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after this registration statement becomes effective.

 

If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. ¨

 

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. x

 

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ¨

 

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ¨

 

If delivery of the prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule 434, please check the following box. ¨

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 


Title of Each Class of Securities to Be Registered    Proposed Maximum
Aggregate Offering Price(1)(2)(3)
   Amount of Registration Fee

Debt Securities, including additional 7 /4% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2012 (4)

   (11)     

Guarantees of Debt Securities (5)

   (11)     

Common Stock, $.001 par value (6)

   (11)     

Preferred Stock, $.001 par value (7)

   (11)     

Warrants (8)

   (11)     

Stock Purchase Contracts (9)

   (11)     

Stock Purchase Units (10)

   (11)     

Total

   $500,000,000    $58,850

 

(1) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act of 1933.

 

(2) In no event will the aggregate offering price of all securities issued from time to time pursuant to this registration statement exceed $500,000,000 or the equivalent thereof in foreign currencies, foreign currency units or composite currencies. Such amount represents the offering price of any common stock and preferred stock, the principal amount of any debt securities issued at their stated principal amount, the offering price rather than the principal amount of any debt securities issued at an original issue discount, the offering price of any warrants, the exercise price of any securities issuable upon the exercise of warrants, and the offering price of any securities issued upon settlement of the stock purchase contracts or stock purchase units. The aggregate principal amount of the debt securities may be increased if any debt securities are issued at an original issue discount by an amount such that the offering price to be received by the registrant shall be equal to the above amount to be registered. The securities registered hereunder may be sold separately or as units with other securities registered hereunder.

 

(3) Subject to note (2) above, this registration statement also covers such indeterminate amount of securities as may be issued in exchange for, or upon conversion or exercise of, as the case may be, the debt securities, preferred stock or warrants registered hereunder and such indeterminate amount of securities as may be issued upon settlement of the stock purchase contracts or stock purchase units registered hereunder. Any securities registered hereunder may be sold separately or as units with other securities registered hereunder. No separate consideration will be received for any securities registered hereunder that are issued in exchange for, or upon conversion of, as the case may be, the debt securities, preferred stock or warrants.

 

(4) Subject to note (2) above, there is being registered an indeterminate principal amount of debt securities. If any debt securities are issued at an original issue discount, then the offering price of those debt securities shall be in an amount that will result in the aggregate initial price not to exceed $500,000,000, less the dollar amount of any registered securities previously issued. Any offering of debt securities denominated other than in U.S. dollars will be treated as the equivalent of U.S. dollars based on the exchange rate applicable to the purchase of such debt securities at the time of initial offering.

 

(5) Subject to note (2) above, there is being registered hereunder an indeterminate number of guarantees issued by one or more subsidiaries of Whiting Petroleum Corporation in connection with the debt securities offered by any prospectus supplement. Pursuant to Rule 457(n) under the Securities Act, no separate filing fee is required for the guarantees.

 

(6) Subject to note (2) above, there is being registered an indeterminate number of shares of common stock.

 

(7) Subject to note (2) above, there is being registered an indeterminate number of shares of preferred stock.

 

(8) Subject to note (2) above, there is being registered hereunder an indeterminate amount and number of warrants, representing rights to purchase debt securities, preferred stock or common stock.

 

(9) Subject to note (2) above, there is being registered hereunder an indeterminate amount and number of stock purchase contracts, representing obligations to purchase preferred stock, common stock or other securities.

 

(10) Subject to note (2) above, there is being registered hereunder an indeterminate amount and number of stock purchase units, consisting of stock purchase contracts together with debt securities, preferred stock, warrants or debt obligations of third parties securing the holders’ obligations to purchase the securities under the stock purchase contracts.

 

(11) Not specified as to each class of securities to be registered pursuant to General Instruction II.D of Form S-3.

 


 

The Registrants hereby amend this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrants shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until this Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.



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* TABLE OF SUBSIDIARY GUARANTOR REGISTRANTS

 

Name, Address and Telephone Number (1)


   State or Other
Jurisdiction of
Incorporation


   Primary
Standard
Industrial
Classification
Number


   I.R.S.
Employer
Identification
Number


Whiting Oil and Gas Corporation

   Delaware    1311    84-0918829

Equity Oil Company

   Colorado    1311    87-0129795

Whiting Programs, Inc.

   Delaware    1311    84-0865622

(1) The address for each of these additional registrants is 1700 Broadway, Suite 2300, Denver, Colorado 80290-2300. Their telephone number is (303) 837-1661.

 

EXPLANATORY NOTE

 

This Registration Statement contains two forms of prospectuses to be used in connection with offerings of the following securities:

 

(1) Debt securities (other than 7 1/4% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2012 of Whiting Petroleum Corporation), guarantees of such debt securities by subsidiaries of Whiting Petroleum Corporation, common stock and preferred stock, warrants, stock purchase contracts and stock purchase units; and

 

(2) 7 1/4% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2012 of Whiting Petroleum Corporation and guarantees of such Notes by subsidiaries of Whiting Petroleum Corporation.

 

We may offer any combination of the securities described in these prospectuses in one or more offerings with a total aggregate initial offering price of up to $500,000,000.

 


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The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where this offer or sale is not permitted.

 

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED DECEMBER 23, 2004

 

Prospectus

 

LOGO

 

$500,000,000

 


 

Whiting Petroleum Corporation

 

Debt Securities

Common Stock

Preferred Stock

Warrants

Stock Purchase Contracts

Stock Purchase Units

 


 

We may offer and sell from time to time up to an aggregate initial offering price of $500,000,000 of our securities in one or more classes or series and in amounts, at prices and on terms that we will determine at the times of the offerings. Our subsidiaries may guarantee any debt securities that we issue under this prospectus.

 

We will provide specific terms of the securities, including the offering prices, in one or more supplements to this prospectus. The supplements may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and the prospectus supplement relating to the specific issue of securities carefully before you invest.

 

Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “WLL.”

 


 

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 


 

The date of this prospectus is                     , 2005.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page

About This Prospectus

   2

Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

   3

Whiting Petroleum Corporation

   4

Use of Proceeds

   4

Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges

   4

Description of Debt Securities

   5

Description of Capital Stock

   17

Description of Warrants

   20

Description of Stock Purchase Contracts and Stock Purchase Units

   21

Plan of Distribution

   22

Where You Can Find More Information

   25

Legal Matters

   26

Experts

   26

 

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

 

In this prospectus, “we,” “us,” “our” or “ours” refer to Whiting Petroleum Corporation.

 

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, utilizing a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf process, we may, from time to time, sell the securities or combinations of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings with a maximum aggregate offering price of up to $500,000,000. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities that we may offer. Each time we offer securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”

 

You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and in any prospectus supplement. We have not authorized any other person to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We are not making offers to sell or solicitations to buy the securities in any jurisdiction in which an offer or solicitation is not authorized or in which the person making that offer or solicitation is not qualified to do so or to anyone to whom it is unlawful to make an offer or solicitation. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement, as well as the information we previously filed with the SEC that we incorporate by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement, is accurate as of any date other than its respective date. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.

 

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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

 

This prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference contain statements that we believe to be “forward looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than historical facts, including, without limitation, statements regarding our future financial position, business strategy, projected revenues, earnings, costs, capital expenditures and debt levels, and plans and objectives of management for future operations, are forward looking statements. When used in this prospectus, words such as we “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “believe” or “should” or the negative thereof or variations thereon or similar terminology are generally intended to identify forward looking statements. Such forward looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, such statements. Some, but not all, of the risks and uncertainties include:

 

  declines in oil or natural gas prices;

 

  our level of success in exploitation, exploration, development and production activities;

 

  our ability to obtain external capital to finance acquisitions;

 

  our ability to identify and complete acquisitions and to successfully integrate acquired businesses, including our ability to realize cost savings from completed acquisitions;

 

  unforeseen underperformance of or liabilities associated with acquired properties;

 

  inaccuracies of our reserve estimates or our assumptions underlying them;

 

  failure of our properties to yield oil or natural gas in commercially viable quantities;

 

  uninsured or underinsured losses resulting from our oil and natural gas operations;

 

  our inability to access oil and natural gas markets due to market conditions or operational impediments;

 

  the impact and costs of compliance with laws and regulations governing our oil and natural gas operations;

 

  risks related to our level of indebtedness;

 

  our ability to replace our oil and natural gas reserves;

 

  any loss of our senior management or technical personnel;

 

  competition in the oil and natural gas industry;

 

  risks arising out of our hedging transactions; and

 

  other risks described in documents we incorporate by reference.

 

We assume no obligation, and disclaim any duty, to update the forward looking statements in this prospectus or in the documents we incorporate by reference.

 

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WHITING PETROLEUM CORPORATION

 

We are engaged in oil and natural gas exploitation, acquisition, exploration and production activities primarily in the Permian Basin, Rocky Mountains, Gulf Coast, Michigan, Mid-Continent and California regions of the United States. Our focus is on pursuing growth projects that we believe will generate attractive rates of return and maintaining a balanced portfolio of lower risk, long-lived oil and natural gas properties that provide stable cash flows. Since our inception in 1980, we have built a strong asset base and achieved steady growth through both property acquisitions and exploitation activities.

 

Our principal executive offices are located at 1700 Broadway, Suite 2300, Denver, Colorado 80290-2300, and our telephone number is (303) 837-1661.

 

USE OF PROCEEDS

 

Unless we otherwise specify in the applicable prospectus supplement, we expect to use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities for general corporate purposes, which may include reduction or refinancing of debt or other corporate obligations, the financing of capital expenditures, acquisitions and additions to our working capital. Until we use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities for these purposes, we may place the net proceeds in temporary investments.

 

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

 

The following table presents our ratios of consolidated earnings to fixed charges for the periods presented.

 

     Nine Months
Ended
September 30,
2004


   Years Ended December 31,

        2003

   2002

   2001

   2000

   1999

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges (1)

   7.27x    4.85x    2.08x    6.10x    6.93x    3.32x

 

(1) For purposes of calculating the ratios of consolidated earnings to fixed charges, earnings consist of income before income taxes, fixed charges and amortization of capitalized interest, less capitalized interest. Fixed charges consist of interest expensed, interest capitalized, amortized premiums, discounts and capitalized expenses related to indebtedness and an estimate of interest within rental expense.

 

We did not have any preferred stock outstanding and we did not pay or accrue any preferred stock dividends during the periods presented above.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

 

This section describes the general terms and provisions of the debt securities that we may issue separately, upon exercise of a debt warrant, in connection with a stock purchase contract or as part of a stock purchase unit from time to time in the form of one or more series of debt securities. The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the specific terms of the debt securities offered through that prospectus supplement as well as any general terms described in this section that will not apply to those debt securities.

 

Any debt securities issued using this prospectus (“Debt Securities”) will be our direct unsecured general obligations. The Debt Securities will be either our senior debt securities (“Senior Debt Securities”) or our subordinated debt securities (“Subordinated Debt Securities”). The Senior Debt Securities and the Subordinated Debt Securities will be issued under separate Indentures among us, certain of our domestic subsidiaries, if our domestic subsidiaries are guarantors of the Debt Securities, and a U.S. banking institution (a “Trustee”). The Trustee for each series of Debt Securities will be identified in the applicable prospectus supplement. Senior Debt Securities will be issued under a “Senior Indenture” and Subordinated Debt Securities will be issued under a “Subordinated Indenture.” Together, the Senior Indenture and the Subordinated Indenture are called “Indentures.”

 

We are a holding company, and we primarily conduct our operations through subsidiaries. Unless the Debt Securities are guaranteed by our subsidiaries as described below, the rights of our company and our creditors, including holders of the Debt Securities, to participate in the assets of any subsidiary upon the latter’s liquidation or reorganization, will be subject to the prior claims of the subsidiary’s creditors, except to the extent that we may ourself be a creditor with recognized claims against such subsidiary.

 

We have summarized selected provisions of the Indentures below. The summary is not complete. The form of each Indenture has been filed with the SEC as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and you should read the Indentures for provisions that may be important to you. In the summary below we have included references to article or section numbers of the applicable Indenture so that you can easily locate these provisions. Whenever we refer in this prospectus or in the prospectus supplement to particular article or sections or defined terms of the Indentures, those article or sections or defined terms are incorporated by reference herein or therein, as applicable. Capitalized terms used in the summary have the meanings specified in the Indentures.

 

General

 

The Indentures provide that Debt Securities in separate series may be issued thereunder from time to time without limitation as to aggregate principal amount. We may specify a maximum aggregate principal amount for the Debt Securities of any series (Section 301). We will determine the terms and conditions of the Debt Securities, including the maturity, principal and interest, but those terms must be consistent with the Indenture.

 

The Senior Debt Securities will rank equally with all of our other senior unsecured and unsubordinated debt (“Senior Debt”). The Subordinated Debt Securities will be subordinated in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all of our Senior Debt (as defined) as described under “— Subordination of Subordinated Debt Securities” and in the prospectus supplement applicable to any Subordinated Debt Securities.

 

If specified in the prospectus supplement, certain of our domestic subsidiaries (the “Subsidiary Guarantors”) will fully and unconditionally guarantee (the “Subsidiary Guarantees”) on a joint and several basis the Debt Securities as described under “— Subsidiary Guarantees” and in the prospectus supplement. The Subsidiary Guarantees will be unsecured obligations of each Subsidiary Guarantor. Subsidiary Guarantees of Subordinated Debt Securities will be subordinated to the Senior Debt of the Subsidiary Guarantors on the same basis as the Subordinated Debt Securities are subordinated to our Senior Debt (Article Thirteen).

 

The applicable prospectus supplement will set forth the price or prices at which the Debt Securities to be offered will be issued and will describe the following terms of such Debt Securities:

 

  (1) the title of the Debt Securities;

 

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  (2) whether the Debt Securities are Senior Debt Securities or Subordinated Debt Securities and, if Subordinated Debt Securities, the related subordination terms;

 

  (3) whether any of the Subsidiary Guarantors will provide Subsidiary Guarantees of the Debt Securities;

 

  (4) any limit on the aggregate principal amount of the Debt Securities;

 

  (5) the dates on which the principal of the Debt Securities will be payable;

 

  (6) the interest rate that the Debt Securities will bear and the interest payment dates for the Debt Securities;

 

  (7) the places where payments on the Debt Securities will be payable;

 

  (8) any terms upon which the Debt Securities may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at our option;

 

  (9) any sinking fund or other provisions that would obligate us to repurchase or otherwise redeem the Debt Securities;

 

  (10) the portion of the principal amount, if less than all, of the Debt Securities that will be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the Maturity of the Debt Securities;

 

  (11) whether the Debt Securities are defeasible;

 

  (12) any addition to or change in the Events of Default;

 

  (13) whether the Debt Securities are convertible into our common stock and, if so, the terms and conditions upon which conversion will be effected, including the initial conversion price or conversion rate and any adjustments thereto and the conversion period;

 

  (14) if convertible into our common stock or any of our other securities, the terms on which such Debt Securities are convertible;

 

  (15) any addition to or change in the covenants in the Indenture applicable to the Debt Securities; and

 

  (16) any other terms of the Debt Securities not inconsistent with the provisions of the Indenture (Section 301).

 

The Indentures do not limit the amount of Debt Securities that may be issued. Each Indenture allows Debt Securities to be issued up to the principal amount that may be authorized by our company and may be in any currency or currency unit designated by us.

 

Debt Securities, including Original Issue Discount Securities, may be sold at a substantial discount below their principal amount. Special United States federal income tax considerations applicable to Debt Securities sold at an original issue discount may be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. In addition, special United States federal income tax or other considerations applicable to any Debt Securities that are denominated in a currency or currency unit other than United States dollars may be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

Senior Debt Securities

 

The Senior Debt Securities will be unsecured senior obligations and will rank equally with all other senior unsecured and unsubordinated debt. The Senior Debt Securities will, however, be subordinated in right of payment to all our secured indebtedness to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness. Except as provided

 

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in the applicable Senior Indenture or specified in any authorizing resolution or supplemental indenture relating to a series of Senior Debt Securities to be issued, no Senior Indenture will limit the amount of additional indebtedness that may rank equally with the Senior Debt Securities or the amount of indebtedness, secured or otherwise, that may be incurred or preferred stock that may be issued by any of our subsidiaries.

 

Subordination of Subordinated Debt Securities

 

The indebtedness evidenced by the Subordinated Debt Securities will, to the extent set forth in the Subordinated Indenture with respect to each series of Subordinated Debt Securities, be subordinate in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all of our Senior Debt, including the Senior Debt Securities, and it may also be senior in right of payment to all of our Subordinated Debt (Article Twelve of the Subordinated Indenture). The prospectus supplement relating to any Subordinated Debt Securities will summarize the subordination provisions of the Subordinated Indenture applicable to that series including:

 

  the applicability and effect of such provisions upon any payment or distribution respecting that series following any liquidation, dissolution or other winding-up, or any assignment for the benefit of creditors or other marshaling of assets or any bankruptcy, insolvency or similar proceedings;

 

  the applicability and effect of such provisions in the event of specified defaults with respect to any Senior Debt, including the circumstances under which and the periods in which we will be prohibited from making payments on the Subordinated Debt Securities; and

 

  the definition of Senior Debt applicable to the Subordinated Debt Securities of that series and, if the series is issued on a senior subordinated basis, the definition of Subordinated Debt applicable to that series.

 

The prospectus supplement will also describe as of a recent date the approximate amount of Senior Debt to which the Subordinated Debt Securities of that series will be subordinated.

 

The failure to make any payment on any of the Subordinated Debt Securities by reason of the subordination provisions of the Subordinated Indenture described in the prospectus supplement will not be construed as preventing the occurrence of an Event of Default with respect to the Subordinated Debt Securities arising from any such failure to make payment.

 

The subordination provisions described above will not be applicable to payments in respect of the Subordinated Debt Securities from a defeasance trust established in connection with any legal defeasance or covenant defeasance of the Subordinated Debt Securities as described under “— Legal Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance.”

 

Subsidiary Guarantees

 

If specified in the prospectus supplement, the Subsidiary Guarantors will guarantee the Debt Securities of a series. Unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement, the following provisions will apply to the Subsidiary Guarantees of the Subsidiary Guarantors.

 

Subject to the limitations described below and in the prospectus supplement, the Subsidiary Guarantors will, jointly and severally, fully and unconditionally guarantee the prompt payment when due, whether at Stated Maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, of all our payment obligations under the Indentures and the Debt Securities of a series, whether for principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the Debt Securities or otherwise (all such obligations guaranteed by a Subsidiary Guarantor being herein called the “Guaranteed Obligations”). The Subsidiary Guarantors will also pay all expenses (including reasonable counsel fees and expenses) incurred by the applicable Trustee in enforcing any rights under a Subsidiary Guarantee with respect to a Subsidiary Guarantor (Section 1302).

 

In the case of Subordinated Debt Securities, a Subsidiary Guarantor’s Subsidiary Guarantee will be subordinated in right of payment to the Senior Debt of such Subsidiary Guarantor on the same basis as the Subordinated Debt Securities are subordinated to our Senior Debt. No payment will be made by any Subsidiary

 

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Guarantor under its Subsidiary Guarantee during any period in which payments by us on the Subordinated Debt Securities are suspended by the subordination provisions of the Subordinated Indenture (Article Fourteen of the Subordinated Indenture).

 

Each Subsidiary Guarantee will be limited in amount to an amount not to exceed the maximum amount that can be guaranteed by the relevant Subsidiary Guarantor without rendering such Subsidiary Guarantee voidable under applicable law relating to fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer or similar laws affecting the rights of creditors generally (Section 1306).

 

Each Subsidiary Guarantee will be a continuing guarantee and will:

 

  (1) remain in full force and effect until either (a) payment in full of all the applicable Debt Securities (or such Debt Securities are otherwise satisfied and discharged in accordance with the provisions of the applicable Indenture) or (b) released as described in the following paragraph;

 

  (2) be binding upon each Subsidiary Guarantor; and

 

  (3) inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the applicable Trustee, the Holders and their successors, transferees and assigns.

 

In the event that a Subsidiary Guarantor ceases to be a Subsidiary, either legal defeasance or covenant defeasance occurs with respect to the series or all or substantially all of the assets or all of the Capital Stock of such Subsidiary Guarantor is sold, including by way of sale, merger, consolidation or otherwise, such Subsidiary Guarantor will be released and discharged of its obligations under its Subsidiary Guarantee without any further action required on the part of the Trustee or any Holder, and no other person acquiring or owning the assets or Capital Stock of such Subsidiary Guarantor will be required to enter into a Subsidiary Guarantee (Section 1304). In addition, the prospectus supplement may specify additional circumstances under which a Subsidiary Guarantor can be released from its Subsidiary Guarantee.

 

Conversion Rights

 

The Debt Securities may be converted into other securities of our company, if at all, according to the terms and conditions of an applicable prospectus supplement. Such terms will include the conversion price, the conversion period, provisions as to whether conversion will be at the option of the holders of such series of Debt Securities or at the option of our company, the events requiring an adjustment of the conversion price and provisions affecting conversion in the event of the redemption of such series of Debt Securities.

 

Form, Exchange and Transfer

 

The Debt Securities of each series will be issuable only in fully registered form, without coupons, and, unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, only in denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples thereof (Section 302).

 

At the option of the Holder, subject to the terms of the applicable Indenture and the limitations applicable to Global Securities, Debt Securities of each series will be exchangeable for other Debt Securities of the same series of any authorized denomination and of a like tenor and aggregate principal amount (Section 305).

 

Subject to the terms of the applicable Indenture and the limitations applicable to Global Securities, Debt Securities may be presented for exchange as provided above or for registration of transfer (duly endorsed or with the form of transfer endorsed thereon duly executed) at the office of the Security Registrar or at the office of any transfer agent designated by us for such purpose. No service charge will be made for any registration of transfer or exchange of Debt Securities, but we may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in that connection. Such transfer or exchange will be effected upon the Security Registrar or such transfer agent, as the case may be, being satisfied with the documents of title and identity of the person making the request.

 

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The Security Registrar and any other transfer agent initially designated by us for any Debt Securities will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement (Section 305). We may at any time designate additional transfer agents or rescind the designation of any transfer agent or approve a change in the office through which any transfer agent acts, except that we will be required to maintain a transfer agent in each Place of Payment for the Debt Securities of each series (Section 1002).

 

If the Debt Securities of any series (or of any series and specified tenor) are to be redeemed in part, we will not be required to (1) issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Debt Security of that series (or of that series and specified tenor, as the case may be) during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of mailing of a notice of redemption of any such Debt Security that may be selected for redemption and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing or (2) register the transfer of or exchange any Debt Security so selected for redemption, in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any such Debt Security being redeemed in part (Section 305).

 

Global Securities

 

Some or all of the Debt Securities of any series may be represented, in whole or in part, by one or more Global Securities that will have an aggregate principal amount equal to that of the Debt Securities they represent. Each Global Security will be registered in the name of a Depositary or its nominee identified in the applicable prospectus supplement, will be deposited with such Depositary or nominee or its custodian and will bear a legend regarding the restrictions on exchanges and registration of transfer thereof referred to below and any such other matters as may be provided for pursuant to the applicable Indenture.

 

Notwithstanding any provision of the Indentures or any Debt Security described in this prospectus, no Global Security may be exchanged in whole or in part for Debt Securities registered, and no transfer of a Global Security in whole or in part may be registered, in the name of any person other than the Depositary for such Global Security or any nominee of such Depositary unless:

 

  (1) the Depositary has notified us that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for such Global Security or has ceased to be qualified to act as such as required by the applicable Indenture, and in either case we fail to appoint a successor Depositary within 90 days;

 

  (2) an Event of Default with respect to the Debt Securities represented by such Global Security has occurred and is continuing and the Trustee has received a written request from the Depositary to issue certificated Debt Securities; or

 

  (3) other circumstances exist, in addition to or in lieu of those described above, as may be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

All Debt Securities issued in exchange for a Global Security or any portion thereof will be registered in such names as the Depositary may direct (Sections 205 and 305).

 

As long as the Depositary, or its nominee, is the registered holder of a Global Security, the Depositary or such nominee, as the case may be, will be considered the sole owner and Holder of such Global Security and the Debt Securities that it represents for all purposes under the Debt Securities and the applicable Indenture (Section 308). Except in the limited circumstances referred to above, owners of beneficial interests in a Global Security will not be entitled to have such Global Security or any Debt Securities that it represents registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of certificated Debt Securities in exchange for those interests and will not be considered to be the owners or Holders of such Global Security or any Debt Securities that is represents for any purpose under the Debt Securities or the applicable Indenture. All payments on a Global Security will be made to the Depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, as the Holder of the security. The laws of some jurisdictions require that some purchasers of Debt Securities take physical delivery of such Debt Securities in definitive form. These laws may impair the ability to transfer beneficial interests in a Global Security.

 

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Ownership of beneficial interests in a Global Security will be limited to institutions that have accounts with the Depositary or its nominee (“participants”) and to persons that may hold beneficial interests through participants. In connection with the issuance of any Global Security, the Depositary will credit, on its book-entry registration and transfer system, the respective principal amounts of Debt Securities represented by the Global Security to the accounts of its participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in a Global Security will be shown only on, and the transfer of those ownership interests will be effected only through, records maintained by the Depositary (with respect to participants’ interests) or any such participant (with respect to interests of persons held by such participants on their behalf). Payments, transfers, exchanges and other matters relating to beneficial interests in a Global Security may be subject to various policies and procedures adopted by the Depositary from time to time. None of us, the Subsidiary Guarantors, any Trustee or the agents of ourself, the Subsidiary Guarantors or any Trustee will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the Depositary’s or any participant’s records relating to, or for payments made on account of, beneficial interests in a Global Security, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial interests.

 

Payment and Paying Agents

 

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, payment of interest on a Debt Security on any Interest Payment Date will be made to the Person in whose name such Debt Security (or one or more Predecessor Debt Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest (Section 307).

 

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, principal of and any premium and interest on the Debt Securities of a particular series will be payable at the office of such Paying Agent or Paying Agents as we may designate for such purpose from time to time, except that at our option payment of any interest on Debt Securities in certificated form may be made by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address appears in the Security Register. Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, the corporate trust office of the Trustee under the Senior Indenture in The City of New York will be designated as sole Paying Agent for payments with respect to Senior Debt Securities of each series, and the corporate trust office of the Trustee under the Subordinated Indenture in The City of New York will be designated as the sole Paying Agent for payment with respect to Subordinated Debt Securities of each series. Any other Paying Agents initially designated by us for the Debt Securities of a particular series will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement. We may at any time designate additional Paying Agents or rescind the designation of any Paying Agent or approve a change in the office through which any Paying Agent acts, except that we will be required to maintain a Paying Agent in each Place of Payment for the Debt Securities of a particular series (Section 1002).

 

All money paid by us to a Paying Agent for the payment of the principal of or any premium or interest on any Debt Security which remain unclaimed at the end of two years after such principal, premium or interest has become due and payable will be repaid to us, and the Holder of such Debt Security thereafter may look only to us for payment (Section 1003).

 

Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets

 

We may not consolidate with or merge into, or transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our assets to, any Person (a “successor Person”), and may not permit any Person to consolidate with or merge into us, unless:

 

  (1) the successor Person (if any) is a corporation, partnership, trust or other entity organized and validly existing under the laws of any domestic jurisdiction and assumes our obligations on the Debt Securities and under the Indentures;

 

  (2) immediately before and after giving pro forma effect to the transaction, no Event of Default, and no event which, after notice or lapse of time or both, would become an Event of Default, has occurred and is continuing; and

 

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  (3) several other conditions, including any additional conditions with respect to any particular Debt Securities specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, are met (Section 801).

 

Events of Default

 

Unless otherwise specified in the prospectus supplement, each of the following will constitute an Event of Default under the applicable Indenture with respect to Debt Securities of any series:

 

  (1) failure to pay principal of or any premium on any Debt Security of that series when due, whether or not, in the case of Subordinated Debt Securities, such payment is prohibited by the subordination provisions of the Subordinated Indenture;

 

  (2) failure to pay any interest on any Debt Securities of that series when due, continued for 30 days, whether or not, in the case of Subordinated Debt Securities, such payment is prohibited by the subordination provisions of the Subordinated Indenture;

 

  (3) failure to deposit any sinking fund payment, when due, in respect of any Debt Security of that series, whether or not, in the case of Subordinated Debt Securities, such deposit is prohibited by the subordination provisions of the Subordinated Indenture;

 

  (4) failure to perform or comply with the provisions described under “— Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets”;

 

  (5) failure to perform any of our other covenants in such Indenture (other than a covenant included in such Indenture solely for the benefit of a series other than that series), continued for 60 days after written notice has been given by the applicable Trustee, or the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of that series, as provided in such Indenture;

 

  (6) Indebtedness of ourself, any Significant Subsidiary or, if a Subsidiary Guarantor has guaranteed the series, such Subsidiary Guarantor, is not paid within any applicable grace period after final maturity or is accelerated by its holders because of a default and the total amount of such Indebtedness unpaid or accelerated exceeds $20.0 million;

 

  (7) any judgment or decree for the payment of money in excess of $20.0 million is entered against us, any Significant Subsidiary or, if a Subsidiary Guarantor has guaranteed the series, such Subsidiary Guarantor, remains outstanding for a period of 60 consecutive days following entry of such judgment and is not discharged, waived or stayed;

 

  (8) certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization affecting us, any Significant Subsidiary or, if a Subsidiary Guarantor has guaranteed the series, such Subsidiary Guarantor; and

 

  (9) if any Subsidiary Guarantor has guaranteed such series, the Subsidiary Guarantee of any such Subsidiary Guarantor is held by a final non-appealable order or judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction to be unenforceable or invalid or ceases for any reason to be in full force and effect (other than in accordance with the terms of the applicable Indenture) or any Subsidiary Guarantor or any Person acting on behalf of any Subsidiary Guarantor denies or disaffirms such Subsidiary Guarantor’s obligations under its Subsidiary Guarantee (other than by reason of a release of such Subsidiary Guarantor from its Subsidiary Guarantee in accordance with the terms of the applicable Indenture) (Section 501).

 

If an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default with respect to Whiting Petroleum Corporation described in clause (8) above) with respect to the Debt Securities of any series at the time Outstanding occurs and is continuing, either the applicable Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of that series by notice as provided in the Indenture may declare the principal amount of the Debt

 

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Securities of that series (or, in the case of any Debt Security that is an Original Issue Discount Debt Security, such portion of the principal amount of such Debt Security as may be specified in the terms of such Debt Security) to be due and payable immediately. If an Event of Default with respect to Whiting Petroleum Corporation described in clause (8) above with respect to the Debt Securities of any series at the time Outstanding occurs, the principal amount of all the Debt Securities of that series (or, in the case of any such Original Issue Discount Security, such specified amount) will automatically, and without any action by the applicable Trustee or any Holder, become immediately due and payable. After any such acceleration, but before a judgment or decree based on acceleration, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of that series may, under certain circumstances, rescind and annul such acceleration if all Events of Default, other than the non-payment of accelerated principal (or other specified amount), have been cured or waived as provided in the applicable Indenture (Section 502). For information as to waiver of defaults, see “— Modification and Waiver” below.

 

Subject to the provisions of the Indentures relating to the duties of the Trustees in case an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, each Trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under the applicable Indenture at the request or direction of any of the Holders, unless such Holders have offered to such Trustee reasonable indemnity (Section 603). Subject to such provisions for the indemnification of the Trustees, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of any series will have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to the Debt Securities of that series (Section 512).

 

No Holder of a Debt Security of any series will have any right to institute any proceeding with respect to the applicable Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or a trustee, or for any other remedy thereunder, unless:

 

  (1) such Holder has previously given to the Trustee under the applicable Indenture written notice of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Debt Securities of that series;

 

  (2) the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of that series have made written request, and such Holder or Holders have offered reasonable indemnity, to the Trustee to institute such proceeding as trustee; and

 

  (3) the Trustee has failed to institute such proceeding, and has not received from the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of that series a direction inconsistent with such request, within 60 days after such notice, request and offer (Section 507).

 

However, such limitations do not apply to a suit instituted by a Holder of a Debt Security for the enforcement of payment of the principal of or any premium or interest on such Debt Security on or after the applicable due date specified in such Debt Security or, if applicable, to convert such Debt Security (Section 508).

 

We will be required to furnish to each Trustee annually a statement by certain of our officers as to whether or not we, to their knowledge, are in default in the performance or observance of any of the terms, provisions and conditions of the applicable Indenture and, if so, specifying all such known defaults (Section 1004).

 

Modification and Waiver

 

Modifications and amendments of an Indenture may be made by us, the Subsidiary Guarantors, if applicable, and the applicable Trustee with the consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of each series affected by such modification or amendment; provided, however, that no such modification or amendment may, without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Debt Security affected thereby:

 

  (1) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of, or any installment of principal of or interest on, any Debt Security;

 

  (2) reduce the principal amount of, or any premium or interest on, any Debt Security;

 

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  (3) reduce the amount of principal of an Original Issue Discount Security or any other Debt Security payable upon acceleration of the Maturity thereof;

 

  (4) change the place or currency of payment of principal of, or any premium or interest on, any Debt Security;

 

  (5) impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment due on or any conversion right with respect to any Debt Security;

 

  (6) modify the subordination provisions in the case of Subordinated Debt Securities, or modify any conversion provisions, in either case in a manner adverse to the Holders of the Subordinated Debt Securities;

 

  (7) except as provided in the applicable Indenture, release the Subsidiary Guarantee of a Subsidiary Guarantor;

 

  (8) reduce the percentage in principal amount of Outstanding Debt Securities of any series, the consent of whose Holders is required for modification or amendment of the Indenture;

 

  (9) reduce the percentage in principal amount of Outstanding Debt Securities of any series necessary for waiver of compliance with certain provisions of the Indenture or for waiver of certain defaults; or

 

  (10) modify such provisions with respect to modification, amendment or waiver (Section 902).

 

The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of any series may waive compliance by us with certain restrictive provisions of the applicable Indenture (Section 1009). The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of any series may waive any past default under the applicable Indenture, except a default in the payment of principal, premium or interest and certain covenants and provisions of the Indenture which cannot be amended without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Debt Security of such series (Section 513).

 

Each of the Indentures provides that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities have given or taken any direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action under such Indenture as of any date:

 

  (1) the principal amount of an Original Issue Discount Security that will be deemed to be Outstanding will be the amount of the principal that would be due and payable as of such date upon acceleration of maturity to such date;

 

  (2) if, as of such date, the principal amount payable at the Stated Maturity of a Debt Security is not determinable (for example, because it is based on an index), the principal amount of such Debt Security deemed to be Outstanding as of such date will be an amount determined in the manner prescribed for such Debt Security; and

 

  (3) the principal amount of a Debt Security denominated in one or more foreign currencies or currency units that will be deemed to be Outstanding will be the United States-dollar equivalent, determined as of such date in the manner prescribed for such Debt Security, of the principal amount of such Debt Security (or, in the case of a Debt Security described in clause (1) or (2) above, of the amount described in such clause).

 

Certain Debt Securities, including those owned by us, any Subsidiary Guarantor or any of our other Affiliates, will not be deemed to be Outstanding (Section 101).

 

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Except in certain limited circumstances, we will be entitled to set any day as a record date for the purpose of determining the Holders of Outstanding Debt Securities of any series entitled to give or take any direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action under the applicable Indenture, in the manner and subject to the limitations provided in the Indenture. In certain limited circumstances, the Trustee will be entitled to set a record date for action by Holders. If a record date is set for any action to be taken by Holders of a particular series, only persons who are Holders of Outstanding Debt Securities of that series on the record date may take such action. To be effective, such action must be taken by Holders of the requisite principal amount of such Debt Securities within a specified period following the record date. For any particular record date, this period will be 180 days or such other period as may be specified by us (or the Trustee, if it set the record date), and may be shortened or lengthened (but not beyond 180 days) from time to time (Section 104).

 

Satisfaction and Discharge

 

Each Indenture will be discharged and will cease to be of further effect as to all outstanding Debt Securities of any series issued thereunder, when:

 

  (1) either:

 

  (a) all outstanding Debt Securities of that series that have been authenticated (except lost, stolen or destroyed Debt Securities that have been replaced or paid and Debt Securities for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust and thereafter repaid to us) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

 

  (b) all outstanding Debt Securities of that series that have not been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation have become due and payable or will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year or are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee and in any case we have irrevocably deposited with the Trustee as trust funds money in an amount sufficient, without consideration of any reinvestment of interest, to pay the entire indebtedness of such Debt Securities not delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, for principal, premium, if any, and accrued interest to the Stated Maturity or redemption date;

 

  (2) we have paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable by us under the Indenture with respect to the Debt Securities of that series; and

 

  (3) we have delivered an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the Trustee stating that all conditions precedent to satisfaction and discharge of the Indenture with respect to the Debt Securities of that series have been satisfied (Article Four).

 

Legal Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance

 

If and to the extent indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we may elect, at our option at any time, to have the provisions of Section 1502, relating to defeasance and discharge of indebtedness, which we call “legal defeasance” or Section 1503, relating to defeasance of certain restrictive covenants applied to the Debt Securities of any series, or to any specified part of a series, which we call “covenant defeasance” (Section 1501).

 

Legal Defeasance. The Indentures provide that, upon our exercise of our option (if any) to have Section 1502 applied to any Debt Securities, we and, if applicable, each Subsidiary Guarantor will be discharged from all our obligations, and, if such Debt Securities are Subordinated Debt Securities, the provisions of the Subordinated Indenture relating to subordination will cease to be effective, with respect to such Debt Securities (except for certain obligations to convert, exchange or register the transfer of Debt Securities, to replace stolen, lost or mutilated Debt Securities, to maintain paying agencies and to hold moneys for payment in trust) upon the deposit in trust for the benefit of the Holders of such Debt Securities of money or United States Government Obligations, or both, which, through the payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms, will provide money in

 

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an amount sufficient to pay the principal of and any premium and interest on such Debt Securities on the respective Stated Maturities in accordance with the terms of the applicable Indenture and such Debt Securities. Such defeasance or discharge may occur only if, among other things:

 

  (1) we have delivered to the applicable Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that we have received from, or there has been published by, the United States Internal Revenue Service a ruling, or there has been a change in tax law, in either case to the effect that Holders of such Debt Securities will not recognize gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit and legal defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amount, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit and legal defeasance were not to occur;

 

  (2) no Event of Default or event that with the passing of time or the giving of notice, or both, shall constitute an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of such deposit or, with respect to any Event of Default described in clause (8) under “— Events of Default,” at any time until 121 days after such deposit;

 

  (3) such deposit and legal defeasance will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any agreement or instrument to which we are a party or by which we are bound;

 

  (4) in the case of Subordinated Debt Securities, at the time of such deposit, no default in the payment of all or a portion of principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on any of our Senior Debt shall have occurred and be continuing, no event of default shall have resulted in the acceleration of any of our Senior Debt and no other event of default with respect to any of our Senior Debt shall have occurred and be continuing permitting after notice or the lapse of time, or both, the acceleration thereof; and

 

  (5) we have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that such deposit shall not cause the Trustee or the trust so created to be subject to the Investment Company Act of 1940 (Sections 1502 and 1504).

 

Covenant Defeasance. The Indentures provide that, upon our exercise of our option (if any) to have Section 1503 applied to any Debt Securities, we may omit to comply with certain restrictive covenants (but not to conversion, if applicable), including those that may be described in the applicable prospectus supplement, the occurrence of certain Events of Default, which are described above in clause (5) (with respect to such restrictive covenants) and clauses (6), (7) and (9) under “Events of Default” and any that may be described in the applicable prospectus supplement, will not be deemed to either be or result in an Event of Default and, if such Debt Securities are Subordinated Debt Securities, the provisions of the Subordinated Indenture relating to subordination will cease to be effective, in each case with respect to such Debt Securities. In order to exercise such option, we must deposit, in trust for the benefit of the Holders of such Debt Securities, money or United States Government Obligations, or both, which, through the payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms, will provide money in an amount sufficient to pay the principal of and any premium and interest on such Debt Securities on the respective Stated Maturities in accordance with the terms of the applicable Indenture and such Debt Securities. Such covenant defeasance may occur only if we have delivered to the applicable Trustee an Opinion of Counsel that in effect says that Holders of such Debt Securities will not recognize gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit and covenant defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amount, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit and covenant defeasance were not to occur, and the requirements set forth in clauses (2), (3), (4) and (5) above are satisfied. If we exercise this option with respect to any Debt Securities and such Debt Securities were declared due and payable because of the occurrence of any Event of Default, the amount of money and United States Government Obligations so deposited in trust would be sufficient to pay amounts due on such Debt Securities at the time of their respective Stated Maturities but may not be sufficient to pay amounts due on such Debt Securities upon any acceleration resulting from such Event of Default. In such case, we would remain liable for such payments (Sections 1503 and 1504).

 

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If we exercise either our legal defeasance or covenant defeasance option, any Subsidiary Guarantees will terminate (Section 1304).

 

Notices

 

Notices to Holders of Debt Securities will be given by mail to the addresses of such Holders as they may appear in the Security Register (Sections 101 and 106).

 

Title

 

We, the Subsidiary Guarantors, the Trustees and any agent of us, the Subsidiary Guarantors or a Trustee may treat the Person in whose name a Debt Security is registered as the absolute owner of the Debt Security (whether or not such Debt Security may be overdue) for the purpose of making payment and for all other purposes (Section 308).

 

Governing Law

 

The Indentures and the Debt Securities will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of New York (Section 112).

 

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DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

 

General

 

The authorized capital stock of Whiting Petroleum Corporation consists of 75,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.001 par value per share and 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.001 par value per share.

 

The following description of our capital stock summarizes general terms and provisions that apply to our capital stock. Since this is only a summary it does not contain all of the information that may be important to you. The summary is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to our certificate of incorporation and our by-laws, which are filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part and incorporated by reference into this prospectus. See “Where You Can Find More Information.”

 

Common Stock

 

Holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote for each share held on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders and do not have cumulative voting rights. Accordingly, holders of a majority of the shares of our common stock entitled to vote in any election of directors may elect all of the directors standing for election. Holders of our common stock are entitled to receive proportionately any dividends if and when such dividends are declared by our board of directors, subject to any preferential dividend rights of outstanding preferred stock. Upon the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our company, the holders of our common stock are entitled to receive ratably our net assets available after the payment of all debts and other liabilities and subject to the prior rights of any outstanding preferred stock. Holders of our common stock have no preemptive, subscription, redemption or conversion rights. The rights, preferences and privileges of holders of our common stock are subject to, and may be adversely affected by, the rights of the holders of shares of any series of preferred stock that we may designate and issue in the future.

 

Preferred Stock

 

If we offer preferred stock, we will file the terms of the preferred stock with the SEC and the prospectus supplement relating to that offering will include a description of the specific terms of the offering, including the following specific terms:

 

  the series, the number of shares offered and the liquidation value of the preferred stock;

 

  the price at which the preferred stock will be issued;

 

  the dividend rate, the dates on which the dividends will be payable and other terms relating to the payment of dividends on the preferred stock;

 

  the liquidation preference of the preferred stock;

 

  the voting rights of the preferred stock;

 

  whether the preferred stock is redeemable or subject to a sinking fund, and the terms of any such redemption or sinking fund;

 

  whether the preferred stock is convertible or exchangeable for any other securities, and the terms of any such conversion; and

 

  any additional rights, preferences, qualifications, limitations and restrictions of the preferred stock.

 

Under the terms of our certificate of incorporation, our board of directors is authorized to designate and issue shares of preferred stock in one or more series without stockholder approval. Our board of directors has discretion to determine the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions, including voting rights, dividend rights, conversion rights, redemption privileges and liquidation preferences, of each series of preferred stock.

 

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It is not possible to state the actual effect of the issuance of any shares of preferred stock upon the rights of holders of our common stock until the board of directors determines the specific rights of the holders of the preferred stock. However, these effects might include:

 

  restricting dividends on the common stock;

 

  diluting the voting power of the common stock;

 

  impairing the liquidation rights of the common stock; and

 

  delaying or preventing a change in control of our company.

 

Delaware Anti-Takeover Law and Charter and By-law Provisions

 

We are subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. In general, the statute prohibits a publicly held Delaware corporation from engaging in a “business combination” with an “interested stockholder” for a period of three years after the date of the transaction in which the person became an interested stockholder, unless the business combination or the transaction by which the person became an interested stockholder is approved by the corporation’s board of directors and/or stockholders in a prescribed manner or the person owns at least 85% of the corporation’s outstanding voting stock after giving effect to the transaction in which the person became an interested stockholder. The term “business combination” includes mergers, asset sales and other transactions resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder. Subject to certain exceptions, an “interested stockholder” is a person who, together with affiliates and associates, owns, or within three years did own, 15% or more of the corporation’s voting stock. A Delaware corporation may “opt out” from the application of Section 203 through a provision in its certificate of incorporation or by-laws. We have not “opted out” from the application of Section 203.

 

Under our certificate of incorporation and by-laws, our board of directors is divided into three classes, with staggered terms of three years each. Each year the term of one class expires. Any vacancies on the board of directors may be filled only by a majority vote of the remaining directors. Our certificate of incorporation and by-laws also provide that any director may be removed from office, but only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 70% of the voting power of our then outstanding capital stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors.

 

Our certificate of incorporation prohibits stockholders from taking action by written consent without a meeting and provides that meetings of stockholders may be called only by our chairman of the board, our president or a majority of our board of directors. Our by-laws further provide that nominations for the election of directors and advance notice of other action to be taken at meetings of stockholders must be given in the manner provided in our by-laws, which contain detailed notice requirements relating to nominations and other action.

 

The foregoing provisions of our certificate of incorporation and by-laws and the provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change of control of our company.

 

Liability and Indemnification of Officers and Directors

 

Our certificate of incorporation provides that our directors will not be personally liable to us or our stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability (1) for any breach of a director’s duty of loyalty to us or our stockholders, (2) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (3) under Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, or (4) for any transaction from which the director derives an improper personal benefit. Moreover, the provisions do not apply to claims against a director for violations of certain laws, including federal securities laws. If the Delaware General Corporation Law is amended to authorize the further elimination or limitation of directors’ liability, then the liability of our directors will automatically be limited to the fullest extent provided by law. Our certificate of incorporation and by-laws also contain provisions to indemnify our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law. In addition, we may enter into indemnification

 

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agreements with our directors and officers. These provisions and agreements may have the practical effect in certain cases of eliminating the ability of stockholders to collect monetary damages from our directors and officers. We believe that these contractual agreements and the provisions in our certificate of incorporation and by-laws are necessary to attract and retain qualified persons as directors and officers.

 

Transfer Agent and Registrar

 

The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Computershare Trust Company, Inc.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

 

We may issue warrants for the purchase of debt securities, preferred stock, common stock or other securities. Warrants may be issued independently or together with debt securities, preferred stock, or common stock offered by any prospectus supplement and may be attached to or separate from any such offered securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a separate warrant agreement to be entered into between us and a bank or trust company, as warrant agent, all as will be set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to the particular issue of warrants. The warrant agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the warrants and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders of warrants or beneficial owners of warrants.

 

The following summary of certain provisions of the warrants does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, all provisions of the warrant agreements.

 

Reference is made to the prospectus supplement relating to the particular issue of warrants offered pursuant to such prospectus supplement for the terms of and information relating to such warrants, including, where applicable:

 

  the designation, aggregate principal amount, currencies, denominations and terms of the series of debt securities purchasable upon exercise of warrants to purchase debt securities and the price at which such debt securities may be purchased upon such exercise;

 

  the number of shares of common stock purchasable upon the exercise of warrants to purchase common stock and the price at which such number of shares of common stock may be purchased upon such exercise;

 

  the number of shares and series of preferred stock purchasable upon the exercise of warrants to purchase preferred stock and the price at which such number of shares of such series of preferred stock may be purchased upon such exercise;

 

  the designation and number of units of other securities purchasable upon the exercise of warrants to purchase other securities and the price at which such number of units of such other securities may be purchased upon such exercise;

 

  the date on which the right to exercise such warrants shall commence and the date on which such right shall expire;

 

  United States federal income tax consequences applicable to such warrants;

 

  the amount of warrants outstanding as of the most recent practicable date; and

 

  any other terms of such warrants.

 

Warrants will be issued in registered form only. The exercise price for warrants will be subject to adjustment in accordance with the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

Each warrant will entitle the holder thereof to purchase such principal amount of debt securities or such number of shares of preferred stock, common stock or other securities at such exercise price as shall in each case be set forth in, or calculable from, the prospectus supplement relating to the warrants, which exercise price may be subject to adjustment upon the occurrence of certain events as set forth in such prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the expiration date, or such later date to which such expiration date may be extended by us, unexercised warrants will become void. The place or places where, and the manner in which, warrants may be exercised shall be specified in the prospectus supplement relating to such warrants.

 

Prior to the exercise of any warrants to purchase debt securities, preferred stock, common stock or other securities, holders of such warrants will not have any of the rights of holders of debt securities, preferred stock, common stock or other securities, as the case may be, purchasable upon such exercise, including the right to receive payments of principal of, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on the debt securities purchasable upon such exercise or to enforce covenants in the applicable Indenture, or to receive payments of dividends, if any, on the preferred stock, or common stock purchasable upon such exercise, or to exercise any applicable right to vote.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF STOCK PURCHASE CONTRACTS AND STOCK PURCHASE UNITS

 

We may issue stock purchase contracts, including contracts obligating holders to purchase from us, and obligating us to sell to the holders, a specified number of shares of common stock or other securities at a future date or dates, which we refer to in this prospectus as “stock purchase contracts.” The price per share of the securities and the number of shares of the securities may be fixed at the time the stock purchase contracts are issued or may be determined by reference to a specific formula set forth in the stock purchase contracts. The stock purchase contracts may be issued separately or as part of units consisting of a stock purchase contract and debt securities, preferred securities, warrants, other securities or debt obligations of third parties, including U.S. treasury securities, securing the holders’ obligations to purchase the securities under the stock purchase contracts, which we refer to herein as “stock purchase units.” The stock purchase contracts may require holders to secure their obligations under the stock purchase contracts in a specified manner. The stock purchase contracts also may require us to make periodic payments to the holders of the stock purchase units or vice versa, and those payments may be unsecured or refunded on some basis.

 

The stock purchase contracts, and, if applicable, collateral or depositary arrangements, relating to the stock purchase contracts or stock purchase units, will be filed with the SEC in connection with the offering of stock purchase contracts or stock purchase units. The prospectus supplement relating to a particular issue of stock purchase contracts or stock purchase units will describe the terms of those stock purchase contracts or stock purchase units, including the following:

 

  if applicable, a discussion of material United States federal income tax considerations; and

 

  any other information we think is important about the stock purchase contracts or the stock purchase units.

 

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

 

We may sell the offered securities in and outside the United States (1) through underwriters or dealers, (2) directly to purchasers, including our affiliates and shareholders, or in a rights offering, (3) through agents or (4) through a combination of any of these methods. The prospectus supplement will include the following information:

 

  the terms of the offering;

 

  the names of any underwriters, dealers or agents;

 

  the name or names of any managing underwriter or underwriters;

 

  the purchase price of the securities;

 

  the net proceeds from the sale of the securities;

 

  any delayed delivery arrangements;

 

  any underwriting discounts, commissions and other items constituting underwriters’ compensation;

 

  any initial public offering price;

 

  any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers; and

 

  any commissions paid to agents.

 

In addition, we may enter into derivative transactions with third parties, or sell securities not covered by this prospectus to third parties in privately negotiated transactions. If the applicable prospectus supplement indicates, in connection with those derivatives, the third parties may sell securities covered by this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, including in short sale transactions. If so, the third parties may use securities pledged by us or borrowed from us or others to settle those sales or to close out any related open borrowings of stock, and may use securities received from us in settlement of those derivatives to close out any related open borrowings of stock. The third parties in such sale transactions will be underwriters and, if not identified in this prospectus, will be identified in the applicable prospectus supplement (or a post-effective amendment). We or one of our affiliates may loan or pledge securities to a financial institution or other third party that in turn may sell the securities using this prospectus. Such financial institution or third party may transfer its short position to investors in our securities or in connection with a simultaneous offering of other securities offered by this prospectus or otherwise.

 

Sale Through Underwriters or Dealers

 

If we use underwriters in the sale, the underwriters will acquire the securities for their own account for resale to the public. The underwriters may resell the securities from time to time in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. Underwriters may offer securities to the public either through underwriting syndicates represented by one or more managing underwriters or directly by one or more firms acting as underwriters. Unless we inform you otherwise in the prospectus supplement, the obligations of the underwriters to purchase the securities will be subject to certain conditions, and the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all of the offered securities if they purchase any of them. The underwriters may change from time to time any initial public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers.

 

Representatives of the underwriters through whom the offered securities are sold for public offering and sale may engage in over–allotment, stabilizing transactions, syndicate short covering transactions and penalty bids in accordance with Regulation M under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Over–allotment involves syndicate sales in excess of the offering size, which creates a syndicate short position. Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the offered securities so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum. Syndicate covering transactions involve purchases of the offered securities in the open market after the distribution has been completed in order to cover syndicate short positions. Penalty bids permit the representative of the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a syndicate member when the offered securities originally sold by such syndicate member are purchased in a syndicate covering transaction to cover syndicate short positions. Such stabilizing

 

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transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids may cause the price of the offered securities to be higher than it would otherwise be in the absence of such transactions. These transactions may be effected on a national securities exchange and, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time.

 

Some or all of the securities that we offer though this prospectus may be new issues of securities with no established trading market. Any underwriters to whom we sell our securities for public offering and sale may make a market in those securities, but they will not be obligated to do so and they may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. Accordingly, we cannot assure you of the liquidity of, or continued trading markets for, any securities that we offer.

 

If we use dealers in the sale of securities, we will sell the securities to them as principals. They may then resell those securities to the public at varying prices determined by the dealers at the time of resale. We will include in the prospectus supplement the names of the dealers and the terms of the transaction.

 

Direct Sales and Sales through Agents

 

We may sell the securities directly. In this case, no underwriters or agents would be involved. We may also sell the securities through agents designated from time to time. In the prospectus supplement, we will name any agent involved in the offer or sale of the offered securities, and we will describe any commissions payable to the agent. Unless we inform you otherwise in the prospectus supplement, any agent will agree to use its reasonable best efforts to solicit purchases for the period of its appointment.

 

We may sell the securities directly to institutional investors or others who may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 with respect to any sale of those securities. We will describe the terms of any such sales in the prospectus supplement.

 

We may also make direct sales through subscription rights distributed to our existing shareholders on a pro rata basis that may or may not be transferable. In any distribution of subscription rights to our shareholders, if all of the underlying securities are not subscribed for, we may then sell the unsubscribed securities directly to third parties or we may engage the services of one or more underwriters, dealers or agents, including standby underwriters, to sell the unsubscribed securities to third parties.

 

Remarketing Arrangements

 

Offered securities may also be offered and sold, if so indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, in connection with a remarketing upon their purchase, in accordance with a redemption or repayment pursuant to their terms, or otherwise, by one or more remarketing firms, acting as principals for their own accounts or as agents for us. Any remarketing firm will be identified and the terms of its agreements, if any, with us and its compensation will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. Remarketing firms may be deemed to be underwriters, as that term is defined in the Securities Act of 1933, in connection with the securities remarketed.

 

Delayed Delivery Arrangements

 

If we so indicate in the prospectus supplement, we may authorize agents, underwriters or dealers to solicit offers from certain types of institutions to purchase securities from us at the public offering price under delayed delivery contracts. These contracts would provide for payment and delivery on a specified date in the future. The contracts would be subject only to those conditions described in the prospectus supplement. The prospectus supplement will describe the commission payable for solicitation of those contracts.

 

General Information

 

We may have agreements with the underwriters, dealers and agents to indemnify them against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, or to contribute with respect to payments that the underwriters, dealers or agents may be required to make.

 

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Underwriters, dealers and agents may engage in transactions with, or perform services for, us in the ordinary course of our business.

 

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

 

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. We also filed a registration statement on Form S-3, including exhibits, under the Securities Act of 1933 with respect to the securities offered by this prospectus. This prospectus is a part of the registration statement, but does not contain all of the information included in the registration statement or the exhibits. You may read and copy the registration statement and any other document that we file at the SEC’s public reference room at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington D.C. You can call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the operation of the public reference room. You can also find our public filings with the SEC on the internet at a web site maintained by the SEC located at http://www.sec.gov.

 

We are “incorporating by reference” specified documents that we file with the SEC, which means:

 

  incorporated documents are considered part of this prospectus;

 

  we are disclosing important information to you by referring you to those documents; and

 

  information we file with the SEC will automatically update and supersede information contained in this prospectus.

 

We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings we make with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 after the date of this prospectus and before the end of the offering of the securities pursuant to this prospectus:

 

  our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003;

 

  our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2004, June 30, 2004 and September 30, 2004;

 

  our Current Reports on Form 8-K, dated February 2, 2004, April 22, 2004, April 26, 2004, May 6, 2004, June 3, 2004, July 20, 2004, September 1, 2004, September 23, 2004 (as amended by Amendment No. 1 thereto on Form 8-K/A filed on October 18, 2004), October 26, 2004 and November 16, 2004; and

 

  the description of our common stock contained in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A, dated November 14, 2003, and any amendment or report updating that description.

 

You may request a copy of any of these filings, at no cost, by request directed to us at the following address or telephone number:

 

Whiting Petroleum Corporation

1700 Broadway, Suite 2300

Denver, Colorado 80290

(303) 837-1661

Attention: Corporate Secretary

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

 

The validity of the securities offered by this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Foley & Lardner LLP. Welborn Sullivan Meck & Tooley, P.C. will pass on certain legal matters relating to us and our subsidiaries for us in connection with any offerings of the securities. Any underwriters will be advised by Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. about other issues relating to any offerings of the securities.

 

EXPERTS

 

The consolidated financial statements of Whiting Petroleum Corporation as of December 31, 2003 and 2002 and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2003, incorporated in this prospectus by reference from our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003 have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report which is incorporated by reference herein (which report expresses an unqualified opinion and includes an explanatory paragraph referring to a change in Whiting Petroleum Corporation’s method of accounting for asset retirement obligations effective January 1, 2003), and have been so incorporated in reliance upon the report of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

The statements of revenues and direct operating expenses of the Permian Basin Acquisition Properties for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2003, incorporated in this prospectus by reference from Amendment No. 1 to our Current Report on Form 8-K dated September 23, 2004 have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report, which is incorporated by reference herein, and have been so incorporated in reliance upon the report of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

Certain information with respect to our oil and natural gas reserves derived from the reports of Cawley Gillespie & Associates, Inc., R.A. Lenser & Associates, Inc. and Ryder Scott Company, L.P., each independent petroleum engineering consultants, has been incorporated in this registration statement by reference on the authority of said firms as experts in petroleum engineering.

 

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The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where this offer or sale is not permitted.

 

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED DECEMBER 23, 2004

 

Prospectus

 

LOGO

 

$500,000,000

 


 

Whiting Petroleum Corporation

 

7 ¼% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2012

 


 

We may offer and sell from time to time up to an aggregate principal amount of $500,000,000 of additional 7 ¼% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2012. Certain of our subsidiaries may guarantee any additional 7 ¼% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2012 we issue under this prospectus.

 

We will provide additional information regarding the specific offering of our 7 ¼% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2012 in one or more supplements to this prospectus. The supplements may also add, update or change information in this prospectus.

 

You should read this prospectus and the prospectus supplement relating to the specific offering of our 7 ¼% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2012 carefully before you invest.

 

Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “WLL.”

 


 

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 


 

The date of this prospectus is                     , 2005.


Table of Contents

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page

About This Prospectus

   2

Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

   3

Whiting Petroleum Corporation

   4

Use of Proceeds

   4

Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges

   4

Description of the Notes

   5

Plan of Distribution

   45

Where You Can Find More Information

   47

Legal Matters

   48

Experts

   48

 

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

 

In this prospectus, “we,” “us,” “our” or “ours” refer to Whiting Petroleum Corporation.

 

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, utilizing a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf process, we may, from time to time, sell additional 7 ¼% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2012 in one or more offerings with a maximum aggregate offering price of up to $500,000,000. Each time we offer additional 7 ¼% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2012, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”

 

You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and in any prospectus supplement. We have not authorized any other person to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We are not making offers to sell or solicitations to buy the securities in any jurisdiction in which offer or solicitation is not authorized or in which the person making that offer or solicitation is not qualified to do so or to anyone to whom it is unlawful to make an offer or solicitation. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement, as well as the information we previously filed with the SEC that we incorporate by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement, is accurate as of any date other than its respective date. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.

 

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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

 

This prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference contain statements that we believe to be “forward looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than historical facts, including, without limitation, statements regarding our future financial position, business strategy, projected revenues, earnings, costs, capital expenditures and debt levels, and plans and objectives of management for future operations, are forward looking statements. When used in this prospectus, words such as we “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “believe” or “should” or the negative thereof or variations thereon or similar terminology are generally intended to identify forward looking statements. Such forward looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, such statements. Some, but not all, of the risks and uncertainties include:

 

  declines in oil or natural gas prices;

 

  our level of success in exploitation, exploration, development and production activities;

 

  our ability to obtain external capital to finance acquisitions;

 

  our ability to identify and complete acquisitions and to successfully integrate acquired businesses, including our ability to realize cost savings from completed acquisitions;

 

  unforeseen underperformance of or liabilities associated with acquired properties;

 

  inaccuracies of our reserve estimates or our assumptions underlying them;

 

  failure of our properties to yield oil or natural gas in commercially viable quantities;

 

  uninsured or underinsured losses resulting from our oil and natural gas operations;

 

  our inability to access oil and natural gas markets due to market conditions or operational impediments;

 

  the impact and costs of compliance with laws and regulations governing our oil and natural gas operations;

 

  risks related to our level of indebtedness;

 

  our ability to replace our oil and natural gas reserves;

 

  any loss of our senior management or technical personnel;

 

  competition in the oil and natural gas industry;

 

  risks arising out of our hedging transactions; and

 

  other risks described in documents we incorporate by reference.

 

We assume no obligation, and disclaim any duty, to update the forward looking statements in this prospectus or in the documents we incorporate by reference.

 

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WHITING PETROLEUM CORPORATION

 

We are engaged in oil and natural gas exploitation, acquisition, exploration and production activities primarily in the Permian Basin, Rocky Mountains, Gulf Coast, Michigan, Mid-Continent and California regions of the United States. Our focus is on pursuing growth projects that we believe will generate attractive rates of return and maintaining a balanced portfolio of lower risk, long-lived oil and natural gas properties that provide stable cash flows. Since our inception in 1980, we have built a strong asset base and achieved steady growth through both property acquisitions and exploitation activities.

 

Our principal executive offices are located at 1700 Broadway, Suite 2300, Denver, Colorado 80290-2300, and our telephone number is (303) 837-1661.

 

USE OF PROCEEDS

 

Unless we otherwise specify in the applicable prospectus supplement, we expect to use the net proceeds from the sale of the notes for general corporate purposes, which may include reduction or refinancing of debt or other corporate obligations, the financing of capital expenditures, acquisitions and additions to our working capital. Until we use the net proceeds from the sale of the notes for these purposes, we may place the net proceeds in temporary investments.

 

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

 

The following table presents our ratios of consolidated earnings to fixed charges for the periods presented.

 

     Nine Months Ended
September 30, 2004


   Years Ended December 31,

        2003

   2002

   2001

   2000

   1999

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges (1)

   7.27x    4.85x    2.08x    6.10x    6.93x    3.32x

 

(1) For purposes of calculating the ratios of consolidated earnings to fixed charges, earnings consist of income before income taxes, fixed charges and amortization of capitalized interest, less capitalized interest. Fixed charges consist of interest expensed, interest capitalized, amortized premiums, discounts and capitalized expenses related to indebtedness and an estimate of interest within rental expense.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF THE NOTES

 

On May 11, 2004, we issued, in a private placement, $150,000,000 aggregate principal amount of our 7 ¼% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2012 (the “Initial Notes”) under an indenture, dated May 11, 2004 among the Company, the Guarantors and J.P. Morgan Trust Company, National Association, as trustee. Subject to compliance with the terms of our credit agreement and the indenture, we may issue more notes under the indenture on the same terms and conditions and with the same CUSIP numbers as the Initial Notes in an unlimited principal amount (the “Additional Notes”).

 

You can find the definitions of certain terms used in this description under the subheading “—Certain Definitions.” In this description, the term “Company,” “us” or “we” refers only to Whiting Petroleum Corporation and not to any of its subsidiaries. The term “notes” as used herein refers to the Initial Notes and any Additional Notes collectively.

 

The terms of the notes include those stated in the indenture and those made part of the indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939. The following description is a summary of the material provisions of the indenture. It does not restate that agreement in its entirety. We urge you to read the indenture because it, and not this description, defines your rights as holders of the notes. Certain defined terms used in this description but not defined below under “—Certain Definitions” have the meanings assigned to them in the indenture.

 

The registered Holder of a note will be treated as the owner of it for all purposes. Only registered Holders will have rights under the indenture.

 

Brief Description of the Notes and the Subsidiary Guarantees

 

The Notes. The notes:

 

  are general unsecured obligations of the Company;

 

  are subordinated in right of payment to all existing and future Senior Debt (as defined below) of the Company;

 

  are pari passu in right of payment with any future senior subordinated Indebtedness of the Company; and

 

  are unconditionally guaranteed by the Guarantors on a senior subordinated basis.

 

The Subsidiary Guarantees. Initially, the notes are guaranteed by the Company’s two operating subsidiaries, Whiting Oil and Gas Corporation, which we call “Whiting” in this description, and Equity Oil Company, and by one of the Company’s other existing subsidiaries.

 

Each guarantee of the notes:

 

  is a general unsecured obligation of the Guarantor;

 

  is subordinated in right of payment to all existing and future Senior Debt of that Guarantor; and

 

  is pari passu in right of payment with any future senior subordinated Indebtedness of that Guarantor.

 

The prospectus supplement will also describe as of a recent date the approximate amount of Senior Debt and other Indebtedness to which the notes and guarantees will be subordinated.

 

As indicated above and as discussed in detail below under the caption “—Subordination,” payments on the notes and under these guarantees will be subordinated to the payment of Senior Debt. The indenture permits us and the Guarantors to incur additional Indebtedness, including additional Senior Debt.

 

Initially, not all of our existing subsidiaries will guarantee the notes. Furthermore, under the circumstances described below under the subheading “—Certain Covenants—Additional Subsidiary Guarantees,” in the future one or more of our newly created or acquired subsidiaries may not guarantee the notes. In the event of a bankruptcy,

 

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liquidation or reorganization of any of these non-guarantor subsidiaries, the non-guarantor subsidiaries will pay the holders of their debt and their trade creditors before they will be able to distribute any of their assets to us. The non-guarantor subsidiaries have no outstanding Indebtedness (other than intercompany Indebtedness). They generated none of our consolidated revenues in the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003 and held less than 1% of our consolidated assets as of December 31, 2003.

 

As of the date of the indenture, all of our subsidiaries were “Restricted Subsidiaries.” However, under the circumstances described below under the subheading “—Certain Covenants—Designation of Restricted and Unrestricted Subsidiaries,” we are permitted to designate certain of our subsidiaries as “Unrestricted Subsidiaries.” Our Unrestricted Subsidiaries are not subject to many of the restrictive covenants in the indenture. Our Unrestricted Subsidiaries will not guarantee the notes.

 

Principal, Maturity and Interest

 

On May 11, 2004, the Company issued the notes with an aggregate principal amount of $150 million. The Company may issue additional notes from time to time. Any offering of additional notes is subject to the covenant described below under the caption “—Certain Covenants—Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock.” The notes and any additional notes subsequently issued under the indenture will be treated as a single class for all purposes under the indenture, including, without limitation, waivers, amendments, redemptions and offers to purchase. The Company will issue notes in denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000. The notes will mature on May 1, 2012.

 

Interest on the notes accrues at the rate of 7 1/4% per annum and is payable semi-annually in arrears on May 1 and November 1. November 1, 2004 was the first such interest payment date. The Company will make each interest payment to the Holders of record on the immediately preceding April 15 and October 15.

 

Interest on the notes will accrue from the date of original issuance or, if interest has already been paid, from the date it was most recently paid. Interest will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year comprised of twelve 30-day months.

 

Methods of Receiving Payments on the Notes

 

If a Holder has given wire transfer instructions to the Company, the Company will pay all principal, interest and premium, if any, on that Holder’s notes in accordance with those instructions. All other payments on notes will be made at the office or agency of the paying agent and registrar within the City and State of New York unless the Company elects to make interest payments by check mailed to the Holders at their address set forth in the register of Holders.

 

Paying Agent and Registrar for the Notes

 

The trustee will initially act as paying agent and registrar. The Company may change the paying agent or registrar without prior notice to the Holders of the notes, and the Company or any of its Domestic Subsidiaries may act as paying agent or registrar.

 

Transfer and Exchange

 

A Holder may transfer or exchange notes in accordance with the indenture. The registrar and the trustee may require a Holder to furnish appropriate endorsements and transfer documents in connection with a transfer of notes. No services charge will be imposed by the Company, the trustee or the registrar for any registration of transfer or exchange of notes, but Holders will be required to pay all taxes due on transfer. The Company is not required to transfer or exchange any note selected for redemption. Also, the Company is not required to transfer or exchange any note for a period of 15 days before a selection of notes to be redeemed.

 

Subsidiary Guarantees

 

Initially, Whiting and two of our other wholly-owned Subsidiaries, Equity Oil Company and Whiting Programs, Inc., will guarantee the notes. In the future, the notes will be guaranteed by each of the Company’s newly created or

 

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acquired Material Domestic Subsidiaries and by any other Restricted Subsidiary of the Company that guarantees its other Indebtedness. See “—Certain Covenants—Additional Subsidiary Guarantees.” These Subsidiary Guarantees will be joint and several obligations of the Guarantors. Each Subsidiary Guarantee will be subordinated to the prior payment in full of all Senior Debt of that Guarantor. The obligations of each Guarantor under its Subsidiary Guarantee will be limited as necessary to prevent that Subsidiary Guarantee from constituting a fraudulent conveyance under applicable law.

 

A Guarantor may not sell or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its properties or assets to, or consolidate with or merge with or into (whether or not such Guarantor is the surviving Person), another Person, other than the Company or another Guarantor, unless:

 

(1) immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no Default or Event of Default exists; and

 

(2) either:

 

(a) the Person acquiring the properties or assets in any such sale or other disposition or the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than the Guarantor) unconditionally assumes all the obligations of that Guarantor, pursuant to a supplemental indenture substantially in the form specified in the indenture, under the notes, the indenture and its Subsidiary Guarantee on terms set forth therein; or

 

(b) the Net Proceeds of such sale or other disposition are applied in accordance with the “Asset Sale” provisions of the indenture.

 

The Subsidiary Guarantee of a Guarantor will be released:

 

(1) in connection with any sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the properties or assets of that Guarantor (including by way of merger or consolidation) to a Person that is not (either before or after giving effect to such transaction) a Subsidiary of the Company, if the sale or other disposition complies with the “Asset Sale” provisions of the indenture; or

 

(2) in connection with any sale or other disposition of all of the Capital Stock of that Guarantor to a Person that is not (either before or after giving effect to such transaction) a Subsidiary of the Company, if the sale or other disposition complies with the “Asset Sale” provisions of the indenture; or

 

(3) if the Company designates any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Guarantor as an Unrestricted Subsidiary in accordance with the applicable provisions of the indenture; or

 

(4) upon Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance as described below under the caption “—Legal Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance” or upon satisfaction and discharge of the indenture as described below under the caption “—Satisfaction and Discharge.”

 

See “—Repurchase at the Option of Holders—Asset Sales.”

 

Subordination

 

The payment of principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the notes will be subordinated in right of payment, as set forth in the indenture, to the prior payment in full in cash of all Obligations in respect of Senior Debt of the Company, whether outstanding on the date of the indenture or thereafter incurred.

 

Upon any distribution to creditors of the Company:

 

(1) in a liquidation or dissolution of the Company;

 

(2) in a bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, receivership or similar proceeding relating to the Company or its property;

 

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(3) in an assignment for the benefit of creditors; or

 

(4) in any marshaling of the Company’s assets and liabilities,

 

the holders of Senior Debt of the Company will be entitled to receive payment in full in cash of all Obligations due in respect of such Senior Debt (including interest after the commencement of any bankruptcy proceeding at the rate specified in the applicable Senior Debt, whether or not an allowable claim in any such proceeding) before the Holders of notes will be entitled to receive any payment with respect to the notes, and until all Obligations with respect to such Senior Debt are paid in full in cash, any distribution to which the Holders of notes would be entitled shall be made to the holders of such Senior Debt (except, in each case, that Holders of notes may receive and retain Permitted Junior Securities and payments made from a trust described under “—Legal Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance” or “—Satisfaction and Discharge”).

 

The Company also may not make any payment with respect to the notes (other than Permitted Junior Securities or from a trust described under “—Legal Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance” or “—Satisfaction and Discharge”) if:

 

(1) a default in the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on, or any other Obligation in respect of, any Designated Senior Debt occurs and is continuing beyond any applicable grace period; or

 

(2) any other default occurs and is continuing with respect to any Designated Senior Debt that permits holders of such Designated Senior Debt to accelerate its maturity (or that would permit such holders to accelerate with the giving of notice or the passage of time or both) and the trustee receives a notice of such default (a “Payment Blockage Notice”) from the Company or the holders of such Designated Senior Debt.

 

Except as provided in the second preceding paragraph, payments on the notes may and will be resumed:

 

(1) in the case of a payment default, upon the date on which such default is cured or waived; and

 

(2) in the case of a nonpayment default, upon the earlier of the date on which such nonpayment default is cured or waived or 179 days after the date on which the applicable Payment Blockage Notice is received, unless the maturity of any Designated Senior Debt has been accelerated.

 

No new Payment Blockage Notice may be delivered unless and until 360 days have elapsed since the delivery of the immediately prior Payment Blockage Notice.

 

No nonpayment default that existed or was continuing with respect to any Designated Senior Debt on the date of delivery of any Payment Blockage Notice to the trustee with respect to such Designated Senior Debt will be, or be made, the basis for a subsequent Payment Blockage Notice unless such default has been cured or waived for a period of not less than 90 days.

 

In the event that the trustee or any Holder receives any payment of any Obligations with respect to the notes (other than Permitted Junior Securities or from the trust described under “—Legal Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance”) at a time when such payment is prohibited by these subordination provisions, such payment shall be held by the trustee or such Holder, in trust for the benefit of, and will be paid over and delivered, as provided in the indenture, to the holders of Senior Debt or their proper representative.

 

The indenture further requires the Company to promptly notify holders of Designated Senior Debt if payment of the notes is accelerated because of an Event of Default.

 

The Subsidiary Guarantee of each Guarantor will be subordinated to the Senior Debt of such Guarantor generally to the same extent and in the same manner as the notes are subordinated to the Senior Debt of the Company.

 

As a result of the subordination provisions described above, in the event of a bankruptcy, liquidation or reorganization or similar proceeding of the Company, Holders of notes may recover less ratably than creditors of the Company who are holders of its Senior Debt.

 

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Optional Redemption

 

At any time prior to May 1, 2007, the Company may on any one or more occasions redeem up to 35% of the aggregate principal amount of notes issued under the indenture at a redemption price of 107.25% of the principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the redemption date (subject to the right of Holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on an interest payment date that is on or prior to the redemption date), with the net cash proceeds of one or more Equity Offerings by the Company, provided that:

 

(1) at least 65% of the aggregate principal amount of notes issued under the indenture remains outstanding immediately after the occurrence of such redemption (excluding notes held by the Company and its Subsidiaries); and

 

(2) the redemption occurs within 120 days of the date of the closing of such Equity Offering.

 

Except pursuant to the preceding paragraph, the notes will not be redeemable at the Company’s option prior to May 1, 2008.

 

On and after May 1, 2008, the Company may redeem all or a part of the notes upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ notice, at the redemption prices (expressed as percentages of principal amount) set forth below, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on the notes redeemed to the applicable redemption date (subject to the right of Holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on an interest payment date that is on or prior to the redemption date), if redeemed during the twelve-month period beginning on May 1 of the years indicated below:

 

Year


   Percentage

 

2008

   103.6250 %

2009

   101.8125 %

2010 and thereafter

   100.0000 %

 

Selection and Notice

 

If less than all of the notes are to be redeemed at any time, the trustee will select notes for redemption as follows:

 

(1) if the notes are listed on any national securities exchange, in compliance with the requirements of the principal national securities exchange on which the notes are listed; or

 

(2) if the notes are not listed on any national securities exchange, on a pro rata basis.

 

No notes of $1,000 or less can be redeemed in part. Notices of redemption will be mailed by first class mail at least 30 but not more than 60 days before the redemption date to each Holder of notes to be redeemed at its registered address, except that redemption notices may be mailed more than 60 days prior to a redemption date if the notice is issued in connection with a defeasance of the notes or a satisfaction and discharge of the indenture. Notices of redemption may not be conditional.

 

If any note is to be redeemed in part only, the notice of redemption that relates to that note will state the portion of the principal amount of that note that is to be redeemed. A new note in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the original note will be issued in the name of the Holder of notes upon cancellation of the original note. Notes called for redemption become due on the date fixed for redemption. On and after the redemption date, interest ceases to accrue on notes or portions of them called for redemption.

 

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Mandatory Redemption

 

Except as set forth below under “—Repurchase at the Option of Holders,” the Company is not required to make mandatory redemption or sinking fund payments with respect to the notes or to repurchase the notes at the option of the Holders.

 

Repurchase at the Option of Holders

 

Change of Control

 

If a Change of Control occurs, each Holder of notes will have the right to require the Company to repurchase all or any part (equal to $1,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000) of that Holder’s notes pursuant to a Change of Control Offer on the terms set forth in the indenture. In the Change of Control Offer, the Company will offer a Change of Control Payment in cash equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of notes repurchased plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on the notes repurchased, to the date of settlement (the “Change of Control Settlement Date”), subject to the right of Holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on an interest payment date that is on or prior to the Change of Control Settlement Date. Within 30 days following any Change of Control, the Company will mail a notice to each Holder and the Trustee describing the transaction or transactions that constitute the Change of Control and offering to repurchase notes as of the Change of Control Purchase Date specified in the notice, which date will be no earlier than 30 days and no later than 60 days from the date such notice is mailed, pursuant to the procedures required by the indenture and described in such notice.

 

The Company will comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent those laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of the notes as a result of a Change of Control. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the Change of Control provisions of the indenture, the Company will comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached its obligations under the Change of Control provisions of the indenture by virtue of such conflict.

 

On the Change of Control Purchase Date, the Company will, to the extent lawful, accept for payment all notes or portions of notes properly tendered pursuant to the Change of Control Offer. Promptly thereafter on the Change of Control Settlement Date the Company will:

 

(1) deposit with the paying agent an amount equal to the Change of Control Payment in respect of all notes or portions of notes properly tendered; and

 

(2) deliver or cause to be delivered to the trustee the notes properly accepted together with an officers’ certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of notes or portions of notes being purchased by the Company.

 

On the Change of Control Settlement Date, the paying agent will mail to each Holder of notes properly tendered the Change of Control Payment for such notes (or, if all the notes are then in global form, make such payment through the facilities of DTC), and the trustee will authenticate and mail (or cause to be transferred by book entry) to each Holder a new note equal in principal amount to any unpurchased portion of the notes surrendered, if any; provided that each new note will be in a principal amount of $1,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000. The Company will publicly announce the results of the Change of Control Offer on or as soon as practicable after the Change of Control Payment Date.

 

Prior to complying with any of the provisions of this “Change of Control” covenant, but in any event no later than the Change of Control Purchase Date, the Company will either repay all outstanding Senior Debt or obtain the requisite consents, if any, under all agreements governing outstanding Senior Debt to permit the repurchase of notes required by this covenant.

 

The provisions described above that require the Company to make a Change of Control Offer following a Change of Control will be applicable whether or not any other provisions of the indenture are applicable. Except as described above with respect to a Change of Control, the indenture does not contain provisions that permit the Holders

 

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of the notes to require that the Company repurchase or redeem the notes in the event of a takeover, recapitalization or similar transaction.

 

The Company will not be required to make a Change of Control Offer upon a Change of Control if a third party makes the Change of Control Offer in the manner, at the time and otherwise in compliance with the requirements set forth in the indenture applicable to a Change of Control Offer made by the Company and purchases all notes properly tendered and not withdrawn under the Change of Control Offer.

 

The definition of Change of Control includes a phrase relating to the direct or indirect sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of “all or substantially all” of the properties or assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole. Although there is a limited body of case law interpreting the phrase “substantially all,” there is no precise established definition of the phrase under applicable law. Accordingly, the ability of a Holder of notes to require the Company to repurchase its notes as a result of a sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of less than all of the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole to another Person or group may be uncertain.

 

Asset Sales

 

The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, consummate an Asset Sale unless:

 

(1) the Company (or the Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be) receives consideration at the time of the Asset Sale at least equal to the fair market value of the assets or Equity Interests issued or sold or otherwise disposed of;

 

(2) the fair market value is determined by the Company’s Board of Directors and evidenced by a resolution of the Board of Directors set forth in an officers’ certificate delivered to the trustee; and

 

(3) at least 75% of the consideration received in the Asset Sale by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary is in the form of cash. For purposes of this provision, each of the following will be deemed to be cash:

 

(a) any liabilities, as shown on the Company’s or such Restricted Subsidiary’s most recent balance sheet, of the Company or any Subsidiary (other than contingent liabilities and liabilities that are by their terms subordinated to the notes or any Subsidiary Guarantee) that are assumed by the transferee of any such assets pursuant to a customary novation agreement that releases the Company or such Subsidiary from further liability; and

 

(b) any securities, notes or other obligations received by the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary from such transferee that are contemporaneously, subject to ordinary settlement periods, converted by the Company or such Subsidiary into cash, to the extent of the cash received in that conversion.

 

Within 360 days after the receipt of any Net Proceeds from an Asset Sale, the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary may apply those Net Proceeds at its option to any combination of the following:

 

(I) to repay Senior Debt and, if the Senior Debt repaid is revolving credit Indebtedness, to correspondingly reduce commitments with respect thereto;

 

(II) to acquire all or substantially all of the properties or assets of one or more other Persons primarily engaged in the Oil and Gas Business, and, for this purpose, a division or line of business of a Person shall be treated as a separate Person;

 

(III) to acquire a majority of the Voting Stock of one or more other Persons primarily engaged in the Oil and Gas Business;

 

(IV) to make one or more capital expenditures; or

 

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(V) to acquire other long-term assets that are used or useful in the Oil and Gas Business.

 

Pending the final application of any Net Proceeds, the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary may temporarily reduce revolving credit borrowings or otherwise invest the Net Proceeds in any manner that is not prohibited by the indenture. Any Net Proceeds from Asset Sales that are not applied or invested as provided in the preceding paragraph will constitute “Excess Proceeds.”

 

On the 361st day after the Asset Sale (or, at the Company’s option, any earlier date), if the aggregate amount of Excess Proceeds then exceeds $20.0 million, the Company will make an Asset Sale Offer to all Holders of notes, and all holders of other Indebtedness that is pari passu with the notes containing provisions similar to those set forth in the indenture with respect to offers to purchase or redeem with the proceeds of sales of assets, to purchase the maximum principal amount of notes and such other pari passu Indebtedness that may be purchased out of the Excess Proceeds. The offer price in any Asset Sale Offer will be equal to 100% of principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of settlement, subject to the right of Holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on an interest payment date that is on or prior to the date of settlement, and will be payable in cash. If any Excess Proceeds remain after consummation of an Asset Sale Offer, the Company may use those Excess Proceeds for any purpose not otherwise prohibited by the indenture. If the aggregate principal amount of notes and other pari passu Indebtedness tendered into such Asset Sale Offer exceeds the amount of Excess Proceeds, the trustee will select the notes and such other pari passu Indebtedness to be purchased on a pro rata basis. Upon completion of each Asset Sale Offer, the amount of Excess Proceeds will be reset at zero.

 

The Company will comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent those laws and regulations are applicable in connection with each repurchase of notes pursuant to an Asset Sale Offer. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the Asset Sale provisions of the indenture, the Company will comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached its obligations under the Asset Sale provisions of the indenture by virtue of such conflict.

 

The Company’s Credit Agreement will prohibit the Company from purchasing any notes, and also provides that certain change of control or asset sale events with respect to the Company would constitute a default or require repayment of the Senior Debt. Any future credit agreements or other agreements relating to Senior Debt to which the Company becomes a party may contain similar restrictions and provisions. In the event a Change of Control or Asset Sale occurs at a time when the Company is prohibited from purchasing notes, the Company could seek the consent of its senior lenders to the purchase of notes or could attempt to refinance the borrowings that contain such prohibition. If the Company does not obtain such a consent or repay such borrowings, the Company will remain prohibited from purchasing notes. In such case, the Company’s failure to purchase tendered notes would constitute an Event of Default under the indenture which would, in turn, constitute a default under such Senior Debt. In such circumstances, the subordination provisions in the indenture would likely restrict payments to the Holders of notes.

 

Certain Covenants

 

Restricted Payments

 

The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly:

 

(1) declare or pay any dividend or make any other payment or distribution on account of the Company’s or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries’ Equity Interests (including, without limitation, any payment in connection with any merger or consolidation involving the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries) or to the direct or indirect holders of the Company’s or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries’ Equity Interests in their capacity as such (other than dividends or distributions payable in Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company or payable to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company);

 

(2) purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire or retire for value (including, without limitation, in connection with any merger or consolidation involving the Company) any Equity Interests of the Company or any direct or indirect parent of the Company;

 

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(3) make any payment on or with respect to, or purchase, redeem, defease or otherwise acquire or retire for value any Indebtedness that is subordinated to the notes or the Subsidiary Guarantees, except a payment of interest or principal at the Stated Maturity thereof; or

 

(4) make any Restricted Investment (all such payments and other actions set forth in these clauses (1) through (4) above being collectively referred to as “Restricted Payments”),

 

unless, at the time of and after giving effect to such Restricted Payment:

 

(1) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would occur as a consequence of such Restricted Payment;

 

(2) the Company would, at the time of such Restricted Payment and after giving pro forma effect thereto as if such Restricted Payment had been made at the beginning of the applicable four-quarter period, have been permitted to incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test set forth in the first paragraph of the covenant described below under the caption “—Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock;” and

 

(3) such Restricted Payment, together with the aggregate amount of all other Restricted Payments made by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries after the date of the indenture (excluding Restricted Payments permitted by clauses (2), (3), (4), (6) and (7) of the next succeeding paragraph), is less than the sum, without duplication, of:

 

(a) 50% of the Consolidated Net Income of the Company for the period (taken as one accounting period) from April 1, 2004 to the end of the Company’s most recently ended fiscal quarter for which internal financial statements are available at the time of such Restricted Payment (or, if such Consolidated Net Income for such period is a deficit, less 100% of such deficit), plus

 

(b) 100% of the aggregate net cash proceeds received by the Company (including the fair market value of any Additional Assets to the extent acquired in consideration of Equity Interests of the Company (other than Disqualified Stock)) since the date of the indenture as a contribution to its common equity capital or from the issue or sale of Equity Interests of the Company (other than Disqualified Stock) or from the issue or sale of convertible or exchangeable Disqualified Stock or convertible or exchangeable debt securities of the Company that have been converted into or exchanged for such Equity Interests (other than Equity Interests (or Disqualified Stock or debt securities) sold to a Subsidiary of the Company), plus

 

(c) to the extent that any Restricted Investment that was made after the date of the indenture is sold for cash or otherwise liquidated or repaid for cash, the lesser of (i) the cash return of capital with respect to such Restricted Investment (less the cost of disposition, if any) and (ii) the initial amount of such Restricted Investment, plus

 

(d) to the extent that any Unrestricted Subsidiary of the Company is redesignated as a Restricted Subsidiary after the date of the indenture, the lesser of (i) the fair market value of the Company’s Investment in such Subsidiary as of the date of such redesignation or (ii) such fair market value as of the date on which such Subsidiary was originally designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

 

So long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would be caused thereby, the preceding provisions will not prohibit:

 

(1) the payment of any dividend within 60 days after the date of declaration of the dividend, if at the date of declaration the dividend payment would have complied with the provisions of the indenture;

 

(2) the redemption, repurchase, retirement, defeasance or other acquisition of any subordinated Indebtedness of the Company or any Guarantor or of any Equity Interests of the Company in exchange for, or out of the net cash proceeds of the substantially concurrent sale (other than to a Subsidiary of the Company) of, Equity Interests of the Company (other than Disqualified Stock); provided that the amount of any such net cash proceeds that are utilized

 

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for any such redemption, repurchase, retirement, defeasance or other acquisition will be excluded from clause (3)(b) of the preceding paragraph;

 

(3) the defeasance, redemption, repurchase, retirement or other acquisition of subordinated Indebtedness of the Company or any Guarantor with the net cash proceeds from an incurrence of, or in exchange for, Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness;

 

(4) the payment of any dividend by a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company to the holders of its Equity Interests on a pro rata basis;

 

(5) the repurchase, redemption or other acquisition or retirement for value of any Equity Interests of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company held by any current or former director or employee of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries pursuant to any director or employee equity subscription agreement or plan, stock option agreement or similar agreement or plan; provided that the aggregate price paid for all such repurchased, redeemed, acquired or retired Equity Interests may not exceed $1.0 million in any twelve-month period;

 

(6) the acquisition of Equity Interests by the Company in connection with the exercise of stock options or stock appreciation rights by way of cashless exercise;

 

(7) the payment of cash in lieu of fractional shares of Capital Stock in connection with any transaction otherwise permitted under this covenant; or

 

(8) other Restricted Payments in an aggregate amount since the date of the indenture not to exceed $10.0 million.

 

The amount of all Restricted Payments (other than cash) will be the fair market value on the date of the Restricted Payment of the asset(s) or securities proposed to be transferred or issued by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, pursuant to the Restricted Payment. The fair market value of any assets or securities that are required to be valued by this covenant will be determined by the Board of Directors, whose determination shall be evidenced by a Board Resolution. The Board of Directors’ determination must be based upon an opinion or appraisal issued by an accounting, appraisal or investment banking firm of national standing if the fair market value exceeds $10.0 million. Not later than the date of making any Restricted Payment (excluding any Restricted Payment described in the preceding clause (2), (3), (4), (6) or (7)) the Company will deliver to the trustee an officers’ certificate stating that such Restricted Payment is permitted and setting forth the basis upon which the calculations required by this “Restricted Payments” covenant were computed, together with a copy of any fairness opinion or appraisal required by the indenture. For purposes of determining compliance with this “Restricted Payments” covenant, in the event that a Restricted Payment meets the criteria of more than one of the categories of Restricted Payments described in the preceding clauses (1) – (8), the Company will be permitted to classify (or later classify or reclassify in whole or in part in its sole discretion) such Restricted Payment in any manner that complies with this covenant.

 

Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock

 

The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create, incur, issue, assume, guarantee or otherwise become directly or indirectly liable, contingently or otherwise, with respect to (collectively, “incur”) any Indebtedness (including Acquired Debt), neither the Company nor any Guarantor will issue any Disqualified Stock, and the Company will not permit any of its other Restricted Subsidiaries to issue any shares of preferred stock; provided, however, that the Company and any Guarantor may incur Indebtedness (including Acquired Debt) or issue Disqualified Stock, if the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for the Company’s most recently ended four full fiscal quarters for which internal financial statements are available immediately preceding the date on which such additional Indebtedness is incurred or such Disqualified Stock is issued would have been at least 2.0 to 1.0, determined on a pro forma basis (including a pro forma application of the net proceeds therefrom), as if the additional Indebtedness had been incurred or Disqualified Stock had been issued, as the case may be, at the beginning of such four-quarter period.

 

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The first paragraph of this covenant will not prohibit the incurrence of any of the following items of Indebtedness (collectively, “Permitted Debt”):

 

(1) the incurrence by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of additional Indebtedness (including letters of credit) under one or more Credit Facilities in an aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding under this clause (1) (with letters of credit being deemed to have a principal amount equal to the maximum potential liability of the Company and its Subsidiaries thereunder) not to exceed an amount equal to the greater of (a) $210.0 million and (b) 15% of ACNTA as of the date of such incurrence;

 

(2) the incurrence by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of the Existing Indebtedness;

 

(3) the incurrence by the Company and the Guarantors of Indebtedness represented by the notes and the related Subsidiary Guarantees;

 

(4) the incurrence by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Indebtedness represented by Capital Lease Obligations, mortgage financings or purchase money obligations, in each case, incurred for the purpose of financing all or any part of the purchase price or cost of construction or improvement of property, plant or equipment used in the business of the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, in an aggregate principal amount, including all Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness incurred to refund, refinance or replace any Indebtedness incurred pursuant to this clause (4), not to exceed $10.0 million at any time outstanding;

 

(5) the incurrence by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness in exchange for, or the net proceeds of which are used to refund, refinance or replace Indebtedness (other than intercompany Indebtedness) that was permitted by the indenture to be incurred under the first paragraph of this covenant or clause (2) or (3) of this paragraph or this clause (5);

 

(6) the incurrence by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of intercompany Indebtedness between or among the Company and any of its Restricted Subsidiaries; provided, however, that:

 

(a) if the Company is the obligor on such Indebtedness and a Guarantor is not the obligee, such Indebtedness must be expressly subordinated to the prior payment in full in cash of all Obligations with respect to the notes, or if a Guarantor is the obligor on such Indebtedness and neither the Company nor another Guarantor is the obligee, such Indebtedness must be expressly subordinated to the prior payment in full in cash of all Obligations with respect to the Subsidiary Guarantee of such Guarantor; and

 

(b) (i) any subsequent issuance or transfer of Equity Interests that results in any such Indebtedness being held by a Person other than the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company and (ii) any sale or other transfer of any such Indebtedness to a Person that is neither the Company nor a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company will be deemed, in each case, to constitute an incurrence of such Indebtedness by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, that was not permitted by this clause (6);

 

(7) the incurrence by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Hedging Obligations;

 

(8) the guarantee by the Company or any of the Guarantors of Indebtedness of the Company or any Guarantor that was permitted to be incurred by another provision of this covenant;

 

(9) the incurrence by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of obligations relating to net gas balancing positions arising in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past practice;

 

(10) the incurrence by the Company’s Unrestricted Subsidiaries of Non-Recourse Debt, provided, however, that if any such Indebtedness ceases to be Non-Recourse Debt of an Unrestricted Subsidiary, such event will be deemed to constitute an incurrence of Indebtedness by a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company that was not permitted by this clause (10);

 

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(11) the incurrence by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Indebtedness in respect of bid, performance, surety and similar bonds issued for the account of the Company and any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business, including guarantees and obligations of the Company and any of its Restricted Subsidiaries with respect to letters of credit supporting such obligations (in each other than an obligation for money borrowed);

 

(12) the incurrence by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Indebtedness arising from agreements of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries providing for indemnification, adjustment of purchase price or similar obligations, in each case, incurred or assumed in connection with the disposition of any business, assets or Capital Stock of a Subsidiary, provided that the maximum aggregate liability in respect of all such Indebtedness shall at no time exceed the gross proceeds actually received by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with such disposition; and

 

(13) the incurrence by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of additional Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount (or accreted value, as applicable) at any time outstanding, not to exceed $25.0 million.

 

For purposes of determining compliance with this “Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock” covenant, in the event that an item of Indebtedness (including Acquired Debt) meets the criteria of more than one of the categories of Permitted Debt described in clauses (1) through (13) above, or is entitled to be incurred pursuant to the first paragraph of this covenant, the Company will be permitted to classify (or later classify or reclassify in whole or in part in its sole discretion) such item of Indebtedness in any manner that complies with this covenant. Any indebtedness under Credit Facilities on the date of the indenture shall be considered incurred under the first paragraph of this covenant.

 

The accrual of interest, the accretion or amortization of original issue discount, the payment of interest on any Indebtedness in the form of additional Indebtedness with the same terms, and the payment of dividends on Disqualified Stock in the form of additional shares of the same class of Disqualified Stock will not be deemed to be an incurrence of Indebtedness or an issuance of Disqualified Stock for purposes of this covenant; provided, in each such case, that the amount thereof is included in Fixed Charges of the Company as accrued.

 

No Senior Subordinated Debt

 

The Company will not incur, create, issue, assume, guarantee or otherwise become liable for any Indebtedness that is subordinate or junior in right of payment to any Senior Debt of the Company and senior in any respect in right of payment to the notes. No Guarantor will incur, create, issue, assume, guarantee or otherwise become liable for any Indebtedness that is subordinate or junior in right of payment to the Senior Debt of such Guarantor and senior in any respect in right of payment to such Guarantor’s Subsidiary Guarantee.

 

Liens

 

The Company will not and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, create, incur, assume or otherwise cause or suffer to exist or become effective any Lien of any kind (other than Permitted Liens) securing Indebtedness or Attributable Debt upon any of their property or assets, now owned or hereafter acquired, unless the notes or any Subsidiary Guarantee of such Restricted Subsidiary, as applicable, is secured on an equal and ratable basis (or on a senior basis to, in the case of obligations subordinated in right of payment to the notes or such Subsidiary Guarantee, as the case may be) with the obligations so secured until such time as such obligations are no longer secured by a Lien.

 

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Dividend and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Subsidiaries

 

The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create or permit to exist or become effective any consensual encumbrance or restriction on the ability of any Restricted Subsidiary to:

 

(1) pay dividends or make any other distributions on its Capital Stock to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, or pay any Indebtedness or other obligations owed to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

(2) make loans or advances to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries; or

 

(3) transfer any of its properties or assets to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries.

 

However, the preceding restrictions will not apply to encumbrances or restrictions existing under or by reason of:

 

(1) agreements governing Existing Indebtedness and Credit Facilities as in effect on the date of the indenture and any amendments, modifications, restatements, renewals, increases, supplements, refundings, replacements or refinancings of those agreements, provided that the amendments, modifications, restatements, renewals, increases, supplements, refundings, replacement or refinancings are not materially more restrictive, taken as a whole, with respect to such dividend and other payment restrictions than those contained in those agreements on the date of the indenture;

 

(2) the indenture, the notes and the Subsidiary Guarantees;

 

(3) applicable law;

 

(4) any instrument governing Indebtedness or Capital Stock of a Person acquired by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries as in effect at the time of such acquisition, which encumbrance or restriction is not applicable to any Person, or the properties or assets of any Person, other than the Person, or the property or assets of the Person, so acquired, provided that, in the case of Indebtedness, such Indebtedness was permitted by the terms of the indenture to be incurred;

 

(5) customary non-assignment provisions in leases entered into in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past practices;

 

(6) purchase money obligations for property acquired in the ordinary course of business that impose restrictions on that property of the nature described in clause (3) of the preceding paragraph;

 

(7) any agreement for the sale or other disposition of a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company that restricts distributions by that Restricted Subsidiary pending its sale or other disposition;

 

(8) Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness, provided that the restrictions contained in the agreements governing such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness are not materially more restrictive, taken as a whole, than those contained in the agreements governing the Indebtedness being refinanced;

 

(9) Liens securing Indebtedness otherwise permitted to be incurred under the provisions of the covenant described above under the caption “—Liens” that limit the right of the debtor to dispose of the assets subject to such Liens;

 

(10) provisions with respect to the disposition or distribution of assets or property in joint venture agreements, asset sale agreements, stock sale agreements, agreements respecting Permitted Business Investments and other similar agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business; and

 

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(11) restrictions on cash or other deposits or net worth imposed by customers under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business.

 

Merger, Consolidation or Sale of Assets

 

The Company may not, directly or indirectly: (1) consolidate or merge with or into another Person (whether or not the Company is the surviving corporation); or (2) sell, assign, transfer, lease, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the properties or assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole, in one or more related transactions, to another Person, unless:

 

(1) either: (a) the Company is the surviving corporation; or (b) the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than the Company) or to which such sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition has been made is a corporation organized or existing under the laws of the United States, any state of the United States or the District of Columbia;

 

(2) the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than the Company) or the Person to which such sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition has been made assumes all the obligations of the Company under the notes, the indenture and the registration rights agreement pursuant to agreements reasonably satisfactory to the trustee;

 

(3) immediately after such transaction no Default or Event of Default exists;

 

(4) the Company or the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than the Company), or to which such sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition has been made will, on the date of such transaction after giving pro forma effect thereto and any related financing transactions as if the same had occurred at the beginning of the applicable four-quarter period, be permitted to incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test set forth in the first paragraph of the covenant described above under the caption “—Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock;” and

 

(5) the Company shall have delivered to the trustee an officers’ certificate and an opinion of counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger or disposition and such supplemental indenture (if any) comply with the indenture.

 

Although there is a limited body of case law interpreting the phrase “substantially all,” there is no precise established definition of the phrase under applicable law. Accordingly, in certain circumstances there may be a degree of uncertainty as to whether a particular transaction would involve “all or substantially all” of the properties or assets of a Person.

 

Transactions with Affiliates

 

The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, make any payment to, or sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of any of its properties or assets to, or purchase any property or assets from, or enter into or make or amend any transaction, contract, agreement, understanding, loan, advance or guarantee with, or for the benefit of, any Affiliate (each, an “Affiliate Transaction”), unless:

 

(1) the Affiliate Transaction is on terms that are no less favorable to the Company or the relevant Restricted Subsidiary than those that would have been obtained in a comparable transaction by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary with an unrelated Person; and

 

(2) the Company delivers to the trustee:

 

(a) with respect to any Affiliate Transaction or series of related Affiliate Transactions involving aggregate consideration in excess of $15.0 million, a resolution of the Board of Directors set forth in an officers’ certificate certifying that such Affiliate Transaction complies with this covenant and that such Affiliate Transaction has been approved by a majority of the disinterested members of the Board of Directors; and

 

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(b) with respect to any Affiliate Transaction or series of related Affiliate Transactions involving aggregate consideration in excess of $25.0 million, a written opinion as to the fairness to the Holders of such Affiliate Transaction from a financial point of view issued by an accounting, appraisal or investment banking firm of national standing.

 

The following items will not be deemed to be Affiliate Transactions and, therefore, will not be subject to the provisions of the prior paragraph:

 

(1) any employment or severance agreement or other employee compensation agreement, arrangement or plan, or any amendment thereto, entered into by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;

 

(2) transactions between or among any of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

(3) transactions with a Person that is an Affiliate of the Company solely because the Company owns an Equity Interest in such Person;

 

(4) payment of reasonable directors’ fees and other benefits to persons who are not otherwise Affiliates of the Company;

 

(5) provision of officers’ and directors’ indemnification and insurance in the ordinary course of business to the extent permitted by law;

 

(6) transactions with any Income Fund Partnership in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past practices;

 

(7) sales of Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) to Affiliates of the Company; and

 

(8) Restricted Payments that are permitted by the provisions of the indenture described above under the caption “—Restricted Payments.”

 

Designation of Restricted and Unrestricted Subsidiaries

 

The Board of Directors of the Company may designate any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary if that designation would not cause a Default. If a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company is designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, the aggregate fair market value of all outstanding Investments owned by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in the Subsidiary properly designated will be deemed to be an Investment made as of the time of the designation and will reduce the amount available for Restricted Payments under the first paragraph of the covenant described above under the caption “—Restricted Payments” or represent Permitted Investments, as determined by the Company. That designation will only be permitted if the Investment would be permitted at that time and if the Subsidiary so designated otherwise meets the definition of an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

 

The Board of Directors of the Company may at any time designate any Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company; provided that such designation will be deemed to be an incurrence of Indebtedness by a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company of any outstanding Indebtedness of such Unrestricted Subsidiary and such designation will only be permitted if (1) such Indebtedness is permitted under the covenant described above under the caption “—Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock,” calculated on a pro forma basis as if such designation had occurred at the beginning of the four-quarter reference period, and (2) no Default or Event of Default would be in existence following such designation.

 

Additional Subsidiary Guarantees

 

If the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries acquires or creates another Material Domestic Subsidiary after the date of the indenture, or if any Restricted Subsidiary that is not already a Guarantor guarantees any other Indebtedness of the Company after such date, then in either case that Subsidiary will become a Guarantor by executing a supplemental indenture and delivering it to the trustee within 20 Business Days of the date on which it was acquired or

 

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created or guaranteed Indebtedness of the Company, as the case may be; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not apply to Subsidiaries of the Company that have properly been designated as Unrestricted Subsidiaries in accordance with the indenture for so long as they continue to constitute Unrestricted Subsidiaries.

 

Sale and Leaseback Transactions

 

The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, enter into any sale and leaseback transaction; provided that the Company or any Guarantor may enter into a sale and leaseback transaction if:

 

(1) the Company or that Guarantor, as applicable, could have (a) incurred Indebtedness in an amount equal to the Attributable Debt relating to such sale and leaseback transaction under the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test in the first paragraph of the covenant described above under the caption “—Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock” and (b) incurred a Lien to secure such Indebtedness pursuant to the covenant described above under the caption “—Liens;”

 

(2) the gross cash proceeds of that sale and leaseback transaction are at least equal to the fair market value, as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors and set forth in an officers’ certificate delivered to the trustee, of the property that is the subject of that sale and leaseback transaction; and

 

(3) the transfer of assets in that sale and leaseback transaction is permitted by, and the Company applies the proceeds of such transaction in compliance with, the covenant described above under the caption “—Repurchase at the Option of Holders—Asset Sales.”

 

Business Activities

 

The Company will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, engage in any business other than the Oil and Gas Business, except to such extent as would not be material to the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole.

 

Reports

 

Whether or not required by the Commission, so long as any notes are outstanding, the Company will file with the Commission for public availability within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and regulations (unless the Commission will not accept such a filing), and the Company will furnish to the trustee and, upon its request, to any of the Holders of notes, within five Business Days of filing, or attempting to file, the same with the Commission:

 

(1) all quarterly and annual financial and other information with respect to the Company and its Subsidiaries that would be required to be contained in a filing with the Commission on Forms 10-Q and 10-K if the Company were required to file such Forms, including a “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and, with respect to the annual information only, a report on the annual financial statements by the Company’s certified independent accountants; and

 

(2) all current reports that would be required to be filed with the Commission on Form 8-K if the Company were required to file such reports.

 

If the Company has designated any of its Subsidiaries as Unrestricted Subsidiaries, then the quarterly and annual financial information required by the preceding paragraph will include a reasonably detailed presentation, either on the face of the financial statements or in the footnotes thereto, and in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, of the financial condition and results of operations of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries separate from the financial condition and results of operations of the Unrestricted Subsidiaries of the Company.

 

In addition, the Company and the Guarantors have agreed that, for so long as any notes remain outstanding, they will furnish to the Holders and to securities analysts and prospective investors in the notes, upon their request, the information required to be delivered pursuant to Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act.

 

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Events of Default and Remedies

 

Each of the following is an Event of Default:

 

(1) default for 30 days in the payment when due of interest on the notes, whether or not prohibited by the subordination provisions of the indenture;

 

(2) default in payment when due of the principal of, or premium, if any, on the notes, whether or not prohibited by the subordination provisions of the indenture;

 

(3) failure by the Company to comply with the provisions described under the captions “—Certain Covenants—Restricted Payments,” “—Certain Covenants—Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock” or “—Certain Covenants—Merger, Consolidation or Sale of Assets;”

 

(4) failure by the Company to comply with the provisions described under the captions “—Repurchase at the Option of Holders—Asset Sales” or “—Repurchase at the Option of Holders—Change of Control;”

 

(5) failure by the Company for 60 days after notice to comply with any of the other agreements in the indenture;

 

(6) default under any mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there may be issued or by which there may be secured or evidenced any Indebtedness for money borrowed by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (or the payment of which is guaranteed by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries), whether such Indebtedness or guarantee now exists, or is created after the date of the indenture, if that default:

 

(a) is caused by a failure to pay principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on such Indebtedness prior to the expiration of the grace period provided in such Indebtedness (a “Payment Default”); or

 

(b) results in the acceleration of such Indebtedness prior to its Stated Maturity,

 

and, in each case, the principal amount of any such Indebtedness, together with the principal amount of any other such Indebtedness under which there has been a Payment Default or the maturity of which has been so accelerated, aggregates $15.0 million or more;

 

(7) failure by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to pay final judgments aggregating in excess of $15.0 million, which judgments are not paid, discharged or stayed (including a stay pending appeal) for a period of 60 days after the date of such final judgment (or, if later, the date when payment is due pursuant to such judgment);

 

(8) except as permitted by the indenture, any Subsidiary Guarantee shall be held in any judicial proceeding to be unenforceable or invalid or shall cease for any reason to be in full force and effect or any Guarantor, or any Person acting on behalf of any Guarantor, shall deny or disaffirm its obligations under its Subsidiary Guarantee; and

 

(9) certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization described in the indenture with respect to the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries or any group of Subsidiaries of the Company that, taken as a whole, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary.

 

In the case of an Event of Default arising from certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization, with respect to the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company that is a Significant Subsidiary or any group of Subsidiaries of the Company that, taken together, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary, all outstanding notes will become due and payable immediately without further action or notice. If any other Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the then outstanding notes may declare all the notes to be due and payable immediately.

 

Holders of the notes may not enforce the indenture or the notes except as provided in the indenture. Subject to certain limitations, Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding notes may direct the trustee in its

 

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exercise of any trust or power. The trustee may withhold notice of any continuing Default or Event of Default from Holders of the notes if it determines that withholding notice is in their interest, except a Default or Event of Default relating to the payment of principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on, the notes.

 

The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the notes then outstanding by notice to the trustee may on behalf of the Holders of all of the notes waive any existing Default or Event of Default and its consequences under the indenture except a continuing Default or Event of Default in the payment of principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on the notes.

 

In the case of any Event of Default occurring by reason of any willful action or inaction taken or not taken by or on behalf of the Company with the intention of avoiding payment of the premium that the Company would have had to pay if the Company then had elected to redeem the notes on or after May 1, 2008 pursuant to the optional redemption provisions of the indenture, an equivalent premium will also become and be immediately due and payable to the extent permitted by law upon the acceleration of the notes. If an Event of Default occurs prior to May 1, 2008 by reason of any willful action (or inaction) taken (or not taken) by or on behalf of the Company with the intention of avoiding the prohibition on redemption of the notes prior to that date, then the premium specified in the indenture with respect to the first year that the notes may be redeemed at the Company’s option (other than with the net cash proceeds of an Equity Offering) will also become immediately due and payable to the extent permitted by law upon the acceleration of the notes.

 

The Company is required to deliver to the trustee annually a statement regarding compliance with the indenture. Upon becoming aware of any Default or Event of Default, the Company is required to deliver to the trustee a statement specifying such Default or Event of Default.

 

No Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees and Stockholders

 

No director, officer, employee, incorporator or stockholder or other owner of Capital Stock of the Company or any Guarantor, as such, will have any liability for any obligations of the Company or any Guarantor under the notes, the indenture or the Subsidiary Guarantees, or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each Holder of notes by accepting a note waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the notes. The waiver may not be effective to waive liabilities under the federal securities laws.

 

Legal Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance

 

The Company may, at its option and at any time, elect to have all of its obligations discharged with respect to the outstanding notes and all obligations of the Guarantors discharged with respect to their Subsidiary Guarantees (“Legal Defeasance”) except for:

 

(1) the rights of Holders of outstanding notes to receive payments in respect of the principal of, and interest or premium, if any, on such notes when such payments are due from the trust referred to below;

 

(2) the Company’s obligations with respect to the notes concerning issuing temporary notes, registration of notes, mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen notes and the maintenance of an office or agency for payment and money for security payments held in trust;

 

(3) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the trustee, and the Company’s obligations in connection therewith; and

 

(4) the Legal Defeasance provisions of the indenture.

 

In addition, the Company may, at its option and at any time, elect to have its obligations released with respect to certain covenants that are described in the indenture (“Covenant Defeasance”) and thereafter any omission to comply with those covenants will not constitute a Default or Event of Default with respect to the notes. In the event Covenant Defeasance occurs, certain events (not including non-payment, bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization events) described under “—Events of Default and Remedies” will no longer constitute an Event of Default with respect to the

 

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notes. If the Company exercises either its Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance option, each Guarantor will be released and relieved of any obligations under its Subsidiary Guarantee and any security for the notes (other than the trust) will be released.

 

In order to exercise either Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance:

 

(1) the Company must irrevocably deposit with the trustee, in trust, for the benefit of the Holders of the notes, cash in U.S. dollars, non-callable Government Securities, or a combination of cash in U.S. dollars and non-callable Government Securities, in amounts as will be sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants, to pay the principal of, and interest and premium, if any, on the outstanding notes on the date of fixed maturity or on the applicable redemption date, as the case may be, and the Company must specify whether the notes are being defeased to the date of fixed maturity or to a particular redemption date;

 

(2) in the case of Legal Defeasance, the Company has delivered to the trustee an opinion of counsel reasonably acceptable to the trustee confirming that:

 

(a) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling; or

 

(b) since the date of the indenture, there has been a change in the applicable federal income tax law,

 

in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion of counsel will confirm that, the Holders of the outstanding notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such Legal Defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such Legal Defeasance had not occurred;

 

(3) in the case of Covenant Defeasance, the Company has delivered to the trustee an opinion of counsel reasonably acceptable to the trustee confirming that the Holders of the outstanding notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such Covenant Defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such Covenant Defeasance had not occurred;

 

(4) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing on the date of such deposit (other than a Default or Event of Default resulting from the borrowing of funds to be applied to such deposit) or insofar as Events of Default from bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization events are concerned, at any time in the period ending on the 91st day after the day of deposit;

 

(5) such Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any material agreement or instrument (other than the indenture) to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound;

 

(6) the Company must have delivered to the trustee an opinion of counsel to the effect that after the 91st day following the deposit (or, if any Holder or Beneficial Owner of notes is an insider of the Company, such later date as counsel may specify in such opinion), the trust funds will not be subject to the effect of any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally;

 

(7) the Company must deliver to the trustee an officers’ certificate stating that the deposit was not made by the Company with the intent of preferring the Holders of notes over the other creditors of the Company with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding creditors of the Company or others; and

 

(8) the Company must deliver to the trustee an officers’ certificate and an opinion of counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent relating to the Legal Defeasance or the Covenant Defeasance have been complied with.

 

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Amendment, Supplement and Waiver

 

Except as provided in the next three succeeding paragraphs, the indenture or the notes may be amended or supplemented with the consent of the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the notes then outstanding (including, without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, notes), and any existing default or compliance with any provision of the indenture or the notes may be waived with the consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding notes (including, without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, notes).

 

Without the consent of each Holder affected, an amendment, supplement or waiver may not (with respect to any notes held by a non-consenting Holder):

 

(1) reduce the principal amount of notes whose Holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver;

 

(2) reduce the principal of or change the fixed maturity of any note or alter the provisions with respect to the redemption or repurchase of the notes (other than provisions relating to the covenants described above under the caption “—Repurchase at the Option of Holders”);

 

(3) reduce the rate of or change the time for payment of interest on any note;

 

(4) waive a Default or Event of Default in the payment of principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on the notes (except a rescission of acceleration of the notes by the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the notes and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such acceleration);

 

(5) make any note payable in currency other than that stated in the notes;

 

(6) make any change in the provisions of the indenture relating to waivers of past Defaults or the rights of Holders of notes to receive payments of principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on the notes (other than as permitted in clause (7) below);

 

(7) waive a redemption or repurchase payment with respect to any note (other than a payment required by one of the covenants described above under the caption “—Repurchase at the Option of Holders”);

 

(8) release any Guarantor from any of its obligations under its Subsidiary Guarantee or the indenture, except in accordance with the terms of the indenture; or

 

(9) make any change in the preceding amendment, supplement and waiver provisions.

 

In addition, any amendment or supplement to, or waiver of, the provisions of the indenture relating to subordination that adversely affects the rights of the Holders of the notes will require the consent of the Holders of at least 75% in principal amount of notes then outstanding.

 

Notwithstanding the preceding, without the consent of any Holder of notes, the Company, the Guarantors and the trustee may amend or supplement the indenture or the notes:

 

(1) to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency;

 

(2) to provide for uncertificated notes in addition to or in place of certificated notes;

 

(3) to provide for the assumption of the Company’s obligations to Holders of notes in the case of a merger or consolidation or sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s properties or assets;

 

(4) to make any change that would provide any additional rights or benefits to the Holders of notes or that does not adversely affect the legal rights under the indenture of any Holder, provided that any change to

 

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conform the indenture to this prospectus will not be deemed to adversely affect the legal rights under the indenture of any holder;

 

(5) to secure the notes or the Subsidiary Guarantees pursuant to the requirements of the covenant described above under the subheading “—Certain Covenants—Liens;”

 

(6) to provide for the issuance of additional notes in accordance with the limitations set forth in the indenture;

 

(7) to add any additional Guarantor or to evidence the release of any Guarantor from its Subsidiary Guarantee, in each case as provided in the indenture;

 

(8) to comply with requirements of the Commission in order to effect or maintain the qualification of the indenture under the Trust Indenture Act; or

 

(9) to evidence or provide for the acceptance of appointment under the indenture of a successor trustee.

 

Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall, directly or indirectly, pay or cause to be paid any consideration, whether by way of interest, fee or otherwise, to any Beneficial Owner or Holder of any notes for or as an inducement to any consent to any waiver, supplement or amendment of any terms or provisions of the indenture or the notes, unless such consideration is offered to be paid or agreed to be paid to all Beneficial Owners and Holders of the notes which so consent in the time frame set forth in solicitation documents relating to such consent.

 

Satisfaction and Discharge

 

The indenture will be discharged and will cease to be of further effect as to all notes issued thereunder (except as to surviving rights of registration of transfer or exchange of the notes and as otherwise specified in the indenture), when:

 

(1) either:

 

(a) all notes that have been authenticated, except lost, stolen or destroyed notes that have been replaced or paid and notes for whose payment money has been deposited in trust and thereafter repaid to the Company, have been delivered to the trustee for cancellation; or

 

(b) all notes that have not been delivered to the trustee for cancellation have become due and payable or will become due and payable within one year by reason of the mailing of a notice of redemption or otherwise and the Company or any Guarantor has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the trustee as trust funds in trust solely for the benefit of the Holders, cash in U.S. dollars, non-callable Government Securities, or a combination of cash in U.S. dollars and non-callable Government Securities, in amounts as will be sufficient without consideration of any reinvestment of interest, to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on the notes not delivered to the trustee for cancellation for principal, premium, if any, and accrued interest to the date of fixed maturity or redemption;

 

(2) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing on the date of the deposit or will occur as a result of the deposit and the deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any material agreement or instrument (other than the indenture) to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound;

 

(3) the Company or any Guarantor has paid or caused to be paid all sums payable by it under the indenture; and

 

(4) the Company has delivered irrevocable instructions to the trustee under the indenture to apply the deposited money toward the payment of the notes at fixed maturity or the redemption date, as the case may be.

 

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In addition, the Company must deliver an officers’ certificate and an opinion of counsel to the trustee stating that all conditions precedent to satisfaction and discharge have been satisfied.

 

Concerning the Trustee

 

If the trustee becomes a creditor of the Company or any Guarantor, the indenture limits its right to obtain payment of claims in certain cases, or to realize on certain property received in respect of any such claim as security or otherwise. The trustee will be permitted to engage in other transactions; however, if it acquires any conflicting interest (as defined in the Trust Indenture Act) after a Default has occurred and is continuing, it must eliminate such conflict within 90 days, apply to the Commission for permission to continue or resign.

 

The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding notes will have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for exercising any remedy available to the trustee, subject to certain exceptions. The indenture provides that in case an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the trustee will be required, in the exercise of its power, to use the degree of care of a prudent man in the conduct of his own affairs. Subject to such provisions, the trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under the indenture at the request of any Holder of notes, unless such Holder has offered to the trustee security or indemnity satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense.

 

Governing Law

 

The indenture, the notes and the Subsidiary Guarantees will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

 

Book-Entry, Delivery and Form

 

Except as set forth below, notes will be represented by one or more permanent, global notes in registered form without interest coupons (the “Global Notes”).

 

The Global Notes will be deposited upon issuance with the trustee as custodian for The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), in New York, New York, and registered in the name of DTC’s nominee, Cede & Co., in each case for credit to an account of a direct or indirect participant in DTC as described below. Beneficial interests in the Global Notes may be held through the Euroclear System (“Euroclear”) and Clearstream Banking, S.A. (“Clearstream”) (as indirect participants in DTC).

 

Except as set forth below, the Global Notes may be transferred, in whole but not in part, only to another nominee of DTC or to a successor of DTC or its nominee. Beneficial interests in the Global Notes may not be exchanged for Certificated Notes except in the limited circumstances described below. See “—Exchange of Global Notes for Certificated Notes.” Except in the limited circumstances described below, owners of beneficial interests in the Global Notes will not be entitled to receive physical delivery of Certificated Notes.

 

Transfers of beneficial interests in the Global Notes will be subject to the applicable rules and procedures of DTC and its direct or indirect participants (including, if applicable, those of Euroclear and Clearstream), which may change from time to time.

 

Depository Procedures

 

The following description of the operations and procedures of DTC, Euroclear and Clearstream are provided solely as a matter of convenience. These operations and procedures are solely within the control of the respective settlement systems and are subject to changes by them. We take no responsibility for these operations and procedures and urge investors to contact the system or their participants directly to discuss these matters.

 

DTC has advised us that DTC is a limited-purpose trust company created to hold securities for its participating organizations (collectively, the “Participants”) and to facilitate the clearance and settlement of transactions in those securities between Participants through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of its Participants. The Participants include securities brokers and dealers (including the initial purchasers), banks, trust companies, clearing corporations

 

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and certain other organizations. Access to DTC’s system is also available to other entities such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a Participant, either directly or indirectly (collectively, the “Indirect Participants”). Persons who are not Participants may beneficially own securities held by or on behalf of DTC only through the Participants or the Indirect Participants. The ownership interests in, and transfers of ownership interests in, each security held by or on behalf of DTC are recorded on the records of the Participants and Indirect Participants.

 

DTC has also advised us that, pursuant to procedures established by it:

 

(1) upon deposit of the Global Notes, DTC will credit the accounts of Participants designated by the initial purchasers with portions of the principal amount of the Global Notes; and

 

(2) ownership of these interests in the Global Notes will be shown on, and the transfer of ownership of these interests will be effected only through, records maintained by DTC (with respect to the Participants) or by the Participants and the Indirect Participants (with respect to other owners of beneficial interests in the Global Notes).

 

Investors in the Global Notes who are Participants in DTC’s system may hold their interests therein directly through DTC. Investors in the Global Notes who are not Participants may hold their interests therein indirectly through organizations (including Euroclear and Clearstream) which are Participants in such system. Euroclear and Clearstream may hold interests in the Global Notes on behalf of their participants through customers’ securities accounts in their respective names on the books of their respective depositories, which are Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V., as operator of Euroclear, and Citibank, N.A., as operator of Clearstream. All interests in a Global Note, including those held through Euroclear or Clearstream, may be subject to the procedures and requirements of DTC. Those interests held through Euroclear or Clearstream may also be subject to the procedures and requirements of such systems.

 

The laws of some states require that certain Persons take physical delivery in definitive form of securities that they own. Consequently, the ability to transfer beneficial interests in a Global Note to such Persons will be limited to that extent. Because DTC can act only on behalf of Participants, which in turn act on behalf of Indirect Participants, the ability of a Person having beneficial interests in a Global Note to pledge such interests to Persons that do not participate in the DTC system, or otherwise take actions in respect of such interests, may be affected by the lack of a physical certificate evidencing such interests.

 

Except as described below, owners of an interest in the Global Notes will not have notes registered in their names, will not receive physical delivery of Certificated Notes and will not be considered the registered owners or “Holders” thereof under the indenture for any purpose.

 

Payments in respect of the principal of, and interest and premium, if any, on a Global Note registered in the name of DTC or its nominee will be payable to DTC in its capacity as the registered Holder under the indenture. Under the terms of the indenture, the Company and the trustee will treat the Persons in whose names the notes, including the Global Notes, are registered as the owners of the notes for the purpose of receiving payments and for all other purposes. Consequently, neither the Company, the trustee nor any agent of the Company or the trustee has or will have any responsibility or liability for:

 

(1) any aspect of DTC’s records or any Participant’s or Indirect Participant’s records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in the Global Notes or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any of DTC’s records or any Participant’s or Indirect Participant’s records relating to the beneficial ownership interests in the Global Notes; or

 

(2) any other matter relating to the actions and practices of DTC or any of its Participants or Indirect Participants.

 

DTC has advised us that its current practice, at the due date of any payment in respect of securities such as the notes, is to credit the accounts of the relevant Participants with the payment on the payment date unless DTC has reason to believe it will not receive payment on such payment date. Each relevant Participant is credited with an amount proportionate to its beneficial ownership of an interest in the principal amount of the notes as shown on the records of

 

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DTC. Payments by the Participants and the Indirect Participants to the beneficial owners of notes will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices and will be the responsibility of the Participants or the Indirect Participants and will not be the responsibility of DTC, the trustee or the Company. Neither the Company nor the trustee will be liable for any delay by DTC or any of its Participants in identifying the beneficial owners of the notes, and the Company and the trustee may conclusively rely on and will be protected in relying on instructions from DTC or its nominee for all purposes.

 

Transfers between Participants in DTC will be effected in accordance with DTC’s procedures, and will be settled in same-day funds, and transfers between participants in Euroclear and Clearstream will be effected in accordance with their respective rules and operating procedures.

 

Cross-market transfers between the Participants in DTC, on the one hand, and Euroclear or Clearstream participants, on the other hand, will be effected through DTC in accordance with DTC’s rules on behalf of Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, by its depositary; however, such cross-market transactions will require delivery of instructions to Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, by the counterparty in such system in accordance with the rules and procedures and within the established deadlines (Brussels time) of such system. Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, will, if the transaction meets its settlement requirements, deliver instructions to its respective depositary to take action to effect final settlement on its behalf by delivering or receiving interests in the relevant Global Note in DTC, and making or receiving payment in accordance with normal procedures for same-day funds settlement applicable to DTC. Euroclear participants and Clearstream participants may not deliver instructions directly to the depositories for Euroclear or Clearstream.

 

DTC has advised us that it will take any action permitted to be taken by a Holder of notes only at the direction of one or more Participants to whose account DTC has credited the interests in the Global Notes and only in respect of such portion of the aggregate principal amount of the notes as to which such Participant or Participants has or have given such direction. However, if there is an Event of Default under the notes, DTC reserves the right to exchange the Global Notes for definitive notes in registered certificated form (“Certificated Notes”), and to distribute such notes to its Participants.

 

Although DTC, Euroclear and Clearstream have agreed to the foregoing procedures to facilitate transfers of interests in the Global Notes among participants in DTC, Euroclear and Clearstream, they are under no obligation to perform or to continue to perform such procedures, and may discontinue such procedures at any time. None of the Company, the trustee or any of their respective agents will have any responsibility for the performance by DTC, Euroclear or Clearstream or their respective participants or indirect participants of their respective obligations under the rules and procedures governing their operations.

 

Exchange of Global Notes for Certificated Notes

 

A Global Note is exchangeable for Certificated Notes in minimum denominations of $1,000 and in integral multiples of $1,000, if:

 

(1) DTC (a) notifies us that it is unwilling or unable to continue as depositary for the Global Notes or (b) has ceased to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act and in either event the Company fails to appoint a successor depositary within 90 days; or

 

(2) there has occurred and is continuing an Event of Default and DTC notifies the trustee of its decision to exchange the Global Note for Certificated Notes.

 

Beneficial interests in a Global Note also may be exchanged for Certificated Notes in the limited other circumstances permitted by the indenture. In all cases, Certificated Notes delivered in exchange for any Global Note or beneficial interests in Global Notes will be registered in the names, and issued in any approved denominations, requested by or on behalf of the depositary (in accordance with its customary procedures).

 

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Same Day Settlement and Payment

 

The Company will make payments in respect of the notes represented by the Global Notes (including principal, premium, if any, and interest) by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the Global Note Holder. The Company will make all payments of principal, interest and premium, if any, with respect to Certificated Notes by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the Holders of the Certificated Notes or, if no such account is specified, by mailing a check to each such Holder’s registered address. The notes represented by the Global Notes are expected to be eligible to trade in DTC’s Same-Day Funds Settlement System, and any permitted secondary market trading activity in such notes will, therefore, be required by DTC to be settled in immediately available funds. The Company expects that secondary trading in any Certificated Notes will also be settled in immediately available funds.

 

Because of time zone differences, the securities account of a Euroclear or Clearstream participant purchasing an interest in a Global Note from a Participant in DTC will be credited, and any such crediting will be reported to the relevant Euroclear or Clearstream participant, during the securities settlement processing day (which must be a business day for Euroclear and Clearstream) immediately following the settlement date of DTC. DTC has advised us that cash received in Euroclear or Clearstream as a result of sales of interests in a Global Note by or through a Euroclear or Clearstream participant to a Participant in DTC will be received with value on the settlement date of DTC but will be available in the relevant Euroclear or Clearstream cash account only as of the business day for Euroclear or Clearstream following DTC’s settlement date.

 

Certain Definitions

 

Set forth below are certain defined terms used in the indenture. Reference is made to the indenture for a full disclosure of all such terms, as well as any other capitalized terms used herein for which no definition is provided.

 

ACNTA” (Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets) means (without duplication), as of the date of determination:

 

(1) the sum of:

 

(a) discounted future net revenue from proved crude oil and natural gas reserves of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries calculated in accordance with SEC guidelines before any state or federal income taxes, as estimated in a reserve report prepared as of the end of the Company’s most recently completed fiscal year, which reserve report is prepared or reviewed by independent petroleum engineers as to reserves accounting for at least 80% of all such discounted future net revenue and by the Company’s petroleum engineers with respect to any other such reserves covered by such report, as increased by, as of the date of determination, the discounted future net revenue from:

 

(i) estimated proved crude oil and natural gas reserves of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries attributable to acquisitions consummated since the date of such year-end reserve report, and

 

(ii) estimated crude oil and natural gas reserves of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries attributable to extensions, discoveries and other additions and upward determinations of estimates of proved crude oil and natural gas reserves (including previously estimated development costs incurred during the period and the accretion of discount since the prior year end) due to exploration, development or exploitation, production or other activities which reserves were not reflected in such year-end reserve report,

 

in each case calculated in accordance with SEC guidelines (utilizing the prices utilized in such year-end reserve report), and decreased by, as of the date of determination, the discounted future net revenue attributable to

 

(iii) estimated proved crude oil and natural gas reserves of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries reflected in such year-end reserve report produced or disposed of since the date of such year-end reserve report and

 

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(iv) reductions in the estimated proved crude oil and natural gas reserves of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries reflected in such year-end reserve report since the date of such year-end reserve report attributable to downward determinations of estimates of proved crude oil and natural gas reserves due to exploration, development or exploitation, production or other activities conducted or otherwise occurring since the date of such year-end reserve report,

 

in each case calculated in accordance with SEC guidelines (utilizing the prices utilized in such year-end reserve report); provided, however, that, in the case of each of the determinations made pursuant to clauses (i) through (iv), such increases and decreases shall be as estimated by the Company’s engineers, except that if as a result of such acquisitions, dispositions, discoveries, extensions or revisions, there is a Material Change, then such increases and decreases in the discounted future net revenue shall be confirmed in writing by an independent petroleum engineer;

 

(b) the capitalized costs that are attributable to crude oil and natural gas properties of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries to which no proved crude oil and natural gas reserves are attributed, based on the Company’s books and records as of a date no earlier than the date of the Company’s latest annual or quarterly financial statements;

 

(c) the Net Working Capital on a date no earlier than the date of the Company’s latest annual or quarterly financial statements; and

 

(d) the greater of (I) the net book value on a date no earlier than the date of the Company’s latest annual or quarterly financial statements and (II) the appraised value, as estimated by independent appraisers, of other tangible assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries as of a date no earlier than the date of the Company’s latest audited financial statements;

 

(2) minus, to the extent not otherwise taken into account in the immediately preceding clause (1), the sum of:

 

(a) minority interests;

 

(b) any net gas balancing liabilities of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries reflected in the Company’s latest audited financial statements;

 

(c) the discounted future net revenue, calculated in accordance with SEC guidelines (utilizing the same prices utilized in the Company’s year-end reserve report), attributable to reserves subject to participation interests, overriding royalty interests or other interests of third parties, pursuant to participation, partnership, vendor financing or other agreements then in effect, or which otherwise are required to be delivered to third parties;

 

(d) the discounted future net revenue, calculated in accordance with SEC guidelines (utilizing the same prices utilized in the Company’s year-end reserve report), attributable to reserves that are required to be delivered to third parties to fully satisfy the obligations of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries with respect to Volumetric Production Payments on the schedules specified with respect thereto; and

 

(e) the discounted future net revenue, calculated in accordance with SEC guidelines, attributable to reserves subject to Dollar-Denominated Production Payments that, based on the estimates of production included in determining the discounted future net revenue specified in the immediately preceding clause (1)(a) (utilizing the same prices utilized in the Company’s year-end reserve report), would be necessary to satisfy fully the obligations of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries with respect to Dollar-Denominated Production Payments on the schedules specified with respect thereto.

 

If the Company changes its method of accounting for its oil and gas properties from the successful efforts method to the full cost method or a similar method of accounting, ACNTA will continue to be calculated as if the Company were still using the successful efforts method of accounting.

 

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Acquired Debt” means, with respect to any specified Person:

 

(1) Indebtedness of any other Person existing at the time such other Person was merged with or into or became a Subsidiary of such specified Person, whether or not such Indebtedness is incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such other Person merging with or into, or becoming a Subsidiary of, such specified Person; and

 

(2) Indebtedness secured by a Lien encumbering any asset acquired by such specified Person.

 

Additional Assets” means:

 

(1) any assets used or useful in the Oil and Gas Business;

 

(2) the Capital Stock of a Person that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary as a result of the acquisition of such Capital Stock by the Company or another Restricted Subsidiary; or

 

(3) Capital Stock constituting a minority in any Person that at such time is a Restricted Subsidiary;

 

provided, however, that any such Restricted Subsidiary described in clause (2) or (3) is primarily engaged in the Oil and Gas Business.

 

Affiliate” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For purposes of this definition, “control,” as used with respect to any Person, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by agreement or otherwise; provided that beneficial ownership of 10% or more of the Voting Stock of a Person will be deemed to be control. For purposes of this definition, the terms “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with” have correlative meanings.

 

Asset Sale” means:

 

(1) the sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of any properties or assets (including by way of a Production Payment or sale and leaseback transaction); provided that the disposition of all or substantially all of the properties or assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole will be governed by the provisions of the indenture described above under the caption “—Repurchase at the Option of Holders—Change of Control” and/or the provisions described above under the caption “—Certain Covenants—Merger, Consolidation or Sale of Assets” and not by the provisions of the Asset Sale covenant; and

 

(2) the issuance of Equity Interests in any of the Company’s Restricted Subsidiaries or the sale of Equity Interests in any of its Restricted Subsidiaries.

 

Notwithstanding the preceding, the following items will not be deemed to be Asset Sales:

 

(1) any single transaction or series of related transactions that involves properties or assets having a fair market value of less than $2.5 million;

 

(2) a transfer of assets between or among any of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries,

 

(3) an issuance or sale of Equity Interests by a Restricted Subsidiary to the Company or to another Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(4) the sale, lease or other disposition of equipment, inventory, accounts receivable or other properties or assets in the ordinary course of business, including, without limitation, any abandonment, farm-in, farm-out, lease or sublease of any oil and gas properties or the forfeiture or other disposition of such properties pursuant to standard form operating agreements, in each case in the ordinary course of business in a manner customary in the Oil and Gas Business;

 

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(5) the sale or other disposition of cash or Cash Equivalents;

 

(6) a Restricted Payment that is permitted by the covenant described above under the caption “—Certain Covenants—Restricted Payments” or a Permitted Investment;

 

(7) any trade or exchange by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of oil and gas properties or other properties or assets for oil and gas properties or other properties or assets owned or held by another Person, provided that the fair market value of the properties or assets traded or exchanged by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary (together with any cash) is reasonably equivalent to the fair market value of the properties or assets (together with any cash) to be received by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, and provided further that any net cash received must be applied in accordance with the provisions described above under the caption “—Repurchase at the Option of Holders—Asset Sales;”

 

(8) the creation or perfection of a Lien (but not the sale or other disposition of the properties or assets subject to such Lien);

 

(9) surrender or waiver of contract rights or the settlement, release or surrender of contract, tort or other claims of any kind; and

 

(10) the disposition of any of the 390,000 shares of Capital Stock of Delta Petroleum Corporation held by the Company as of the date of the indenture.

 

Attributable Debt” in respect of a sale and leaseback transaction means, at the time of determination, the present value of the obligation of the lessee for net rental payments during the remaining term of the lease included in such sale and leaseback transaction including any period for which such lease has been extended or may, at the option of the lessor, be extended. Such present value shall be calculated using a discount rate equal to the rate of interest implicit in such transaction, determined in accordance with GAAP.

 

Beneficial Owner” has the meaning assigned to such term in Rule 13d-3 and Rule 13d-5 under the Exchange Act, except that in calculating the beneficial ownership of any particular “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), such “person” will be deemed to have beneficial ownership of all securities that such “person” has the right to acquire by conversion or exercise of other securities, whether such right is currently exercisable or is exercisable only upon the occurrence of a subsequent condition. The terms “Beneficially Owns” and “Beneficially Owned” have correlative meanings.

 

Board of Directors” means:

 

(1) with respect to a corporation, the board of directors of the corporation;

 

(2) with respect to a partnership, the Board of Directors of the general partner of the partnership; and

 

(3) with respect to any other Person, the board or committee of such Person serving a similar function.

 

Board Resolution” means a copy of a resolution certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the applicable Person to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors of such Person and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification, and delivered to the trustee.

 

Business Day” means each day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which banking institutions in Denver, Colorado or in New York, New York or another place of payment are authorized or required by law to close.

 

Capital Lease Obligation” means, at the time any determination is to be made, the amount of the liability in respect of a capital lease that would at that time be required to be capitalized on a balance sheet in accordance with GAAP.

 

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Capital Stock” means:

 

(1) in the case of a corporation, corporate stock;

 

(2) in the case of an association or business entity, any and all shares, interests, participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated) of corporate stock;

 

(3) in the case of a partnership or limited liability company, partnership or membership interests (whether general or limited); and

 

(4) any other interest or participation that confers on a Person the right to receive a share of the profits and losses of, or distributions of assets of, the issuing Person.

 

Cash Equivalents” means:

 

(1) United States dollars;

 

(2) securities issued or directly and fully guaranteed or insured by the United States government or any agency or instrumentality of the United States government (provided that the full faith and credit of the United States is pledged in support of those securities) having maturities of not more than six months from the date of acquisition;

 

(3) certificates of deposit and eurodollar time deposits with maturities of six months or less from the date of acquisition, bankers’ acceptances with maturities not exceeding six months and overnight bank deposits, in each case, with any lender party to the Credit Agreement or with any domestic commercial bank having capital and surplus in excess of $500.0 million and a Thomson Bank Watch Rating of “B” or better;

 

(4) repurchase obligations with a term of not more than seven days for underlying securities of the types described in clauses (2) and (3) above entered into with any financial institution meeting the qualifications specified in clause (3) above;

 

(5) commercial paper having the highest rating obtainable from Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services and in each case maturing within six months after the date of acquisition; and

 

(6) money market funds at least 95% of the assets of which constitute Cash Equivalents of the kinds described in clauses (1) through (5) of this definition.

 

Change of Control” means the occurrence of any of the following:

 

(1) the direct or indirect sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other than by way of merger or consolidation), in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the properties or assets (including Capital Stock of the Restricted Subsidiaries) of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole, to any “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act);

 

(2) the adoption of a plan relating to the liquidation or dissolution of the Company;

 

(3) the consummation of any transaction (including, without limitation, any merger or consolidation) the result of which is that any “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the Voting Stock of the Company, measured by voting power rather than number of shares; or

 

(4) the first day on which a majority of the members of the Board of Directors of the Company are not Continuing Directors.

 

Commission” or “SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

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Consolidated Cash Flow” means, with respect to any specified Person for any period, the Consolidated Net Income of such Person for such period plus:

 

(1) an amount equal to any extraordinary loss plus any net loss realized by such Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with an Asset Sale, to the extent such losses were deducted in computing such Consolidated Net Income; plus

 

(2) provision for taxes based on income or profits of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, to the extent that such provision for taxes was deducted in computing such Consolidated Net Income; plus

 

(3) consolidated interest expense of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, whether paid or accrued and whether or not capitalized (excluding any interest attributable to Dollar-Denominated Production Payments but including, without limitation, amortization of debt issuance costs and original issue discount, non-cash interest payments, the interest component of any deferred payment obligations, the interest component of all payments associated with Capital Lease Obligations, imputed interest with respect to Attributable Debt, commissions, discounts and other fees and charges incurred in respect of letter of credit or bankers’ acceptance financings), and net of the effect of all payments made or received pursuant to Hedging Obligations, to the extent that any such expense was deducted in computing such Consolidated Net Income; plus

 

(4) depreciation, depletion and amortization (including amortization of intangibles but excluding amortization of prepaid cash expenses that were paid in a prior period), impairment and other non-cash expenses (excluding any such non-cash expense to the extent that it represents an accrual of or reserve for cash expenses in any future period or amortization of a prepaid cash expense that was paid in a prior period) of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period to the extent that such depreciation, depletion and amortization, impairment and other non-cash expenses were deducted in computing such Consolidated Net Income; plus

 

(5) unrealized non-cash losses resulting from foreign currency balance sheet adjustments required by GAAP to the extent such losses were deducted in computing such Consolidated Net Income; minus

 

(6) non-cash items increasing such Consolidated Net Income for such period, other than items that were accrued in the ordinary course of business; minus (to the extent included in determining Consolidated Net Income):

 

(7) the sum of (x) the amount of deferred revenues that are amortized during such period and are attributable to reserves that are subject to Volumetric Production Payments and (y) amounts recorded in accordance with GAAP as repayments of principal and interest pursuant to Dollar-Denominated Production Payments,

 

in each case, on a consolidated basis and determined in accordance with GAAP.

 

Consolidated Net Income” means, with respect to any specified Person for any period, the aggregate of the Net Income of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, on a consolidated basis, determined in accordance with GAAP; provided that:

 

(1) the Net Income (but not loss) of any Person that is not a Restricted Subsidiary or that is accounted for by the equity method of accounting will be included, but only to the extent of the amount of dividends or distributions paid in cash to the specified Person or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Person;

 

(2) the Net Income of any Restricted Subsidiary will be excluded to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions by that Restricted Subsidiary of that Net Income is not at the date of determination permitted without any prior governmental approval (that has not been obtained) or, directly or indirectly, by operation of the terms of its charter or any agreement, instrument, judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or governmental regulation applicable to that Restricted Subsidiary or its stockholders, partners or members;

 

(3) the cumulative effect of a change in accounting principles will be excluded;

 

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(4) income resulting from transfers of assets (other than cash) between the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and an Unrestricted Subsidiary, on the other hand, will be excluded;

 

(5) any write-downs of non-current assets will be excluded; provided that any ceiling limitation write-downs under Commission guidelines shall be treated as capitalized costs, as if such write-downs had not occurred; and

 

(6) any unrealized non-cash gains or losses or charges in respect of hedge or non-hedge derivatives (including those resulting from the application of FAS 133) will be excluded.

 

In addition, notwithstanding the preceding, for the purposes of the covenant described under “—Certain Covenants—Restricted Payments” only, there shall be excluded from Consolidated Net Income any nonrecurring charges relating to any premium or penalty paid, write off of deferred finance costs or other charges in connection with redeeming or retiring any Indebtedness prior to its Stated Maturity.

 

Continuing Directors” means, as of any date of determination, any member of the Board of Directors of the Company who:

 

(1) was a member of such Board of Directors on the date of the indenture; or

 

(2) was nominated for election or elected to such Board of Directors with the approval of a majority of the Continuing Directors who were members of such Board at the time of such nomination or election.

 

Credit Agreement” means that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of December 20, 2002, among Whiting, the financial institutions parties thereto, Bank One, N.A., as Administrative Agent, and Wachovia Bank, National Association, as Syndication Agent, providing for revolving credit borrowings, including any related notes, guarantees, collateral documents, instruments and agreements executed in connection therewith, and in each case as amended, restated, modified, renewed, refunded, replaced or refinanced from time to time.

 

Credit Facilities” means one or more debt facilities (including, without limitation, the Credit Agreement), commercial paper facilities or secured capital markets financings, in each case with banks or other institutional lenders or institutional investors providing for revolving credit loans, term loans, receivables financing (including through the sale of receivables to such lenders or to special purpose entities formed to borrow from (or sell receivables to) such lenders against such receivables), letters of credit or secured capital markets financings, in each case, as amended, restated, modified, renewed, refunded, replaced or refinanced (including refinancing with any capital markets transaction) in whole or in part from time to time.

 

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

 

Designated Senior Debt” means:

 

(1) any Indebtedness outstanding from time to time under the Credit Facilities; and

 

(2) any other Senior Debt permitted under the indenture the principal amount of which is $25.0 million or more and that is from time to time designated by the Company as “Designated Senior Debt.”

 

Disqualified Stock” means any Capital Stock that, by its terms (or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible, or for which it is exchangeable, in each case at the option of the holder of the Capital Stock), or upon the happening of any event, matures or is mandatorily redeemable, pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, or redeemable at the option of the holder of the Capital Stock, in whole or in part, on or prior to the date that is 91 days after the date on which the notes mature. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, any Capital Stock that would constitute Disqualified Stock solely because the holders of the Capital Stock have the right to require the Company to repurchase or redeem such Capital Stock upon the occurrence of a change of control or an asset sale will not constitute Disqualified Stock if the terms of such Capital Stock provide that the Company may not repurchase or redeem any such

 

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Capital Stock pursuant to such provisions unless such repurchase or redemption complies with the covenant described above under the caption “—Certain Covenants—Restricted Payments.”

 

Dollar-Denominated Production Payments” means production payment obligations recorded as liabilities in accordance with GAAP, together with all undertakings and obligations in connection therewith.

 

Domestic Subsidiary” means any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company other than a Foreign Subsidiary.

 

Equity Interests” means Capital Stock and all warrants, options or other rights to acquire Capital Stock (but excluding any debt security that is convertible into, or exchangeable for, Capital Stock).

 

Equity Offering” means any public or private sale of Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) made for cash on a primary basis by the Company after the date of the indenture.

 

Existing Indebtedness” means the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries (other than Indebtedness under the Credit Agreement which is considered incurred under the first paragraph under the covenant entitled “Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock”) in existence on the date of the indenture, until such amounts are repaid.

 

Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio” means with respect to any specified Person for any four-quarter reference period, the ratio of the Consolidated Cash Flow of such Person for such period to the Fixed Charges of such Person for such period. In the event that the specified Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries incurs, assumes, guarantees, repays, repurchases or redeems any Indebtedness (other than ordinary working capital borrowings) or issues, repurchases or redeems preferred stock subsequent to the commencement of the applicable four-quarter reference period and on or prior to the date on which the event for which the calculation of the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio is made (the “Calculation Date”), then the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio will be calculated giving pro forma effect to such incurrence, assumption, guarantee, repayment, repurchase or redemption of Indebtedness, or such issuance, repurchase or redemption of preferred stock, and the use of the proceeds therefrom as if the same had occurred at the beginning of such period.

 

In addition, for purposes of calculating the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio:

 

(1) acquisitions that have been made by the specified Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, including through mergers or consolidations and including any related financing transactions, subsequent to the commencement of the applicable four-quarter reference period and on or prior to the Calculation Date will be given pro forma effect as if they had occurred on the first day of such period, including any Consolidated Cash Flow and any pro forma expense and cost reductions that have occurred or are reasonably expected to occur, in the reasonable judgment of the chief financial or accounting officer of the Company (regardless of whether those cost savings or operating improvements could then be reflected in pro forma financial statements in accordance with Regulation S-X promulgated under the Securities Act or any other regulation or policy of the Commission related thereto);

 

(2) the Consolidated Cash Flow attributable to discontinued operations, as determined in accordance with GAAP, and operations or businesses disposed of prior to the Calculation Date, will be excluded; and

 

(3) the Fixed Charges attributable to discontinued operations, as determined in accordance with GAAP, and operations or businesses disposed of prior to the Calculation Date, will be excluded, but only to the extent that the obligations giving rise to such Fixed Charges will not be obligations of the specified Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries following the Calculation Date.

 

Fixed Charges” means, with respect to any specified Person for any period, the sum, without duplication, of:

 

(1) the consolidated interest expense of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, whether paid or accrued (excluding any interest attributable to Dollar-Denominated Production Payments but including, without limitation, amortization of debt issuance costs and original issue discount, non-cash interest payments, the interest component of any deferred payment obligations, the interest component of all payments associated with Capital Lease Obligations, imputed interest with respect to Attributable Debt, commissions, discounts

 

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and other fees and charges incurred in respect of letter of credit or bankers’ acceptance financings), and net of the effect of all payments made or received pursuant to Hedging Obligations; plus

 

(2) the consolidated interest expense of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries that was capitalized during such period; plus

 

(3) any interest expense on Indebtedness of another Person that is guaranteed by such Person or one of its Restricted Subsidiaries or secured by a Lien on assets of such Person or one of its Restricted Subsidiaries, whether or not such guarantee or Lien is called upon; plus

 

(4) the product of (a) all dividends, whether paid or accrued and whether or not in cash, on any series of preferred stock of such Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, other than dividends on Equity Interests payable solely in Equity Interests of the Company (other than Disqualified Stock) or to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, times (b) a fraction, the numerator of which is one and the denominator of which is one minus the then current combined federal, state and local statutory tax rate of such Person, expressed as a decimal, in each case, on a consolidated basis and in accordance with GAAP.

 

Foreign Subsidiary” means any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company that was not formed under the laws of the United States or any state of the United States or the District of Columbia and that conducts substantially all of its operations outside the United States.

 

GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, which are in effect on the date of the indenture.

 

The term “guarantee” means a guarantee other than by endorsement of negotiable instruments for collection in the ordinary course of business, direct or indirect, in any manner including, without limitation, by way of a pledge of assets or through letters of credit or reimbursement agreements in respect thereof, of all or any part of any Indebtedness. When used as a verb, “guarantee” has a correlative meaning.

 

Guarantors” means each of:

 

(1) Whiting Oil and Gas Corporation and Whiting Programs, Inc., each a Delaware corporation, and Equity Oil company, a Colorado corporation; and

 

(2) any other Restricted Subsidiary of the Company that becomes a Guarantor in accordance with the provisions of the indenture;

 

and their respective successors and assigns.

 

Hedging Obligations” means, with respect to any specified Person, the obligations of such Person incurred in the normal course of business and consistent with past practices and not for speculative purposes under:

 

(1) interest rate swap agreements, interest rate cap agreements and interest rate collar agreements entered into with one of more financial institutions and designed to protect the Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries entering into the agreement against fluctuations in interest rates with respect to Indebtedness incurred and not for purposes of speculation;

 

(2) foreign exchange contracts and currency protection agreements entered into with one of more financial institutions and designed to protect the Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries entering into the agreement against fluctuations in currency exchanges rates with respect to Indebtedness incurred and not for purposes of speculation;

 

(3) any commodity futures contract, commodity option or other similar agreement or arrangement designed to protect against fluctuations in the price of oil, natural gas or other commodities used, produced, processed or sold by that Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries at the time; and

 

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(4) other agreements or arrangements designed to protect such Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries against fluctuations in interest rates, commodity prices or currency exchange rates.

 

Holder” means a Person in whose name a Note is registered.

 

Income Fund Partnerships” means Whiting-Park Production Partnership, Ltd., Whiting-Madison Production Partnership, Ltd. and Whiting 1988 Production Limited Partnership, Ltd., each a Texas limited partnership.

 

Indebtedness” means, with respect to any specified Person, any indebtedness of such Person, whether or not contingent:

 

(1) in respect of borrowed money;

 

(2) evidenced by bonds, notes, debentures or similar instruments or letters of credit (or reimbursement agreements in respect thereof);

 

(3) in respect of bankers’ acceptances;

 

(4) representing Capital Lease Obligations;

 

(5) representing the balance deferred and unpaid of the purchase price of any property, except any such balance that constitutes an accrued expense or trade payable; or

 

(6) representing any Hedging Obligations,

 

if and to the extent any of the preceding items (other than letters of credit and Hedging Obligations) would appear as a liability upon a balance sheet of the specified Person prepared in accordance with GAAP. In addition, the term “Indebtedness” includes all Indebtedness of others secured by a Lien on any asset of the specified Person (whether or not such Indebtedness is assumed by the specified Person) and, to the extent not otherwise included, the guarantee by the specified Person of any Indebtedness of any other Person (including, with respect to any Production Payment, any warranties or guarantees of production or payment by such Person with respect to such Production Payment, but excluding other contractual obligations of such Person with respect to such Production Payment). Subject to the preceding sentence, neither Dollar-Denominated Production Payments nor Volumetric Production Payments shall be deemed to be Indebtedness.

 

The amount of any Indebtedness outstanding as of any date will be:

 

(1) the accreted value of the Indebtedness, in the case of any Indebtedness issued with original issue discount;

 

(2) in the case of any Hedging Obligation, the termination value of the agreement or arrangement giving rise to such Hedging Obligation that would be payable by such Person at such date; and

 

(3) the principal amount of the Indebtedness, together with any interest on the Indebtedness that is more than 30 days past due, in the case of any other Indebtedness.

 

Investments” means, with respect to any Person, all direct or indirect investments by such Person in other Persons (including Affiliates) in the forms of loans (including guarantees or other obligations), advances or capital contributions (excluding commission, travel and similar advances to officers and employees made in the ordinary course of business), purchases or other acquisitions for consideration of Indebtedness, Equity Interests or other securities, together with all items that are or would be classified as investments on a balance sheet prepared in accordance with GAAP. If the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company sells or otherwise disposes of any Equity Interests of any direct or indirect Restricted Subsidiary of the Company such that, after giving effect to any such sale or disposition, such Person is no longer a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, the Company will be deemed to have made an Investment on the date of any such sale or disposition in an amount equal to the fair market value of the Equity Interests of such Restricted Subsidiary not sold or disposed of in an amount determined as provided in the final

 

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paragraph of the covenant described above under the caption “—Certain Covenants—Restricted Payments.” The acquisition by the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company of a Person that holds an Investment in a third Person will be deemed to be an Investment made by the Company or such Subsidiary in such third Person in an amount equal to the fair market value of the Investment held by the acquired Person in such third Person on the date of any such acquisition in an amount determined as provided in the final paragraph of the covenant described above under the caption “—Certain Covenants—Restricted Payments.”

 

Lien” means, with respect to any asset, any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, security interest or encumbrance of any kind in respect of such asset, whether or not filed, recorded or otherwise perfected under applicable law, including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any lease in the nature thereof, any option or other agreement to sell or give a security interest in and any filing of or agreement to give any financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code (or equivalent statutes) of any jurisdiction other than a precautionary financing statement not intended as a security agreement.

 

Material Change” means an increase or decrease (excluding changes that result solely from changes in prices and changes resulting from the incurrence of previously estimated future development costs) of more than 25% during a fiscal quarter in the discounted future net revenues from proved crude oil and natural gas reserves of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, calculated in accordance with clause (1)(a) of the definition of ACNTA; provided, however, that the following will be excluded from the calculation of Material Change:

 

(1) any acquisitions during the fiscal quarter of oil and gas reserves that have been estimated by independent petroleum engineers and with respect to which a report or reports of such engineers exist; and

 

(2) any disposition of properties existing at the beginning of such fiscal quarter that have been disposed of in compliance with the covenant described under “ —Repurchase of the Option of Holders —Assets Sales.”

 

Material Domestic Subsidiary” means any one Domestic Subsidiary, or any group of two or more Domestic Subsidiaries, that is not a Guarantor at the time of determination and that at such time has either assets or quarterly revenues in excess of 3.0% of the consolidated assets or quarterly revenues of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, in each case based upon the most recent quarterly financial statements available to the Company.

 

Net Income” means, with respect to any specified Person, the net income (loss) of such Person, determined in accordance with GAAP and before any reduction in respect of preferred stock dividends, excluding, however:

 

(1) any gain (but not loss), together with any related provision for taxes on such gain (but not loss), realized in connection with: (a) any Asset Sale; or (b) the disposition of any securities by such Person or any of its Subsidiaries or the extinguishment of any Indebtedness of such Person or any of its Subsidiaries; and

 

(2) any extraordinary gain (but not loss), together with any related provision for taxes on such extraordinary gain (but not loss).

 

Net Proceeds” means the aggregate cash proceeds received by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of any Asset Sale (including, without limitation, any cash received upon the sale or other disposition of any non-cash consideration received in any Asset Sale), net of:

 

(1) the direct costs relating to such Asset Sale, including, without limitation, legal, accounting and investment banking fees, and sales commissions, and any relocation expenses incurred as a result of the Asset Sale,

 

(2) taxes paid or payable as a result of the Asset Sale, in each case, after taking into account any available tax credits or deductions and any tax sharing arrangements,

 

(3) amounts required to be applied to the repayment of Indebtedness, other than under the Credit Facilities, secured by a Lien on the properties or assets that were the subject of such Asset Sale, and

 

(4) any reserve for adjustment in respect of the sale price of such properties or assets established in accordance with GAAP.

 

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Net Working Capital” means:

 

(1) all current assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, minus

 

(2) all current liabilities of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, except current liabilities included in Indebtedness;

 

in each case, on a consolidated basis and determined in accordance with GAAP.

 

Non-Recourse Debt” means Indebtedness:

 

(1) as to which neither the Company nor any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (a) provides credit support of any kind (including any undertaking, agreement or instrument that would constitute Indebtedness), (b) is directly or indirectly liable as a guarantor or otherwise, or (c) is the lender;

 

(2) no default with respect to which (including any rights that the holders of the Indebtedness may have to take enforcement action against an Unrestricted Subsidiary) would permit upon notice, lapse of time or both any holder of any other Indebtedness (other than the notes) of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to declare a default on such other Indebtedness or cause the payment of the Indebtedness to be accelerated or payable prior to its Stated Maturity; and

 

(3) as to which the lenders have been notified in writing that they will not have any recourse to the stock or assets of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries.

 

Obligations” means any principal, premium, if any, interest (including interest accruing on or after the filing of any petition in bankruptcy or for reorganization, whether or not a claim for post-filing interest is allowed in such proceeding), penalties, fees, charges, expenses, indemnifications, reimbursement obligations, damages, guarantees, and other liabilities or amounts payable under the documentation governing any Indebtedness or in respect thereto.

 

Oil and Gas Business” means:

 

(1) the acquisition, exploration, development, operation and disposition of interests in oil, natural gas and other hydrocarbon properties;

 

(2) the gathering, marketing, treating, processing (but not refining), storage, selling and transporting of any production from those interests; and

 

(3) any activity necessary, appropriate or incidental to the activities described above.

 

Permitted Business Investments” means Investments made in the ordinary course of, and of a nature that is or shall have become customary in, the Oil and Gas Business, including through agreements, transactions, interests or arrangements that permit one to share risk or costs, comply with regulatory requirements regarding local ownership or satisfy other objectives customarily achieved through the conduct of the Oil and Gas Business jointly with third parties, including without limitation:

 

(1) direct or indirect ownership of crude oil, natural gas, other related hydrocarbon and mineral properties or any interest therein or gathering, transportation, processing, storage or related systems; and

 

(2) the entry into operating agreements, joint ventures, processing agreements, working interests, royalty interests, mineral leases, farm-in agreements, farm-out agreements, development agreements, production sharing agreements, area of mutual interest agreements, contracts for the sale, transportation or exchange of crude oil and natural gas and related hydrocarbons and minerals, unitization agreements, pooling arrangements, joint bidding agreements, service contracts, partnership agreements (whether general or limited), or other similar or customary agreements, transactions, properties, interests or arrangements and Investments and expenditures in connection therewith or pursuant thereto, in each case made or entered into in the ordinary course of the Oil and Gas Business, excluding, however, Investments in corporations and publicly-traded limited partnerships.

 

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Permitted Investments” means:

 

(1) any Investment in the Company or in a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company;

 

(2) any Investment in Cash Equivalents;

 

(3) any Investment by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company in a Person, if as a result of such Investment:

 

(a) such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company; or

 

(b) such Person is merged, consolidated or amalgamated with or into, or transfers or conveys substantially all of its properties or assets to, or is liquidated into, the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company;

 

(4) any Investment made as a result of the receipt of non-cash consideration from an Asset Sale that was made pursuant to and in compliance with the covenant described above under the caption “—Repurchase at the Option of Holders—Asset Sales;”

 

(5) any Investment in any Person solely in exchange for the issuance of Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company;

 

(6) any Investments received in compromise of obligations of trade creditors or customers that were incurred in the ordinary course of business, including pursuant to any plan of reorganization or similar arrangement upon the bankruptcy or insolvency of any trade creditor or customer;

 

(7) Hedging Obligations permitted to be incurred under the “Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock” covenant;

 

(8) Permitted Business Investments; and

 

(9) other Investments in any Person having an aggregate fair market value (measured on the date each such Investment was made and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value), when taken together with all other Investments made pursuant to this clause (9) that are at the time outstanding, not to exceed the greater of $20.0 million and 2.5% of ACNTA.

 

Permitted Junior Securities” means:

 

(1) Equity Interests in the Company or any Guarantor; or

 

(2) debt securities that are subordinated to all Senior Debt and any debt securities issued in exchange for Senior Debt to substantially the same extent as, or to a greater extent than, the notes and the Subsidiary Guarantees are subordinated to Senior Debt pursuant to the indenture.

 

Permitted Liens” means:

 

(1) Liens securing any Indebtedness under any of the Credit Facilities or any other Senior Debt;

 

(2) Liens in favor of the Company or the Guarantors;

 

(3) Liens on property of a Person existing at the time such Person is merged with or into or consolidated with the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, provided that such Liens were in existence prior to the contemplation of such merger or consolidation and do not extend to any assets other than those of the Person merged into or consolidated with the Company or the Restricted Subsidiary;

 

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(4) Liens on property existing at the time of acquisition of the property by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, provided that such Liens were in existence prior to the contemplation of such acquisition;

 

(5) Liens to secure Indebtedness (including Capital Lease Obligations) permitted by clause (4) of the second paragraph of the covenant entitled “—Certain Covenants—Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock” covering only the assets acquired with such Indebtedness and proceeds and products thereof;

 

(6) Liens existing on the date of the indenture; and

 

(7) Liens incurred in the ordinary course of business of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company with respect to obligations that do not exceed $10.0 million at any one time outstanding.

 

Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness” means any Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries issued in exchange for, or the net proceeds of which are used to extend, refinance, renew, replace, defease or refund other Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (other than intercompany Indebtedness); provided that:

 

(1) the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness does not exceed the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of the Indebtedness being extended, refinanced, renewed, replaced, defeased or refunded (plus all accrued interest on the Indebtedness and the amount of all expenses and premiums incurred in connection therewith);

 

(2) such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness has a final maturity date later than the final maturity date of, and has a Weighted Average Life to Maturity equal to or greater than the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of, the Indebtedness being extended, refinanced, renewed, replaced, defeased or refunded;

 

(3) if the Indebtedness being extended, refinanced, renewed, replaced, defeased or refunded is subordinated in right of payment to the notes or the Subsidiary Guarantees, such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness is subordinated in right of payment to the notes or the Subsidiary Guarantees on terms at least as favorable to the Holders of notes as those contained in the documentation governing the Indebtedness being extended, refinanced, renewed, replaced, defeased or refunded; and

 

(4) such Indebtedness is not incurred by a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company if the Company is the obligor on the Indebtedness being extended, refinanced, renewed, replaced, defeased or refunded; provided, however, that a Restricted Subsidiary that is also a Guarantor may guarantee Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness incurred by the Company, whether or not such Restricted Subsidiary was an obligor or guarantor of the Indebtedness being extended, refinanced, renewed, replaced, defeased or refunded.

 

Notwithstanding the preceding, any Indebtedness incurred under Credit Facilities pursuant to the covenant “Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock” shall be subject only to the refinancing provision in the definition of Credit Facilities and not pursuant to the requirements set forth in the definition of Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness.

 

Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, limited liability company or government or other entity.

 

Production Payments” means, collectively, Dollar-Denominated Production Payments and Volumetric Production Payments.

 

Restricted Investment” means an Investment other than a Permitted Investment.

 

Restricted Subsidiary” of a Person means any Subsidiary of the referent Person that is not an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

 

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Senior Debt” means

 

(1) all Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries outstanding under Credit Facilities and all Hedging Obligations with respect thereto;

 

(2) any other Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries permitted to be incurred under the terms of the indenture, unless the instrument under which such Indebtedness is incurred expressly provides that it is on a parity with or subordinated in right of payment to the notes or any Subsidiary Guarantee; and

 

(3) all Obligations with respect to the items listed in the preceding clauses (1) and (2).

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding sentence, Senior Debt will not include:

 

(a) any intercompany Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to the Company or any of its Affiliates; or

 

(b) any Indebtedness that is incurred in violation of the indenture.

 

For the avoidance of doubt, “Senior Debt” will not include any trade payables or taxes owed or owing by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary.

 

Significant Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that would be a “significant subsidiary” as defined in Article 1, Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X, promulgated pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Regulation is in effect on the date of the indenture.

 

Stated Maturity” means, with respect to any installment of interest or principal on any series of Indebtedness, the date on which the payment of interest or principal was scheduled to be paid in the original documentation governing such Indebtedness, and will not include any contingent obligations to repay, redeem or repurchase any such interest or principal prior to the date originally scheduled for the payment thereof.

 

Subsidiary” means, with respect to any specified Person:

 

(1) any corporation, association or other business entity (other than a partnership) of which more than 50% of the total voting power of Voting Stock is at the time owned or controlled, directly or through another Subsidiary, by that Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that Person (or a combination thereof); and

 

(2) any partnership (a) the sole general partner or the managing general partner of which is such Person or a Subsidiary of such Person or (b) the only general partners of which are that Person or one or more Subsidiaries of that Person (or any combination thereof), but only if such Person and its Subsidiaries are entitled to receive more than 20% of the assets of such partnership upon its dissolution.

 

Subsidiary Guarantee” means any guarantee by a Guarantor of the Company’s payment Obligations under the indenture and on the notes.

 

Unrestricted Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Company (other than Whiting) that is designated by the Board of Directors as an Unrestricted Subsidiary pursuant to a Board Resolution, but only to the extent that such Subsidiary:

 

(1) has no Indebtedness other than Non-Recourse Debt;

 

(2) is not party to any agreement, contract, arrangement or understanding with the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company unless the terms of any such agreement, contract, arrangement or understanding are no less favorable to the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary than those that might be obtained at the time from Persons who are not Affiliates of the Company;

 

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(3) is a Person with respect to which neither the Company nor any of its Restricted Subsidiaries has any direct or indirect obligation (a) to subscribe for additional Equity Interests or (b) to maintain or preserve such Person’s financial condition or to cause such Person to achieve any specified levels of operating results; and

 

(4) has not guaranteed or otherwise directly or indirectly provided credit support for any Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries.

 

Any designation of a Subsidiary of the Company as an Unrestricted Subsidiary will be evidenced to the trustee by filing with the trustee the Board Resolution giving effect to such designation and an officers’ certificate certifying that such designation complied with the preceding conditions and was permitted by the covenant described above under the caption “—Certain Covenants—Restricted Payments.” If, at any time, any Unrestricted Subsidiary would fail to meet the preceding requirements as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, it will thereafter cease to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary for purposes of the indenture and any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary will be deemed to be incurred by a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company as of such date and, if such Indebtedness is not permitted to be incurred as of such date under the covenant described under the caption “—Certain Covenants—Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock,” the Company will be in default of such covenant.

 

Volumetric Production Payments” means production payment obligations recorded as deferred revenue in accordance with GAAP, together with all related undertakings and obligations.

 

Voting Stock” of any Person as of any date means the Capital Stock of such Person that is at the time entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of the Board of Directors of such Person.

 

Weighted Average Life to Maturity” means, when applied to any Indebtedness at any date, the number of years obtained by dividing:

 

(1) the sum of the products obtained by multiplying (a) the amount of each then remaining installment, sinking fund, serial maturity or other required payments of principal, including payment at final maturity, in respect of the Indebtedness, by (b) the number of years (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth) that will elapse between such date and the making of such payment; by

 

(2) the then outstanding principal amount of such Indebtedness.

 

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

 

We may sell the notes in and outside the United States (1) through underwriters or dealers, (2) directly to purchasers, including our affiliates and shareholders, or in a rights offering, (3) through agents or (4) through a combination of any of these methods. The prospectus supplement will include the following information:

 

  the terms of the offering;

 

  the names of any underwriters, dealers or agents;

 

  the name or names of any managing underwriter or underwriters;

 

  the purchase price of the notes;

 

  the net proceeds from the sale of the notes;

 

  any delayed delivery arrangements;

 

  any underwriting discounts, commissions and other items constituting underwriters’ compensation;

 

  any initial public offering price;

 

  any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers; and

 

  any commissions paid to agents.

 

Sale Through Underwriters or Dealers

 

If we use underwriters in the sale, the underwriters will acquire the notes for their own account for resale to the public. The underwriters may resell the notes from time to time in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. Underwriters may offer notes to the public either through underwriting syndicates represented by one or more managing underwriters or directly by one or more firms acting as underwriters. Unless we inform you otherwise in the prospectus supplement, the obligations of the underwriters to purchase the notes will be subject to certain conditions, and the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all of the offered notes if they purchase any of them. The underwriters may change from time to time any initial public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers.

 

Representatives of the underwriters through whom the notes are sold for public offering and sale may engage in over-allotment, stabilizing transactions, syndicate short covering transactions and penalty bids in accordance with Regulation M under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Over-allotment involves syndicate sales in excess of the offering size, which creates a syndicate short position. Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the notes so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum. Syndicate covering transactions involve purchases of the notes in the open market after the distribution has been completed in order to cover syndicate short positions. Penalty bids permit the representative of the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a syndicate member when the notes originally sold by such syndicate member are purchased in a syndicate covering transaction to cover syndicate short positions. Such stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids may cause the price of the notes to be higher than it would otherwise be in the absence of such transactions. These transactions may be effected on a national securities exchange and, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time.

 

Any underwriters to whom we sell the notes for public offering and sale may make a market in the notes, but they will not be obligated to do so and they may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. Accordingly, we cannot assure you of the liquidity of, or continued trading markets for, the notes.

 

If we use dealers in the sale of notes, we will sell the notes to them as principals. They may then resell those notes to the public at varying prices determined by the dealers at the time of resale. We will include in the prospectus supplement the names of the dealers and the terms of the transaction.

 

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Direct Sales and Sales through Agents

 

We may sell the notes directly. In this case, no underwriters or agents would be involved. We may also sell the notes through agents designated from time to time. In the prospectus supplement, we will name any agent involved in the offer or sale of the notes, and we will describe any commissions payable to the agent. Unless we inform you otherwise in the prospectus supplement, any agent will agree to use its reasonable best efforts to solicit purchases for the period of its appointment.

 

We may sell the notes directly to institutional investors or others who may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 with respect to any sale of those notes. We will describe the terms of any such sales in the prospectus supplement.

 

Remarketing Arrangements

 

Notes may also be offered and sold, if so indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, in connection with a remarketing upon their purchase, in accordance with a redemption or repayment pursuant to their terms, or otherwise, by one or more remarketing firms, acting as principals for their own accounts or as agents for us. Any remarketing firm will be identified and the terms of its agreements, if any, with us and its compensation will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. Remarketing firms may be deemed to be underwriters, as that term is defined in the Securities Act of 1933, in connection with the notes remarketed.

 

Delayed Delivery Arrangements

 

If we so indicate in the prospectus supplement, we may authorize agents, underwriters or dealers to solicit offers from certain types of institutions to purchase notes from us at the public offering price under delayed delivery contracts. These contracts would provide for payment and delivery on a specified date in the future. The contracts would be subject only to those conditions described in the prospectus supplement. The prospectus supplement will describe the commission payable for solicitation of those contracts.

 

General Information

 

We may have agreements with the underwriters, dealers and agents to indemnify them against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, or to contribute with respect to payments that the underwriters, dealers or agents may be required to make.

 

Underwriters, dealers and agents may engage in transactions with, or perform services for, us in the ordinary course of our business.

 

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

 

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. We also filed a registration statement on Form S-3, including exhibits, under the Securities Act of 1933 with respect to the securities offered by this prospectus. This prospectus is a part of the registration statement, but does not contain all of the information included in the registration statement or the exhibits. You may read and copy the registration statement and any other document that we file at the SEC’s public reference room at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington D.C. You can call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the operation of the public reference room. You can also find our public filings with the SEC on the internet at a web site maintained by the SEC located at http://www.sec.gov.

 

We are “incorporating by reference” specified documents that we file with the SEC, which means:

 

  incorporated documents are considered part of this prospectus;

 

  we are disclosing important information to you by referring you to those documents; and

 

  information we file with the SEC will automatically update and supersede information contained in this prospectus.

 

We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings we make with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 after the date of this prospectus and before the end of the offering of the securities pursuant to this prospectus:

 

  our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003;

 

  our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2004, June 30, 2004 and September 30, 2004; and

 

  our Current Reports on Form 8-K, dated February 2, 2004, April 22, 2004, April 26, 2004, May 6, 2004, June 3, 2004, July 20, 2004, September 1, 2004, September 23, 2004 (as amended by Amendment No. 1 thereto on Form 8-K/A filed on October 18, 2004), October 26, 2004 and November 16, 2004.

 

You may request a copy of any of these filings, at no cost, by request directed to us at the following address or telephone number:

 

   

Whiting Petroleum Corporation

   
   

1700 Broadway, Suite 2300

   
   

Denver, Colorado 80290

   
   

(303) 837-1661

   
   

Attention: Corporate Secretary

   

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

 

The validity of any notes offered by this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Foley & Lardner LLP. Welborn Sullivan Meck & Tooley, P.C. will pass on certain legal matters relating to us and our subsidiaries for us in connection with any offerings of the securities. Any underwriters will be advised by Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. about other issues relating to any offerings of the securities.

 

EXPERTS

 

The consolidated financial statements of Whiting Petroleum Corporation as of December 31, 2003 and 2002 and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2003, incorporated in this prospectus by reference from our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003 have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report which is incorporated by reference herein (which report expresses an unqualified opinion and includes an explanatory paragraph referring to a change in Whiting Petroleum Corporation’s method of accounting for asset retirement obligations effective January 1, 2003), and have been so incorporated in reliance upon the report of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

The statements of revenues and direct operating expenses of the Permian Basin Acquisition Properties for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2003, incorporated in this prospectus by reference from Amendment No. 1 to our Current Report on Form 8-K dated September 23, 2004 have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report, which is incorporated by reference herein, and have been so incorporated in reliance upon the report of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

Certain information with respect to our oil and natural gas reserves derived from the reports of Cawley Gillespie & Associates, Inc., R.A. Lenser & Associates, Inc. and Ryder Scott Company, L.P., each independent petroleum engineering consultants, has been incorporated in this registration statement by reference on the authority of said firms as experts in petroleum engineering.

 

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PART II

 

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

 

Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.

 

Securities and Exchange Commission filing fee

   $ 58,850

Legal fees and expenses

     200,000

Accounting fees and expenses

     100,000

Printing expenses

     100,000

Miscellaneous

     11,150
    

Total expenses

   $ 470,000
    

 

All of the above fees and expenses will be paid by Whiting Petroleum Corporation (the “Company”). Other than the Securities and Exchange Commission filing fee, all fees and expenses are estimated.

 

Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

 

Under the provisions of Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, the Company is required to indemnify any present or former officer or director against expenses arising out of legal proceedings in which the director or officer becomes involved by reason of being a director or officer if the director or officer is successful in the defense of such proceedings. Section 145 also provides that the Company may indemnify a director or officer in connection with a proceeding in which he is not successful in defending if it is determined that he acted in good faith and in a manner reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company or, in the case of a criminal action, if it is determined that he had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful. Liabilities for which a director or officer may be indemnified include amounts paid in satisfaction of settlements, judgments, fines and other expenses (including attorneys’ fees incurred in connection with such proceedings). In a stockholder derivative action, no indemnification may be paid in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which the director or officer has been adjudged to be liable to the Company (except for expenses allowed by a court).

 

The Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides for indemnification of directors and officers of the Company to the full extent permitted by applicable law. Under the provisions of the Company’s Amended and Restated By-laws, the Company is required to indemnify officers or directors to a greater extent than under the current provisions of Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. Except with respect to stockholder derivative actions, the By-law provisions generally state that the director or officer will be indemnified against expenses, amounts paid in settlement and judgments, fines, penalties and/or other amounts incurred with respect to any threatened, pending or completed proceeding, provided that (i) such person acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, and (ii) with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, such person had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful.

 

The foregoing standards also apply with respect to the indemnification of expenses incurred in a stockholder derivative suit. However, a director or officer may only be indemnified for settlement amounts or judgments incurred in a derivative suit to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.

 

In accordance with the Delaware General Corporation Law, the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation contains a provision to limit the personal liability of the directors of the Company for violations of their fiduciary duty. This provision eliminates each director’s liability to the Company or its stockholders, for monetary damages except (i) for breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the Company or its stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) under Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law providing for liability of directors for unlawful payment of dividends or unlawful stock purchases or redemptions or (iv) for any transaction from which a director derived an improper personal benefit. The effect of this provision is to eliminate the personal liability of directors for monetary damages for actions involving a breach of their fiduciary duty of care, including any such actions involving gross negligence.

 

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The Company maintains insurance policies that provide coverage to its directors and officers against certain liabilities.

 

Item 16. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules.

 

The exhibits listed in the accompanying Exhibit Index are filed or incorporated by reference as part of this Registration Statement.

 

Item 17. Undertakings.

 

  (a) The undersigned Registrants hereby undertake:

 

  (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

 

  (i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

 

  (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the Registration Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective Registration Statement;

 

  (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or any material change to such information in the Registration Statement;

 

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed by the Registrants pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement.

 

  (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new Registration Statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

  (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

 

  (b) The undersigned Registrants hereby undertake that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of a Registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new Registration Statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

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  (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrants pursuant to the provisions set forth or described in Item 15 of this Registration Statement, or otherwise, the Registrants have been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by a Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of a Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, each of the Registrants will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

  (d) The undersigned Registrants hereby undertake to file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act (“Act”) in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission under Section 305(b)(2) of the Act.

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Denver, State of Colorado, on December 23, 2004.

 

WHITING PETROLEUM CORPORATION
By:   /s/    JAMES J. VOLKER        
    James J. Volker
    Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

   

Signature


  

Title


 

Date


   

/s/    JAMES J. VOLKER        


James J. Volker

  

Chairman, President and Chief

Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer)

  December 23, 2004
   

/s/    JAMES R. CASPERSON        


James R. Casperson

  

Chief Financial Officer

(Principal Financial Officer)

  December 23, 2004
   

/s/    MICHAEL J. STEVENS        


Michael J. Stevens

  

Controller and Treasurer

(Principal Accounting Officer)

  December 23, 2004
   

*


Thomas L. Aller

  

Director

  December 23, 2004
   

*


Graydon D. Hubbard

  

Director

  December 23, 2004
   

*


J.B. Ladd

  

Director

  December 23, 2004
   

*


Palmer L. Moe

  

Director

  December 23, 2004
   

Kenneth R. Whiting

  

Director

  December 23, 2004

*By:

 

/s/    JAMES J. VOLKER        


James J. Volker

        
    Attorney-in-fact         

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Denver, State of Colorado, on December 23, 2004.

 

WHITING OIL AND GAS CORPORATION
By:   /s/    JAMES J. VOLKER         
    James J. Volker
    Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

   

Signature


  

Title


 

Date


   

/s/    JAMES J. VOLKER        


James J. Volker

  

Chairman, President and Chief

Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer)

  December 23, 2004
   

/s/    JAMES R. CASPERSON        


James R. Casperson

  

Chief Financial Officer

(Principal Financial Officer)

  December 23, 2004
   

/s/    MICHAEL J. STEVENS        


Michael J. Stevens

  

Controller and Treasurer

(Principal Accounting Officer)

  December 23, 2004
   

*


Thomas L. Aller

  

Director

  December 23, 2004
   

*


Graydon D. Hubbard

  

Director

  December 23, 2004
   

*


J.B. Ladd

  

Director

  December 23, 2004
   

*


Palmer L. Moe

  

Director

  December 23, 2004
   

Kenneth R. Whiting

  

Director

  December 23, 2004

*By:

 

/s/    JAMES J. VOLKER        


James J. Volker

        
    Attorney-in-fact         

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Denver, State of Colorado, on December 23, 2004.

 

EQUITY OIL COMPANY
By:   /s/    JAMES J. VOLKER         
    James J. Volker
    Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

   

Signature


  

Title


 

Date


   

/s/    JAMES J. VOLKER        


James J. Volker

  

Chairman, President and Chief

Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer)

  December 23, 2004
   

/s/    JAMES R. CASPERSON        


James R. Casperson

  

Chief Financial Officer and Director

(Principal Financial Officer)

  December 23, 2004
   

/s/    MICHAEL J. STEVENS        


Michael J. Stevens

  

Controller and Treasurer

(Principal Accounting Officer)

  December 23, 2004

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Denver, State of Colorado, on December 23, 2004.

 

WHITING PROGRAMS, INC.
By:   /s/    JAMES J. VOLKER         
    James J. Volker
    Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

   

Signature


  

Title


 

Date


   

/s/    JAMES J. VOLKER        


James J. Volker

  

Chairman, President and Chief

Executive Officer and Sole Director (Principal Executive Officer)

  December 23, 2004
   

/s/    JAMES R. CASPERSON        


James R. Casperson

  

Chief Financial Officer

(Principal Financial Officer)

  December 23, 2004
   

/s/    MICHAEL J. STEVENS        


Michael J. Stevens

  

Controller and Treasurer

(Principal Accounting Officer)

  December 23, 2004

 

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EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit
Number


  

Document Description


(1)      Form of Underwriting Agreement.*
(3.1)    Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Whiting Petroleum Corporation [Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Whiting Petroleum Corporation’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (Reg. No. 333-107341)].
(3.2)    Amended and Restated By-laws of Whiting Petroleum Corporation [Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to Whiting Petroleum Corporation’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003 (File No. 001-31899)].
(3.3)    Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Whiting Oil and Gas Corporation [Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.3 to Whiting Petroleum Corporation’s Registration Statement on Form S-4 (Reg. No. 333-115957)].
(3.4)    Amended and Restated By-laws of Whiting Oil and Gas Corporation [Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.4 to Whiting Petroleum Corporation’s Registration Statement on Form S-4 (Reg. No. 333-115957)].
(3.5)    Certificate of Incorporation of Whiting Programs, Inc. [Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.5 to Whiting Petroleum Corporation’s Registration Statement on Form S-4 (Reg. No. 333-115957)].
(3.6)    By-laws of Whiting Programs, Inc. [Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.6 to Whiting Petroleum Corporation’s Registration Statement on Form S-4 (Reg. No. 333-115957)].
(3.7)    Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of Equity Oil Company.
(3.8)    Amended and Restated Bylaws of Equity Oil Company.
(4.1)    Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of September 23, 2004, among Whiting Oil and Gas Corporation, Whiting Petroleum Corporation, the financial institutions listed therein, and Bank One, NA, as Administrative Agent [Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4 to Whiting Petroleum Corporation’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated September 23, 2004 (File No. 001-31899)].
(4.2)    Indenture, dated as of May 11, 2004, by and among Whiting Petroleum Corporation, Whiting Oil and Gas Corporation, Whiting Programs, Inc. and J.P. Morgan Trust Company, National Association [Incorporated by Reference to Exhibit 4.1 to Whiting Petroleum Corporation’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2004 (File No. 001-31899)].
(4.3)    Form of Senior Indenture.
(4.4)    Form of Subordinated Indenture.
(4.5)    Form of Senior Debt Securities.*
(4.6)    Form of Subordinated Debt Securities.*
(4.7)    Form of Warrant.*

 

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Exhibit
Number


  

Document Description


  (4.8)    Form of Warrant Agreement.*
  (4.9)    Form of Stock Purchase Contract.*
(5)    Opinion of Foley & Lardner LLP (including consent of counsel).
(12)      Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges.
(23.1)    Consent of Foley & Lardner LLP (filed as part of Exhibit (5)).
(23.2)    Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP.
(23.3)    Consent of Cawley, Gillespie & Associates, Inc.
(23.4)    Consent of R.A. Lenser & Associates, Inc.
(23.5)    Consent of Ryder Scott Company, L.P.
(24)       Powers of attorney.
(25.1)    Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility of Trustee under the Senior Indenture.**
(25.2)    Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility of Trustee under the Subordinated Indenture. **

* To be filed by amendment or under subsequent Current Report on Form 8-K.

 

** To be filed in accordance with the requirements of Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 and Rule 5b-3 thereunder.

 

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