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8-K - FORM 8-K - Archrock, Inc.h77891e8vk.htm
EX-4.1 - EX-4.1 - Archrock, Inc.h77891exv4w1.htm
EX-4.2 - EX-4.2 - Archrock, Inc.h77891exv4w2.htm
Exhibit 1.1
Execution Version
PURCHASE AGREEMENT
November 18, 2010
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
Wells Fargo Securities, LLC
   As Representatives of the
   Initial Purchasers
c/o Merrill Lynch Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
One Bryant Park
New York, New York 10036
Ladies and Gentlemen:
     Exterran Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several Initial Purchasers named in Schedule A (the “Initial Purchasers”), acting severally and not jointly, the respective amounts set forth in such Schedule A of a $350,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 7 1/4% Senior Notes due 2018 (the “Notes”). Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“Merrill Lynch”) and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC have agreed to act as the representatives of the several Initial Purchasers (the “Representatives”) in connection with the offering and sale of the Notes.
     The Notes will be issued pursuant to an Indenture to be dated as of November 23, 2010 (the “Indenture”) among the Company, the Guarantors (as defined below) and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”). The Notes will be issued only in book-entry form in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee of The Depository Trust Company (the “Depositary”) pursuant to a letter of representations, to be dated on or before the Closing Date (as defined in Section 2 hereof) (the “DTC Agreement”), between the Company and the Depositary.
     The holders of the Notes will be entitled to the benefits of a registration rights agreement, to be dated as of November 23, 2010 (the “Registration Rights Agreement”), among the Company, the Guarantors and the Initial Purchasers, pursuant to which the Company and the Guarantors may be required to file with the Commission (as defined below), under the circumstances set forth therein, (i) a registration statement under the Securities Act (as defined below) relating to another series of debt securities of the Company with terms substantially identical to the Notes (the “Exchange Notes”) to be offered in exchange for the Notes (the “Exchange Offer”); and (ii) a shelf registration statement pursuant to Rule 415 of the Securities Act relating to the resale by certain holders of the Notes, and in each case, to use commercially reasonable efforts to cause such registration statements to be declared effective. All references herein to the Exchange Notes and the Exchange Offer are applicable only if the Company and the Guarantors are in fact required to consummate the Exchange Offer pursuant to the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement.

 


 

     The payment of principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed on a senior unsecured basis, jointly and severally by (i) the entities listed on the signature pages hereof as “Guarantors” and (ii) any subsidiary of the Company formed or acquired after the Closing Date that executes an additional guarantee in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, and their respective successors and assigns (collectively, the “Guarantors”), pursuant to their guarantees (the “Guarantees”). The Notes and the Guarantees are herein collectively referred to as the “Securities”; and the Exchange Notes and the Guarantees attached thereto are herein collectively referred to as the “Exchange Securities.”
     The Company understands that the Initial Purchasers propose to make an offering of the Securities on the terms and in the manner set forth herein and in the Pricing Disclosure Package (as defined below) and agrees that the Initial Purchasers may resell, subject to the conditions set forth herein, all or a portion of the Securities to purchasers (the “Subsequent Purchasers”) on the terms set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package (the first time when sales of the Securities are made is referred to as the “Time of Sale”). The Securities are to be offered and sold to or through the Initial Purchasers without being registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933 (as amended, the “Securities Act,” which term, as used herein, includes the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder), in reliance upon exemptions therefrom. Pursuant to the terms of the Securities and the Indenture, investors who acquire Securities shall be deemed to have agreed that Securities may only be resold or otherwise transferred, after the date hereof, if such Securities are registered for sale under the Securities Act or if an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act is available (including the exemptions afforded by Rule 144A under the Securities Act (“Rule 144A”) or Regulation S under the Securities Act (“Regulation S”)).
     The Company has prepared and delivered to each Initial Purchaser copies of a Preliminary Offering Memorandum, dated November 12, 2010 (the “Preliminary Offering Memorandum”), and has prepared and delivered to each Initial Purchaser copies of a Pricing Supplement, dated November 18, 2010 (the “Pricing Supplement”), describing the terms of the Securities, each for use by such Initial Purchaser in connection with its solicitation of offers to purchase the Securities. The Preliminary Offering Memorandum and the Pricing Supplement are herein referred to as the “Pricing Disclosure Package.” Promptly after this Agreement is executed and delivered, the Company will prepare and deliver to each Initial Purchaser a final offering memorandum dated the date hereof (the “Final Offering Memorandum”).
     All references herein to the terms “Pricing Disclosure Package” and “Final Offering Memorandum” shall be deemed to mean and include all information filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (as amended, the “Exchange Act,” which term, as used herein, includes the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder) prior to the Time of Sale and incorporated by reference in the Pricing Disclosure Package (including the Preliminary Offering Memorandum) or the Final Offering Memorandum (as the case may be), and all references herein to the terms “amend,” “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Final Offering Memorandum shall be deemed to mean and include all information filed under the Exchange Act after the Time of Sale and incorporated by reference in the Final Offering Memorandum.
     The Company hereby confirms its agreement with the Initial Purchasers as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Representations and Warranties. Each of the Company and the Guarantors, jointly and severally, hereby represents and warrants to each Initial Purchaser that, as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date (references in this Section 1 to the “Offering Memorandum” are to (x) the Pricing Disclosure Package in the case of representations and warranties made as of the date hereof and (y) the Final Offering Memorandum in the case of representations and warranties made as of the Closing Date):
     (a) No Registration Required. Subject to compliance by the Initial Purchasers with the representations and warranties set forth in Section 2 hereof and with the procedures set forth in Section 7 hereof, it is not necessary in connection with the offer, sale and delivery of the Securities to the Initial Purchasers and to each Subsequent Purchaser in the manner contemplated by this Agreement and the Offering Memorandum to register the Securities under the Securities Act or, until such time as the Exchange Securities are issued pursuant to an effective registration statement, to qualify the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Trust Indenture Act,” which term, as used herein, includes the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder).
     (b) No Integration of Offerings or General Solicitation. None of the Company, its affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 501 under the Securities Act) (each, an “Affiliate”), or any person acting on its or any of their behalf (other than the Initial Purchasers, as to whom the Company makes no representation or warranty) has, directly or indirectly, solicited any offer to buy or offered to sell, or will, directly or indirectly, solicit any offer to buy or offer to sell, in the United States or to any United States citizen or resident, any security which is or would be integrated with the sale of the Securities in a manner that would require the Securities to be registered under the Securities Act. None of the Company, its Affiliates, or any person acting on its or any of their behalf (other than the Initial Purchasers, as to whom the Company makes no representation or warranty) has engaged or will engage, in connection with the offering of the Securities, in any form of general solicitation or general advertising within the meaning of Rule 502 under the Securities Act. With respect to those Securities sold in reliance upon Regulation S, (i) none of the Company, its Affiliates or any person acting on its or their behalf (other than the Initial Purchasers, as to whom the Company makes no representation or warranty) has engaged or will engage in any directed selling efforts within the meaning of Regulation S and (ii) each of the Company and its Affiliates and any person acting on its or their behalf (other than the Initial Purchasers, as to whom the Company makes no representation or warranty) has complied and will comply with the offering restrictions set forth in Regulation S.
     (c) Eligibility for Resale under Rule 144A. The Securities are eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A and will not be, at the Closing Date, of the same class as securities listed on a national securities exchange registered under Section 6 of the Exchange Act or quoted in a U.S. automated interdealer quotation system.
     (d) The Pricing Disclosure Package and Offering Memorandum. Neither the Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Time of Sale, nor the Final Offering Memoran dum, as of its date or (as amended or supplemented in accordance with Section 3(a), as applicable) as of the Closing Date, contains any untrue statement of a material fact or

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omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation or warranty with respect to any statements in or omissions from the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Final Offering Memorandum or any amendment or supplement thereto made in reliance upon and in conformity with the information furnished to the Company in writing by any Initial Purchaser through the Representatives expressly for use in the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Final Offering Memorandum or amendment or supplement thereto, as the case may be. The Pricing Disclosure Package contains, and the Final Offering Memorandum will contain, all the information specified in, and meeting the requirements of, Rule 144A.
     (e) Company Additional Written Communications. Other than (i) the Pricing Disclosure Package, (ii) the Final Offering Memorandum, and (iii) any electronic road show or other written communications, in each case used in accordance with Section 3(a), the Company (including its agents and representatives, other than the Initial Purchasers in their capacity as such) has not made, used, prepared, authorized, approved or distributed and will not make, use, prepare, authorize, approve or distribute any “written communication” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the Securities. Each such communication by the Company or its agents and representatives pursuant to clause (iii) of the preceding sentence (each, a “Company Additional Written Communication”), when taken together with the Pricing Disclosure Package, did not as of the Time of Sale, and at the Closing Date will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation or warranty with respect to any statements in or omissions from each such Company Additional Written Communication made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Company in writing by any Initial Purchaser through the Representatives expressly for use in any Company Additional Written Communication.
     (f) Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated by reference in the Offering Memorandum, when they were filed with the Commission (collectively, the “Incorporated Documents”) conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Offering Memorandum, when such documents are filed with the Commission, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act.
     (g) The Purchase Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the Guarantors.
     (h) The Registration Rights Agreement and DTC Agreement. The Registration Rights Agreement has been duly authorized and, on the Closing Date, will have been duly executed and delivered by, and (assuming the due authorization and valid execution and delivery by thereof by the Initial Purchasers) will constitute a valid and binding agreement of, the Company and the Guarantors, enforceable against the Company and each of the Guarantors in accordance with its terms, except as the enforcement

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thereof may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors generally or by general equitable principles (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) (collectively, the “Enforceability Exceptions”) and except as rights to indemnification may be limited by applicable law. The DTC Agreement has been duly authorized and, on the Closing Date, (assuming the due authorization and valid execution and delivery by thereof by the Depositary) will have been duly executed and delivered by, and will constitute a valid and binding agreement of, the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors or by general equitable principles (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in proceeding in equity or at law) and except as rights to indemnification may be limited by applicable law.
     (i) Authorization of the Notes, the Guarantees and the Exchange Notes. The Notes to be purchased by the Initial Purchasers from the Company will on the Closing Date be in the form contemplated by the Indenture, have been duly authorized for issuance and sale pursuant to this Agreement and the Indenture and, at the Closing Date, will have been duly executed by the Company and, when authenticated in the manner provided for in the Indenture and delivered against payment of the purchase price therefor, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by the Enforceability Exceptions and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture. The Exchange Notes have been duly authorized and, when validly executed and delivered by the Company and duly authenticated as provided in the Indenture, the Registration Rights Agreement and the Exchange Offer, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by the Enforceability Exceptions and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture. The Guarantees of the Notes on the Closing Date and the Guarantees of the Exchange Notes have been duly authorized for issuance pursuant to this Agreement and the Indenture; when the Notes have been authenticated in the manner provided for in the Indenture and issued and delivered against payment of the purchase price therefor, the Guarantees of the Notes on the Closing Date will constitute valid and binding agreements of the Guarantors; and, when the Exchange Notes have been authenticated in the manner provided for in the Indenture and issued and delivered in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement, the Guarantees of the Exchange Notes will constitute valid and binding agreements of the Guarantors, in each case, enforceable against each Guarantor in accordance with their terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by the Enforceability Exceptions and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.
     (j) Authorization of the Indenture. The Indenture has been duly authorized by the Company and the Guarantors and, at the Closing Date, will have been duly executed and delivered by the Company and the Guarantors and (assuming the due authorization and valid execution and delivery by thereof by the Trustee) will constitute a valid and binding agreement of the Company and the Guarantors enforceable against the Company

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and the Guarantors in accordance with its terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited the Enforceability Exceptions.
     (k) Description of the Securities and the Indenture. The Securities, the Exchange Securities and the Indenture will conform in all material respects to the respective statements relating thereto contained in the Offering Memorandum.
     (l) No Material Adverse Change. Since the date of the most recent financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Offering Memorandum, (i) there has not been any material adverse change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, or any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, set aside for payment, paid or made by the Company on any class of capital stock, or any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the business, properties, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity, results of operations or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole (a “Material Adverse Change”); (ii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has entered into any transaction or agreement or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect (as defined herein); and (iii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor disturbance or dispute or any action, order or decree of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, except in the case of clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) above, as otherwise disclosed in the Offering Memorandum.
     (m) Independent Accountants. Deloitte & Touche LLP has audited certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries and is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries within the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and as required by the Securities Act.
     (n) Preparation of the Financial Statements. The financial statements and the related notes thereto of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Offering Memorandum comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and present fairly in all material respects the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the results of their operations and the changes in their cash flows for the periods specified; except as otherwise disclosed in the Offering Memorandum, such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby, and the supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference in the Offering Memorandum present fairly in all material respects the information required to be stated therein; and the other financial information included or incorporated by reference in the Offering Memorandum has been derived from the accounting records of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries and presents fairly in all material respects the information shown thereby.

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     (o) Organization and Good Standing of the Company and its Subsidiaries. The Company and each of its subsidiaries have been duly organized and are validly existing and in good standing under the laws of their respective jurisdictions of organization, are duly qualified to do business and are in good standing in each jurisdiction in which their respective ownership or lease of property or the conduct of their respective businesses requires such qualification, and have all power and authority necessary to own or hold their respective properties and to conduct the businesses in which they are engaged, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing or have such power or authority would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the business, properties, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity, results of operations or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole (a “Material Adverse Effect”) or on the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement, the Indenture and the Notes. Schedule B to this Agreement sets forth a true and complete list of the significant subsidiaries of the Company and their respective jurisdiction of formation, organization or incorporation (each a “Designated Subsidiary”).
     (p) Capitalization and Other Capital Stock Matters. The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Offering Memorandum under the heading “Capitalization”; all the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and are not subject to any pre-emptive or similar rights; except as otherwise disclosed in the Offering Memorandum, there are no outstanding rights (including, without limitation, pre-emptive rights), warrants or options to acquire, or instruments convertible into or exchangeable for, any shares of capital stock or other equity interest in the Company or any of its Designated Subsidiaries, or any contract, commitment, agreement, understanding or arrangement of any kind relating to the issuance of any capital stock of the Company or any such Designated Subsidiaries, any such convertible or exchangeable securities or any such rights, warrants or options; the capital stock of the Company conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Offering Memorandum; and all the outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity interests of each subsidiary owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable (except, in the case of any foreign subsidiary, for directors’ qualifying shares and except as otherwise disclosed in the Offering Memorandum) and are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of any lien, charge, encumbrance, security interest, restriction on voting or transfer or defect other than liens arising under the Company’s Senior Secured Credit Agreement dated August 20, 2007, the Company’s 2007 Asset-Backed Securitization Facility and the Partnership’s (as defined below) revolving credit facility. The Company owns, directly or indirectly, all of the equity interests of Exterran General Partner, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “General Partner”), which in turn is the sole general partner of Exterran Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “Partnership”), with an approximate 2.0% general partner interest in the Partnership. The General Partner owns all of the Incentive Distribution Rights (as defined in the First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Partnership, as amended (the “Partnership Agreement”)). The Company owns, directly or indirectly, 13,666,107 common units and 4,473,750 subordinated units issued by the Partnership. The Incentive Distribution Rights (and the limited partner interests

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represented thereby) and the common units and subordinated units of the Partnership owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the Partnership Agreement, and are fully paid (to the extent required under the Partnership Agreement) and non-assessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by matters described in Sections 18-303, 18-607 and 18-804 of the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act).
     (q) Non-Contravention of Existing Instruments; No Further Authorizations or Approvals Required. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its charter, bylaws or similar organizational documents; (ii) in default, and, to the knowledge of the Company, no event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default (“Default”), in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject (each, an “Existing Instrument”); or (iii) in violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except, in the cases of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for any such default or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
     (r) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and the Indenture, the issuance and sale of the Securities (including the Exchange Securities) and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Indenture will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, any Existing Instrument; (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or bylaws or similar organizational documents of the Company or any of its subsidiaries; or (iii) result in the violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, Rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority having jurisdiction over the Company or any Designated Subsidiary, except in the case of clauses (i) and (iii) above, for any such default or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
     (s) No Material Actions or Proceedings. Except as described in the Offering Memorandum, there are no legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, actions, suits or proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject that, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and no such investigations, actions, suits or proceedings are, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened by any governmental or regulatory authority or threatened by others; and (i) there are no current or pending legal, governmental or regulatory actions, suits or proceedings that are required to be described in a registration statement on Form S-1 that are not so described in the Offering Memorandum; and (ii) there are no statutes,

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regulations or material contracts that are required under the Securities Act to be described in a registration statement on Form S-1 that are not described in the Offering Memorandum.
     (t) No Consents Required. No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and the Indenture, the issuance and sale of the Securities (including the Exchange Securities) and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Offering Memorandum, except for (i) the qualification of the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act; (ii) such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders and registrations or qualifications as may be required under applicable state securities laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Initial Purchasers; and (iii) such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, registrations and qualifications the failure of which to obtain or make would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
     (u) Intellectual Property Rights. The Company and its subsidiaries own or possess adequate rights to use all material patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, copyrights, licenses and know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) (collectively, “Intellectual Property Rights”) necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses as described in the Offering Memorandum, and the Company and its subsidiaries have not received any notice of any claim of infringement of or conflict with any such rights of others that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
     (v) All Necessary Permits, etc. The Company and its subsidiaries possess all licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations issued by, and have made all declarations and filings with, the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory authorities that are necessary for the ownership or lease of their respective properties or the conduct of their respective businesses as described in the Offering Memorandum, except where the failure to possess or make the same would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and except as described in the Offering Memorandum, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received notice of any revocation or modification of any such license, certificate, permit or authorization except where such revocation or modification would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
     (w) Title to Properties. The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to, or have valid rights to lease or otherwise use, all items of real and personal property that are necessary to conduct the respective businesses of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, claims and defects except those that (i) do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its subsidiaries or (ii) would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.

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     (x) Tax Law Compliance. The Company and its subsidiaries have paid all federal, state, local and foreign taxes and filed all tax returns required to be paid or filed through the date hereof, except for taxes being contested in good faith by appropriate procedures and for which adequate reserves have been established in accordance with and to the extent required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles or where the failure to pay or file could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and except as described in the Offering Memorandum, there is no tax deficiency that has been, or could reasonably be expected to be, asserted against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or assets, except as could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
     (y) Company and Guarantors Not “Investment Company”. The Company and each Guarantor is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Offering Memorandum, will not be required to register as an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Investment Company Act”).
     (z) Insurance. The Company and its subsidiaries have insurance covering their respective properties, operations, personnel and businesses, including business interruption insurance, which insurance is in amounts and insures against such losses and risks as it reasonably believes are adequate to protect the Company and its subsidiaries and their respective businesses; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has (i) received notice from any insurer or agent of such insurer that capital improvements or other expenditures are required or necessary to be made in order to continue such insurance or (ii) any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage (other than political risk insurance in Venezuela, Nigeria and Bolivia) as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage at reasonable cost from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business.
     (aa) Compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.
     (bb) Company’s Accounting System. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain systems of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act) that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, their respective principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, including, but not limited to, internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s

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general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. There are no material weaknesses in the Company’s internal controls. The Company’s auditors and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company have been advised of: (i) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and (ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting.
     (cc) Disclosure Controls and Procedures. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain an effective system of “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange Act) that is designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, including controls and procedures designed to ensure that such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. As of the most recent required date prior to the Offering Memorandum, the Company and its subsidiaries have carried out evaluations of the effectiveness of their disclosure controls and procedures as required by Rule 13a-15 of the Exchange Act.
     (dd) Environmental Laws. Except as described in the Offering Memorandum, the Company and its subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with any and all applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations governing the discharge of materials into the environment or otherwise relating to protection of the environment (collectively, “Environmental Laws”); (ii) have received and are in compliance with all permits, licenses, certificates or other authorizations or approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws; and (iii) have not received notice of any actual or potential liabilities under or relating to any Environmental Laws, including for the investigation or remediation of any disposal or release of any kind of toxic wastes or Hazardous Material, pollutants or contaminants, and have no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in any such notice, except where such noncompliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits or receipt of notice of liabilities would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The term “Hazardous Material” means (a) any “hazardous substance” as defined in the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, as amended, (b) any “hazardous waste” as defined in the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, as amended, (c) any natural gas liquids, petroleum or petroleum product, and (d) any pollutant or contaminant or hazardous, dangerous or toxic chemical, material, waste or substance regulated under or within the meaning of any applicable Environmental Law.

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     (ee) ERISA Compliance. (i) Each employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), for which the Company or any member of its “Controlled Group” (defined as any organization which is a member of a controlled group of corporations within the meaning of Section 414(b) or (c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”)) would have any liability, other than a Multiemployer Plan (each, a “Plan”) has been maintained in compliance in all material respects with its terms and the requirements of any presently applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including but not limited to ERISA and the Code; (ii) no prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, that would result in a material liability has occurred with respect to any Plan excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption; (iii) for each Plan that is subject to the funding rules of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, compliance with the minimum funding standard in Section 412 of the Code, whether or not waived, has occurred; (iv) no “reportable event” (within the meaning of Section 4043(c) of ERISA) has occurred or is expected to occur, other than an event for which the 30 day notice period is waivered; and (v) neither the Company nor any member of the Controlled Group has any unpaid material liability, including withdrawal liability, under Title IV of ERISA (other than contributions to the Plan or premiums to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, in the ordinary course and without default) in respect of a Plan (including a “Multiemployer Plan”, within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA).
     (ff) No Labor Disputes. No labor disturbance by or dispute with employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is contemplated or threatened, except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
     (gg) Related Party Transactions. No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders, affiliates, customers or suppliers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on the other, that is required by the Securities Act to be described in a registration statement on Form S-1 which is not disclosed in the Offering Memorandum.
     (hh) No Unlawful Contributions or Other Payments. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder; or (iv) made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment.
     (ii) No Conflict with Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance in all material respects with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money

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laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.
     (jj) No Conflict with OFAC Laws. None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Securities hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.
     (kk) No Restrictions on Subsidiaries. Except as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and Final Offering Memorandum, no subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, under any agreement or other instrument to which it is a party or is subject, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such subsidiary’s properties or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company.
     (ll) Forward-Looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Offering Memorandum has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.
     (mm) Statistical and Market Data. Nothing has come to the attention of the Company that has caused the Company to believe that the statistical and market-related data included in the Offering Memorandum is not based on or derived from sources that are reliable and accurate in all material respects.
     (nn) No Broker’s Fees. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any person (other than this Agreement) that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any Initial Purchaser for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities.
     (oo) Margin Rules. Neither the issuance, sale and delivery of the Securities nor the application of the proceeds thereof by the Company as described in the Offering Memorandum will violate Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or any other regulation of such Board of Governors.

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     (pp) No Price Stabilization or Manipulation. None of the Company or any of the Guarantors has taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that might be reasonably expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Securities.
     (qq) Solvency. Immediately after the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, (a) the fair value and present fair saleable value of the assets of the Company, on a consolidated basis, will exceed the sum of its stated liabilities and identified contingent liabilities, and (b) the Company, on a consolidated basis, will not be (i) left with unreasonably small capital with which to carry on its business as it is proposed to be conducted or (ii) unable to pay the probable liabilities on its debts as they become absolute and matured.
     Any certificate signed by an officer of the Company or any Guarantor and delivered to the Initial Purchasers or to counsel for the Initial Purchasers shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Company or such Guarantor to each Initial Purchaser as to the matters set forth therein.
     SECTION 2. Purchase, Sale and Delivery of the Securities.
     (a) The Securities. Each of the Company and the Guarantors agrees to issue and sell to the Initial Purchasers, severally and not jointly, all of the Securities, and the Initial Purchasers agree, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company and the Guarantors the aggregate principal amount of Securities set forth opposite their names on Schedule A, at a purchase price of 98% of the principal amount thereof payable on the Closing Date, in each case, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, and upon the terms, subject to the conditions thereto, herein set forth.
     (b) The Closing Date. The closing of the purchase and sale of the Securities shall take place at the offices of Baker Botts L.L.P., 910 Louisiana Street, Houston, Texas 77002 (or such other place as may be agreed to by the Company and the Representatives) at 9:00 a.m. New York City time, on November 23, 2010, or such other time and date as the Representatives shall designate by notice to the Company (the time and date of such closing are called the “Closing Date”).
     (c) Delivery of the Securities. On the Closing Date, the Company shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Representatives for the accounts of the several Initial Purchasers the Securities through the facilities of the Depositary, against the irrevocable release of a wire transfer of immediately available funds for the amount of the purchase price therefor. The Securities shall be in global form, registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee of the Depositary, pursuant to the DTC Agreement, and in such denominations as the Representative shall indicate to the Company. Such Securities shall be delivered at the Closing to the Trustee as custodian for the Depositary. Time shall be of the essence, and delivery at the time and place specified in this Agreement is a further condition to the obligations of the Initial Purchasers.
     (d) Initial Purchasers as Qualified Institutional Buyers. Each Initial Purchaser severally and not jointly represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Company that:

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     (i) it is a “qualified institutional buyer” within the meaning of Rule 144A (“it is a “qualified institutional buyer” within the meaning of Rule 144A (“Qualified Institutional Buyer”);
     (ii) it has not offered or sold, and it will not offer or sell, any Securities, except (a) within the United States, to persons who it reasonably believes are Qualified Institutional Buyers in transactions meeting the requirements of Rule 144A or (b) upon the terms and conditions set forth in Annex I to this Agreement; and
     (iii) it will not offer or sell Securities by, any form of general solicitation or general advertising, including but not limited to the methods described in Rule 502(c) under the Securities Act.
     SECTION 3. Additional Covenants. Each of the Company and the Guarantors, jointly and severally, further covenants and agrees with each Initial Purchaser as follows:
     (a) Preparation of Final Offering Memorandum; Initial Purchasers’ Review of Proposed Amendments and Supplements and Company Additional Written Communications. As promptly as practicable following the Time of Sale and in any event not later than the second business day following the date hereof, the Company will prepare and deliver to the Initial Purchasers the Final Offering Memorandum, which shall consist of the Preliminary Offering Memorandum as modified only by the information contained in the Pricing Supplement. The Company will not amend or supplement the Preliminary Offering Memorandum or the Pricing Supplement. The Company will not amend or supplement the Final Offering Memorandum prior to the Closing Date unless the Representatives shall previously have been furnished a copy of the proposed amendment or supplement at least two business days prior to the proposed use or filing, and shall not have objected to such amendment or supplement. Before making, preparing, using, authorizing, approving or distributing any Company Additional Written Communication, the Company will furnish to the Representatives a copy of such written communication for review and will not make, prepare, use, authorize, approve or distribute any such written communication to which the Representatives reasonably object.
     (b) Amendments and Supplements to the Final Offering Memorandum and Other Securities Act Matters. If at any time prior to the later of (x) the Closing Date and (y) the completion of the placement of the Securities by the Initial Purchasers with the Subsequent Purchasers, any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Final Offering Memorandum, as then amended or supplemented, in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Final Offering Memorandum is delivered to a Subsequent Purchaser, not misleading, or if in the judgment of the Representatives or counsel for the Initial Purchasers it is otherwise necessary to amend or supplement the Final Offering Memorandum to comply with law, the Company and the Guarantors agree to immediately notify the Initial Purchasers thereof, promptly prepare (subject to Section 3 hereof) and furnish at their own expense to the Initial Purchasers, amendments or supplements to the Final Offering Memorandum so that the statements in the Final Offering Memorandum as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances at the

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Closing Date and at the time of sale of Securities, be misleading or so that the Final Offering Memorandum, as amended or supplemented, will comply with all applicable law.
     Following the consummation of the Exchange Offer or the effectiveness of an applicable shelf registration statement and for so long as the Securities are outstanding, if, in the judgment of the Representatives, the Initial Purchasers or any of their affiliates (as such term is defined in the Securities Act) are required to deliver a prospectus in connection with sales of, or market-making activities with respect to, the Securities, the Company and the Guarantors agree to periodically amend the applicable registration statement so that the information contained therein complies with the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act, to amend the applicable registration statement or supplement the related prospectus or the documents incorporated therein when necessary to reflect any material changes in the information provided therein so that the registration statement and the prospectus will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing as of the date the prospectus is so delivered, not misleading and to provide the Initial Purchasers with copies of each amendment or supplement filed and such other documents as the Initial Purchasers may reasonably request.
     The Company hereby expressly acknowledges that the indemnification and contribution provisions of Sections 8 and 9 hereof are specifically applicable and relate to each offering memorandum, registration statement, prospectus, amendment or supplement referred to in this Section 3.
     (c) Copies of the Offering Memorandum. The Company agrees to furnish the Initial Purchasers, without charge, as many copies of the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Final Offering Memorandum and any amendments and supplements thereto as they shall reasonably request.
     (d) Blue Sky Compliance. Each of the Company and the Guarantors shall cooperate with the Representatives and counsel for the Initial Purchasers to qualify or register (or to obtain exemptions from qualifying or registering) all or any part of the Securities for offer and sale under the securities laws of the several states of the United States, the provinces of Canada or any other jurisdictions reasonably designated by the Representatives, shall comply with such laws and shall continue such qualifications, registrations and exemptions in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Securities. None of the Company or any of the Guarantors shall be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to take any action that would subject it to general service of process in any such jurisdiction where it is not presently qualified or where it would be subject to taxation as a foreign corporation or other entity. The Company will advise the Representatives promptly of the suspension of the qualification or registration of (or any such exemption relating to) the Securities for offering, sale or trading in any jurisdiction or any initiation or threat of any proceeding for any such purpose, and in the event of the issuance of any order suspending such qualification, registration or exemption, each of the Company and the Guarantors shall use its best efforts to obtain the withdrawal thereof at the earliest possible moment.

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     (e) Use of Proceeds. The Company shall apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities sold by it in the manner described under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Pricing Disclosure Package.
     (f) The Depositary. The Company will cooperate with the Initial Purchasers and use its reasonable best efforts to permit the Securities to be eligible for clearance and settlement through the facilities of the Depositary.
     (g) Additional Issuer Information. Prior to the completion of the placement of the Securities by the Initial Purchasers with the Subsequent Purchasers, the Company shall file, on a timely basis, with the Commission and the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) all reports and documents required to be filed under Section 13 or 15 of the Exchange Act. Additionally, at any time when the Company is not subject to Section 13 or 15 of the Exchange Act and the Securities are “restricted securities” within the meaning of Rule 144 under the Securities Act, for the benefit of holders and beneficial owners from time to time of the Securities, the Company shall furnish, at its expense, upon request, to holders and beneficial owners of Securities and prospective purchasers of Securities information (“Additional Issuer Information”) satisfying the requirements of Rule 144A(d).
     (h) Agreement Not To Offer or Sell Additional Securities. During the period of 60 days following the date hereof, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of Merrill Lynch (which consent may be withheld at the sole discretion of Merrill Lynch), directly or indirectly, sell, offer, contract or grant any option to sell, pledge, transfer or establish an open “put equivalent position” within the meaning of Rule 16a-1 under the Exchange Act, or otherwise dispose of or transfer, or announce the offering of, or file any registration statement under the Securities Act in respect of, any debt securities of the Company or securities exchangeable for or convertible into debt securities of the Company (other than as contemplated by this Agreement and to register the Exchange Securities).
     (i) No Integration. The Company agrees that it will not and will cause its Affiliates not to make any offer or sale of securities of the Company of any class if, as a result of the doctrine of “integration” referred to in Rule 502 under the Securities Act, such offer or sale would render invalid (for the purpose of (i) the sale of the Securities by the Company to the Initial Purchasers; (ii) the resale of the Securities by the Initial Purchasers to Subsequent Purchasers; or (iii) the resale of the Securities by such Subsequent Purchasers to others) the exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act provided by Section 4(2) thereof or by Rule 144A or by Regulation S thereunder or otherwise.
     (j) No Restricted Resales. During the period of one year after the Closing date, the Company will not, and will not permit any of its affiliates (as defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act) to resell any of the Notes constituting “restricted securities” under Rule 144 that have been reacquired by any of them.

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     (k) Legended Securities. Each certificate for a Note will bear the legend contained in “Transfer Restrictions” in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum for the time period and upon the other terms stated in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum.
     (l) No General Solicitation or Directed Selling Efforts. The Company agrees that it will not and will not permit any of its Affiliates or any other person acting on its or their behalf (other than the Initial Purchasers, as to which no covenant is given) to (i) solicit offers for, or offer or sell, the Securities by means of any form of general solicitation or general advertising within the meaning of Rule 502(c) of Regulation D or in any manner involving a public offering within the meaning of Section 4(2) of the Securities Act or (ii) engage in any directed selling efforts with respect to the Securities within the meaning of Regulation S, and the Company will and will cause all such persons to comply with the offering restrictions requirement of Regulation S with respect to the Securities.
     (m) No Stabilization. The Company, the Guarantors and their respective Affiliates will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or that reasonably would be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Securities.
     The Representatives on behalf of the several Initial Purchasers, may, in their sole discretion, waive in writing the performance by the Company or any Guarantor of any one or more of the foregoing covenants or extend the time for their performance.
     SECTION 4. Payment of Expenses. Each of the Company and the Guarantors, jointly and severally, agrees to pay all costs, fees and expenses incurred in connection with the performance of its obligations hereunder and in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including, without limitation, (i) all expenses incident to the issuance and delivery of the Securities (including all printing and engraving costs); (ii) all necessary issue, transfer and other stamp taxes in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities to the Initial Purchasers; (iii) all fees and expenses of the Company’s and the Guarantors’ counsel, independent public or certified public accountants and other advisors; (iv) all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the preparation, printing, filing, shipping and distribution of the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Final Offering Memorandum (including financial statements and exhibits thereto), and all amendments and supplements thereto, this Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement, the Indenture, the DTC Agreement and the Notes and Guarantees; (v) all filing fees, attorneys’ fees and expenses incurred by the Company, the Guarantors or the Initial Purchasers in connection with qualifying or registering (or obtaining exemptions from the qualification or registration of) all or any part of the Securities for offer and sale under the securities laws of the several states of the United States, the provinces of Canada or other jurisdictions reasonably designated by the Initial Purchasers (including, without limitation, the cost of preparing, printing and mailing preliminary and final blue sky or legal investment memoranda and any related supplements to the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Final Offering Memorandum); (vi) the fees and expenses of the Trustee, including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Trustee in connection with the Indenture, the Securities and the Exchange Securities; (vii) any fees payable in connection with the rating of the Securities or the Exchange Securities with the ratings agencies; (viii)

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all fees and expenses (including reasonable fees and expenses of counsel) of the Company and the Guarantors in connection with approval of the Securities by the Depositary for “book-entry” transfer, and the performance by the Company and the Guarantors of their respective other obligations under this Agreement; and (ix) all expenses of the Company incident to the “road show” for the offering of the Securities, including one-half of the cost of any chartered airplane or other transportation. Except as provided in this Section 4 and Sections 6, 8 and 9 hereof, the Initial Purchasers shall pay their own expenses, including the fees and disbursements of their counsel.
     SECTION 5. Conditions of the Obligations of the Initial Purchasers. The obligations of the several Initial Purchasers to purchase and pay for the Securities as provided herein on the Closing Date shall be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company and the Guarantors set forth in Section 1 hereof as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date as though then made and to the timely performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to each of the following additional conditions:
     (a) Accountants’ Comfort Letter. On the date hereof, the Initial Purchasers shall have received from Deloitte & Touche LLP, the independent registered public accounting firm for the Company, a “comfort letter” dated the date hereof addressed to the Initial Purchasers, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, covering the financial information in the Pricing Disclosure Package and other customary matters. In addition, on the Closing Date, the Initial Purchasers shall have received from such accountants a “bring-down comfort letter” dated the Closing Date addressed to the Initial Purchasers, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, in the form of the “comfort letter” delivered on the date hereof, except that (i) it shall cover the financial information in the Final Offering Memorandum and any amendment or supplement thereto; and (ii) procedures shall be brought down to a date no more than five days prior to the Closing Date.
     (b) No Material Adverse Change or Ratings Agency Change. For the period from and after the date of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date:
     (i) there shall not have occurred any Material Adverse Change the effect of which, in the judgment of the Representatives, makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Securities on the Closing Date on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Pricing Dicslosure Package and the Final Offering Memorandum; and
     (ii) there shall not have occurred any downgrading, nor shall any notice have been given of any intended or potential downgrading or of any review for a possible change that does not indicate the direction of the possible change, in the rating accorded any securities or indebtedness of the Company by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” as such term is defined for purposes of Rule 436 under the Securities Act.

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     (c) Opinion of Counsel for the Company. On the Closing Date the Initial Purchasers shall have received the favorable opinion of Baker Botts L.L.P., counsel for the Company, dated as of such Closing Date, the form of which is attached hereto as Exhibit A-1. On the Closing Date the Initial Purchasers shall have received the favorable opinion of Holland & Hart LLP, local counsel for the Company, dated as of such Closing Date, the form of which is attached hereto as Exhibit A-2.
     (d) Opinion of General Counsel of the Company. On the Closing Date the Initial Purchasers shall have received the favorable opinion of Donald C. Wayne, Senior Vice President and General Counsel of the Company, dated as of such Closing Date, the form of which is attached hereto as Exhibit B.
     (e) Opinion of Counsel for the Initial Purchasers. On the Closing Date the Initial Purchasers shall have received the favorable opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., counsel for the Initial Purchasers, dated as of such Closing Date, with respect to such matters as may be reasonably requested by the Initial Purchasers.
     (f) Officers’ Certificate. On the Closing Date the Initial Purchasers shall have received a written certificate executed by the Chief Financial Officer or Chief Accounting Officer of the Company and one additional senior executive officer of the Company who is reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, on behalf of the Company and each Guarantor and dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect set forth in Section 5(b)(ii) hereof, and further to the effect that:
     (i) for the period from and after the date of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date there has not occurred any Material Adverse Change;
     (ii) the representations, warranties and covenants of the Company and each Gurantor set forth in Section 1 hereof were true and correct as of the date hereof and are true and correct as of the Closing Date with the same force and effect as though expressly made on and as of the Closing Date;
     (iii) such officers have carefully reviewed the Pricing Disclosure Package and Final Offering Memorandum and, to the best knowledge of such officers, the representations set forth in Sections 1(d) and 1(e) hereof are true and correct; and
     (iv) the Company and each Guarantor has complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Date.
     (g) No Legal Impediment to Issuance. No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any federal, state or foreign governmental or regulatory authority that would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities; and no injunction or order of any federal, state or foreign court shall have been issued that would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities.

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     (h) Indenture; Registration Rights Agreement. The Company and the Guarantors shall have executed and delivered the Indenture, and the Initial Purchasers shall have received executed copies thereof. The Company and the Guarantors shall have executed and delivered the Registration Rights Agreement, and the Initial Purchasers shall have received such executed counterparts.
     (i) Additional Documents. On or before the Closing Date, the Initial Purchasers and counsel for the Initial Purchasers shall have received such information, documents and opinions as they may reasonably require for the purposes of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as contemplated herein, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations and warranties, or the satisfaction of any of the conditions or agreements, herein contained.
     If any condition specified in this Section 5 is not satisfied when and as required to be satisfied, this Agreement may be terminated by the Representatives by notice to the Company at any time on or prior to the Closing Date, which termination shall be without liability on the part of any party to any other party, except that Sections 4, 6, 8 and 9 hereof shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination.
     SECTION 6. Reimbursement of Initial Purchasers’ Expenses. If this Agreement is terminated by the Representatives pursuant to Section 5 or clause (i) of Section 10 hereof, including if the sale to the Initial Purchasers of the Securities on the Closing Date is not consummated because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company to perform any agreement herein or to comply with any provision hereof, the Company agrees to reimburse the Initial Purchasers, severally, upon demand for all out-of-pocket expenses that shall have been reasonably incurred by the Initial Purchasers in connection with the proposed purchase and the offering and sale of the Securities, including, without limitation, fees and disbursements of counsel, printing expenses, travel expenses, postage, facsimile and telephone charges.
     SECTION 7. Offer, Sale and Resale Procedures. Each of the Initial Purchasers, on the one hand, and the Company and each of the Guarantors, on the other hand, hereby agree to observe the following procedures in connection with the offer and sale of the Securities:
     (a) Offers and sales of the Securities will be made only by the Initial Purchasers or Affiliates thereof qualified to do so in the jurisdictions in which such offers or sales are made. Each such offer or sale shall only be made to persons whom the offeror or seller reasonably believes to be Qualified Institutional Buyers or non-U.S. persons outside the United States to whom the offeror or seller reasonably believes offers and sales of the Securities may be made in reliance upon Regulation S upon the terms and conditions set forth in Annex I hereto, which Annex I is hereby expressly made a part hereof.
     (b) No general solicitation or general advertising (within the meaning of Rule 502 under the Securities Act) will be used in the United States in connection with the offering of the Securities.

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     (c) Upon original issuance by the Company, and until such time as the same is no longer required under the applicable requirements of the Securities Act, the Securities (and all securities issued in exchange therefor or in substitution thereof, other than the Exchange Securities) shall bear the following legend:
“THIS NOTE HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS. NEITHER THIS NOTE, NOR ANY INTEREST OR PARTICIPATION HEREIN MAY BE OFFERED, SOLD, ASSIGNED, TRANSFERRED, PLEDGED, ENCUMBERED, OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH REGISTRATION OR UNLESS SUCH TRANSACTION IS EXEMPT FROM, OR NOT SUBJECT TO THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT. THE HOLDER OF THIS NOTE, BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF, AGREES NOT TO OFFER, SELL, OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER SUCH SECURITY, PRIOR TO THE DATE WHICH IS ONE YEAR AFTER THE LATER OF THE ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE HEREOF AND THE LAST DATE ON WHICH THE COMPANY OR ANY AFFILIATE OF THE COMPANY WAS THE OWNER OF THIS NOTE (OR ANY PREDECESSOR OF THIS NOTE) (THE “RESALE RESTRICTION TERMINATION DATE”), EXCEPT THAT THE NOTES MAY BE TRANSFERRED (A) TO THE COMPANY OR ANY SUBSIDIARY THEREOF, (B) PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (C) FOR SO LONG AS THE NOTES ARE ELIGIBLE FOR RESALE PURSUANT TO RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (“RULE 144A”), TO A PERSON IT REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A “QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER” AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A THAT PURCHASES FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER TO WHOM NOTICE IS GIVEN THAT THE TRANSFER IS BEING MADE IN RELIANCE ON RULE 144A, (D) PURSUANT TO OFFERS AND SALES TO NON-U.S. PERSONS THAT OCCUR OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR (E) PURSUANT TO ANOTHER AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT, SUBJECT TO THE COMPANY’S AND THE TRUSTEE’S RIGHT PRIOR TO ANY SUCH OFFER, SALE, OR TRANSFER (1) PURSUANT TO CLAUSE (D) PRIOR TO THE END OF THE 40-DAY DISTRIBUTION COMPLIANCE PERIOD WITHIN THE MEANING OF REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR PURSUANT TO CLAUSE (E) PRIOR TO THE RESALE RESTRICTION TERMINATION DATE TO REQUIRE THE DELIVERY OF AN OPINION OF COUNSEL, CERTIFICATION, AND/OR OTHER INFORMATION SATISFACTORY TO EACH OF THEM, AND (2) IN EACH OF THE FOREGOING CASES, TO

22


 

REQUIRE THAT A CERTIFICATE OF TRANSFER IN THE FORM APPEARING ON THIS NOTE IS COMPLETED AND DELIVERED BY THE TRANSFEROR TO THE TRUSTEE. THIS LEGEND WILL BE REMOVED UPON THE REQUEST OF A HOLDER AFTER THE RESALE RESTRICTION TERMINATION DATE.”
     Following the sale of the Securities by the Initial Purchasers to Subsequent Purchasers pursuant to the terms hereof, the Initial Purchasers shall not be liable or responsible to the Company or any Guarantor for any losses, damages or liabilities suffered or incurred by the Company or any Guarantor, including any losses, damages or liabilities under the Securities Act, arising from or relating to any resale or transfer of any Security.
     SECTION 8. Indemnification.
     (a) Indemnification of the Initial Purchasers. Each of the Company and the Guarantors, jointly and severally, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Initial Purchaser, its affiliates, directors, officers and employees, and each person, if any, who controls any Initial Purchaser within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which such Initial Purchaser, affiliate, director, officer, employee or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, or at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation, if such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company or as otherwise permitted in Section 8(d) hereof), insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, the Pricing Supplement, any Company Additional Written Communication or the Final Offering Memorandum (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and to reimburse each Initial Purchaser and each such affiliate, director, officer, employee or controlling person for any and all expenses (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by Merrill Lynch) as such expenses are reasonably incurred by such Initial Purchaser or such affiliate, director, officer, employee or controlling person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action; provided, however, that the foregoing indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense to the extent, but only to the extent, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Initial Purchasers through the Representatives expressly for use in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, the Pricing Supplement, any Company Additional Written Communication or the Final Offering Memorandum (or any amendment or supplement thereto). Each of the Company and the Guarantors hereby acknowledges that the only information that the Initial Purchasers through the Representatives have furnished to the Company expressly for use in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, the Pricing Supplement, any Company Additional Written Communication or the Final Offering Memorandum (or any amendment or supplement thereto) are the statements set forth in the penultimate sentence of Section 8(b). The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 8(a) shall be in addition to any liabilities that the Company may otherwise have.

23


 

     (b) Indemnification of the Company and the Guarantors. Each Initial Purchaser agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each Guarantor, each of their respective directors and each person, if any, who controls the Company or any Guarantor within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which the Company, any Guarantor or any such director or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, or at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation, if such settlement is effected with the written consent of such Initial Purchaser or as otherwise permitted in Section 8(d) hereof), insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, the Pricing Supplement, any Company Additional Written Communication or the Final Offering Memorandum (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, the Pricing Supplement, any Company Additional Written Communication or the Final Offering Memorandum (or any amendment or supplement thereto), in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Initial Purchasers through the Representatives expressly for use therein; and to reimburse the Company, any Guarantor and each such director or controlling person for any and all expenses (including the fees and disbursements of counsel) as such expenses are reasonably incurred by the Company, any Guarantor or such director or controlling person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action. Each of the Company and the Guarantors hereby acknowledges that the only information that the Initial Purchasers through the Representatives have furnished to the Company expressly for use in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, the Pricing Supplement, any Company Additional Written Communication or the Final Offering Memorandum (or any amendment or supplement thereto) are the statements set forth in the first sentence of the 5th paragraph, second and third sentences of the 6th paragraph, the third sentence of the 7th paragraph and paragraphs 9 and 10 under the caption “Plan of Distribution” in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum and the Final Offering Memorandum. The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 8(b) shall be in addition to any liabilities that each Initial Purchaser may otherwise have.
     (c) Notifications and Other Indemnification Procedures. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party under this Section 8, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; provided that the failure to so notify the indemnifying party will not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party under this Section 8 except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced by such failure (through the forfeiture of substantive rights and defenses) and shall not relieve the indemnifying party from any liability that the indemnifying party may have to an indemnified party other than under this Section 8. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party and such indemnified party seeks or intends to seek indemnity from an indemnifying party, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in and, to the extent that it shall elect, jointly with all other indemnifying parties similarly notified, by

24


 

written notice delivered to the indemnified party promptly after receiving the aforesaid notice from such indemnified party, to assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party; provided, however, if the defendants in any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that a conflict may arise between the positions of the indemnifying party and the indemnified party in conducting the defense of any such action or that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, the indemnified party or parties shall have the right to select separate counsel to assume such legal defenses and to otherwise participate in the defense of such action on behalf of such indemnified party or parties. Upon receipt of notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of such indemnifying party’s election so to assume the defense of such action and approval by the indemnified party of counsel, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 8 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof unless (i) the indemnified party shall have employed separate counsel in accordance with the proviso to the immediately preceding sentence (it being understood, however, that the indemnifying party shall not be liable for the expenses of more than one separate counsel (together with local counsel), approved by the indemnifying party (Merrill Lynch in the case of Sections 8(b) and 9 hereof), representing the indemnified parties who are parties to such action); or (ii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of commencement of the action, in each of which cases the fees and expenses of counsel shall be at the expense of the indemnifying party.
     (d) Settlements. The indemnifying party under this Section 8 shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, which will not be unreasonably withheld, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested, in writing, that an indemnifying party reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by this Section 8, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request; and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request or disputed in good faith the indemnified party’s entitlement to such reimbursement prior to the date of such settlement, provided that prior to entering into a settlement without the written consent of the indemnifying party pursuant to this sentence, the indemnified party shall have given at least 10 days’ prior notice to indemnifying party of any failure to reimburse the indemnified party in accordance with such request or to dispute in good faith the indemnified party’s entitlement to such reimbursement in order for the indemnifying party to cure such failure. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement, compromise or consent to the entry of judgment in any pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity was or could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such action, suit or proceeding; and (ii) does not

25


 

include any statements as to or any findings of fault, culpability or failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
     SECTION 9. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 8 hereof is for any reason held to be unavailable to or otherwise insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount paid or payable by such indemnified party, as incurred, as a result of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and the Guarantors, on the one hand, and the Initial Purchasers, on the other hand, from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement; or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company and the Guarantors, on the one hand, and the Initial Purchasers, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company and the Guarantors, on the one hand, and the Initial Purchasers, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, and the total discount received by the Initial Purchasers bear to the aggregate initial offering price of the Securities. The relative fault of the Company and the Guarantors, on the one hand, and the Initial Purchasers, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company and the Guarantors, on the one hand, or the Initial Purchasers, on the other hand, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission or inaccuracy.
     The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses referred to above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 8 hereof, any legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim. The provisions set forth in Section 8 hereof with respect to notice of commencement of any action shall apply if a claim for contribution is to be made under this Section 9; provided, however, that no additional notice shall be required with respect to any action for which notice has been given under Section 8 hereof for purposes of indemnification.
     The Company, the Guarantors and the Initial Purchasers agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 9 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Initial Purchasers were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in this Section 9.
     Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 9, no Initial Purchaser shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the discount received by such Initial Purchaser in connection

26


 

with the Securities distributed by it. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11 of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Initial Purchasers’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 9 are several, and not joint, in proportion to their respective commitments as set forth opposite their names in Schedule A. For purposes of this Section 9, each director, officer and employee of an Initial Purchaser and each person, if any, who controls an Initial Purchaser within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such Initial Purchaser, and each director of the Company or any Guarantor, and each person, if any, who controls the Company or any Guarantor with the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company and the Guarantors.
     SECTION 10. Termination of this Agreement. Prior to the Closing Date, this Agreement may be terminated by the Representatives by notice given to the Company if at any time: (i) trading or quotation in any of the Company’s securities shall have been suspended or limited by the Commission or by the NYSE, or trading in securities generally on either the Nasdaq Stock Market or the NYSE shall have been suspended or limited, or minimum or maximum prices shall have been generally established on any of such quotation system or stock exchange by the Commission or FINRA; (ii) a general banking moratorium shall have been declared by any of federal or New York authorities; or (iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of national or international hostilities or any crisis or calamity, or any change in the United States or international financial markets, or any substantial change or development involving a prospective substantial change in United States’ or international political, financial or economic conditions, as in the judgment of the Representatives is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering sale or delivery of the Securities in the manner and on the terms described in the Pricing Disclosure Package or to enforce contracts for the sale of securities. Any termination pursuant to this Section 10 shall be without liability on the part of (i) the Company or any Guarantor to any Initial Purchaser, except that the Company and the Guarantors shall be obligated to reimburse the expenses of the Initial Purchasers pursuant to Sections 4 and 6 hereof; (ii) any Initial Purchaser to the Company; or (iii) any party hereto to any other party except that the provisions of Sections 8 and 9 hereof shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination.
     SECTION 11. Representations and Indemnities to Survive Delivery. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company, the Guarantors, their respective officers and the several Initial Purchasers set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Initial Purchaser, the Company, any Guarantor or any of their partners, officers or directors or any controlling person, as the case may be, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Securities sold hereunder and any termination of this Agreement.
     SECTION 12. Notices. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be mailed, hand delivered, couriered or facsimiled and confirmed to the parties hereto as follows:

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     If to the Initial Purchasers:
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
One Bryant Park
New York, New York 10036
Facsimile: (713) 759-2580
Attention: Scott W. Archer
     with a copy to:
Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.
First City Tower
1001 Fannin Street, Suite 2500
Houston, Texas 77002-6760
Facsimile: (713) 615-5650
Attention: W. Matthew Strock
     If to the Company or the Guarantors:
Exterran Holdings, Inc.
16666 Northcase Drive
Houston, Texas 77060
Facsimile: (281) 836-8061
Attention: Donald C. Wayne
     with a copy to:
Baker Botts L.L.P.
910 Louisiana Street, Suite 3100
Houston, Texas 77002
Facsimile: (713) 229-7911
Attention: Ryan J. Maierson
     Any party hereto may change the address or facsimile number for receipt of communications by giving written notice to the others.
     SECTION 13. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto, and to the benefit of the indemnified parties referred to in Sections 8 and 9 hereof, and in each case their respective successors, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder. The term “successors” shall not include any Subsequent Purchaser or other purchaser of the Securities as such from any of the Initial Purchasers merely by reason of such purchase.
     SECTION 14. Authority of the Representatives. Any action by the Initial Purchasers hereunder may be taken by the Representatives on behalf of the Initial Purchasers, and any such action taken by the Representatives shall be binding upon the Initial Purchasers.

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     SECTION 15. Partial Unenforceability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other section, paragraph or provision hereof. If any section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.
     SECTION 16. Governing Law Provisions. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INTERNAL LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK APPLICABLE TO AGREEMENTS MADE AND TO BE PERFORMED IN SUCH STATE WITHOUT REGARD TO CONFLICTS OF LAW PRINCIPLES THEREOF.
     (a) Consent to Jurisdiction. Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby (“Related Proceedings”) may be instituted in the federal courts of the United States of America located in the City and County of New York or the courts of the State of New York in each case located in the City and County of New York (collectively, the “Specified Courts”), and each party irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction (except for suits, actions, or proceedings instituted in regard to the enforcement of a judgment of any Specified Court in a Related Proceeding a “Related Judgment”, as to which such jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of the Specified Courts in any Related Proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail to such party’s address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any Related Proceeding brought in any Specified Court. The parties irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any Specified Proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any Specified Court that any Related Proceeding brought in any Specified Court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.
     SECTION 17. Default of One or More of the Several Initial Purchasers. If any one or more of the several Initial Purchasers shall fail or refuse to purchase Securities that it or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on the Closing Date, and the aggregate number of Securities which such defaulting Initial Purchaser or Initial Purchasers agreed but failed or refused to purchase does not exceed 10% of the aggregate number of the Securities to be purchased on such date, the other Initial Purchasers shall be obligated, severally, in the proportions that the number of Securities set forth opposite their respective names on Schedule A bears to the aggregate number of Securities set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting Initial Purchasers, or in such other proportions as may be specified by the Initial Purchasers with the consent of the non-defaulting Initial Purchasers, to purchase the Securities which such defaulting Initial Purchaser or Initial Purchasers agreed but failed or refused to purchase on the Closing Date. If any one or more of the Initial Purchasers shall fail or refuse to purchase Securities and the aggregate number of Securities with respect to which such default occurs exceeds 10% of the aggregate number of Securities to be purchased on the Closing Date, and arrangements satisfactory to the Initial Purchasers and the Company for the purchase of such Securities are not made within 48 hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Sections 4, 6, 8 and 9 hereof shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination. In any such case either the Initial Purchasers or the Company shall have

29


 

the right to postpone the Closing Date, as the case may be, but in no event for longer than seven days in order that the required changes, if any, to the Final Offering Memorandum or any other documents or arrangements may be effected.
     As used in this Agreement, the term “Initial Purchaser” shall be deemed to include any person substituted for a defaulting Initial Purchaser under this Section 17. Any action taken under this Section 17 shall not relieve any defaulting Initial Purchaser from liability in respect of any default of such Initial Purchaser under this Agreement.
     SECTION 18. No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility. Each of the Company and the Guarantors acknowledges and agrees that: (i) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the offering price of the Securities and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company and the Guarantors, on the one hand, and the several Initial Purchasers, on the other hand, and the Company and the Guarantors are capable of evaluating and understanding and understand and accept the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; (ii) in connection with each transaction contemplated hereby and the process leading to such transaction each Initial Purchaser is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, and the Guarantors or their respective affiliates, stockholders, creditors or employees or any other party; (iii) no Initial Purchaser has assumed or will assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company and the Guarantors with respect to any of the transactions contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Initial Purchaser has advised or is currently advising the Company and the Guarantors on other matters) or any other obligation to the Company and the Guarantors except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement; (iv) the several Initial Purchasers and their respective affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company and the Guarantors, and the several Initial Purchasers have no obligation to disclose any of such interests by virtue of any fiduciary or advisory relationship; and (v) the Initial Purchasers have not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering contemplated hereby, and the Company and the Guarantors have consulted their own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent they deemed appropriate.
     This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company, the Guarantors and the several Initial Purchasers, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof. The Company and the Guarantors hereby waive and release, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that the Company and the Guarantors may have against the several Initial Purchasers with respect to any breach or alleged breach of fiduciary duty.
     SECTION 19. General Provisions. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the parties to this Agreement and supersedes all prior written or oral and all contemporaneous oral agreements, understandings and negotiations with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each one of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Agreement

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by telecopier, facsimile or other electronic transmission (i.e., a “pdf” or “tif”) shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart thereof. This Agreement may not be amended or modified unless in writing by all of the parties hereto, and no condition herein (express or implied) may be waived unless waived in writing by each party whom the condition is meant to benefit. The section headings herein are for the convenience of the parties only and shall not affect the construction or interpretation of this Agreement.

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     If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, kindly sign and return to the Company the enclosed copies hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts hereof, shall become a binding agreement in accordance with its terms.
         
  Very truly yours,

Company

Exterran Holdings, Inc.
 
 
  By:   /s/ J. Michael Anderson    
    Name:   J. Michael Anderson   
    Title:   Senior Vice President, Chief Financial
Officer and Chief of Staff 
 
 
  Guarantors

Exterran Energy Solutions, L.P.
 
 
  By:   /s/ J. Michael Anderson    
    Name:   J. Michael Anderson   
    Title:   Senior Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer 
 
 
  EES Leasing LLC
 
 
  By:   /s/ J. Michael Anderson    
    Name:   J. Michael Anderson   
    Title:   Senior Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer 
 
 
  EXH MLP LP LLC
 
 
  By:   /s/ Pamela A. Jasinski    
    Name:   Pamela A. Jasinski   
    Title:   Manager   
 
  Exterran Water Management Services, LLC
 
 
  By:   /s/ J. Michael Anderson    
    Name:   J. Michael Anderson   
    Title:   Senior Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer 
 

 


 

         
     The foregoing Purchase Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted by the Initial Purchasers as of the date first above written.
         
  Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
Wells Fargo Securities, LLC
     Acting on behalf of itself
     and as the Representatives of
     the several Initial Purchasers
 
 
  By: Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated    
     
       By:   /s/ Karl F. Schlopy    
    Name:   Karl F. Schlopy   
    Title:   Managing Director   
 
     
  By: Wells Fargo Securities, LLC    
     
       By:   /s/ Todd Schanzlin    
    Name:   Todd Schanzlin   
    Title:   Managing Director   

2


 

         
SCHEDULE A
         
    Aggregate Principal Amount of  
    Securities to be  
Initial Purchasers   Purchased  
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
  $ 87,500,000.00  
Wells Fargo Securities, LLC
    80,500,000.00  
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
    35,000,000.00  
BNP Paribas Securities Corp.
    24,500,000.00  
Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC
    24,500,000.00  
Barclays Capital Inc.
    12,600,000.00  
Credit Agricole Securities (USA) Inc.
    12,600,000.00  
RBS Securities Inc.
    12,600,000.00  
Scotia Capital (USA) Inc.
    12,600,000.00  
SMBC Nikko Capital Markets Limited
    12,600,000.00  
BBVA Securities Inc.
    7,000,000.00  
Mitsubishi UFJ Securities (USA), Inc.
    7,000,000.00  
Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc.
    7,000,000.00  
Raymond James & Associates, Inc.
    7,000,000.00  
SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc.
    7,000,000.00  
 
       
Total
  $ 350,000,000  
Schedule A-1

 


 

SCHEDULE B
Designated Subsidiaries
     
    Jurisdiction of Formation,
    Organization or
Name of Designated Subsidiary   Incorporation
Belleli Energy Critical Process Equipment S.r.l.
  Italy
Belleli Energy S.r.l.
  Italy
EES Leasing LLC
  Delaware
EHC NL B.V. — Gabon Branch
  Gabon
EXH MLP LP LLC
  Delaware
EXLP Leasing LLC
  Delaware
EXLP Operating LLC
  Delaware
Exterran ABS 2007 LLC
  Delaware
Exterran ABS Leasing 2007 LLC
  Delaware
Exterran Argentina S.A.
  Argentina
Exterran Canada, Limited Partnership
  Nova Scotia, Canada
Exterran Energy de Mexico, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Exterran Energy Solutions, L.P.
  Delaware
Exterran Middle East LLC
  Oman
Exterran Servicos de Oleo e Gas Ltda.
  Brazil
Exterran Water Management Services, LLC
  Wyoming
P.T. Exterran Indonesia
  Indonesia
Universal Compression International Holdings, S.L.U.
  Spain
Schedule B-1

 


 

EXHIBIT A-1
Form of Opinion of Baker Botts L.L.P.
     Opinion of counsel for the Company to be delivered pursuant to Section 5 of the Purchase Agreement.
     (a) Each of the Company and the Designated Subsidiaries is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its respective jurisdiction of incorporation or formation and has all requisite corporate, partnership or limited liability company power and authority to own its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Final Offering Memorandum. Each of the Company and the Designated Subsidiaries is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation, partnership or limited liability company in good standing in each of the other jurisdictions listed on a schedule to such opinion.
     (b) The Company has the corporate power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under the Purchase Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement, the Indenture, the Securities and the Exchange Securities; and all action required to be taken for the due and proper authorization, execution and delivery by the Company of each of the Purchase Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement, the Indenture, the Securities and the Exchange Securities and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated thereby has been duly and validly taken.
     (c) The Purchase Agreement has been duly authorized and validly executed and delivered by the Company and each Guarantor.
     (d) The Registration Rights Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery thereof by the Representatives, each Guarantor and constitutes a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company and each Guarantor enforceable against the Company and each Guarantor in accordance with its terms, except as the enforceability thereof may be subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general principles of equity and public policy (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding at law or in equity) and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding may be brought.
     (e) The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and each Guarantor and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery thereof by the Trustee, constitutes a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company and each Guarantor enforceable against the Company and each Guarantor in accordance with its terms, except as the enforceability thereof may be subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general principles of equity and public policy (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding at law or in equity) and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding may be brought.

Exhibit A-1


 

     (f) The Notes have been duly authorized and validly executed and delivered by the Company and, (assuming due authorization, execution and delivery of the Indenture by the Trustee) when duly authenticated and delivered as provided in the Indenture and paid for as provided in the Purchase Agreement, will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as the enforceability thereof may be subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general principles of equity and public policy (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding at law or in equity) and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding may be brought.
     (g) The Exchange Notes have been duly authorized and, when validly executed and delivered by the Company (assuming due authorization, execution and delivery of the Indenture by the Trustee) and duly authenticated as provided in the Indenture, the Registration Rights Agreement and the Exchange Offer, will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as the enforceability thereof may be subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general principles of equity and public policy (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding at law or in equity) and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding may be brought.
     (h) The Guarantees of the Notes have been duly authorized by the Guarantors and, when the Notes have been duly issued and authenticated as provided in the Indenture and paid for as provided in the Purchase Agreement, such Guarantees will constitute valid and legally binding agreements of the Guarantors, enforceable against the Guarantors in accordance with their terms, except as the enforceability thereof may be subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general principles of equity and public policy (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding at law or in equity) and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding may be brought. The Guarantees of the Exchange Notes have been duly authorized by the Guarantors and, when the Exchange Notes have been duly issued and authenticated as provided in the Indenture, the Registration Rights Agreement and the Exchange Offer, will constitute valid and legally binding agreements of the Guarantors, enforceable against the Guarantors in accordance with their terms, except as the enforceability thereof may be subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general principles of equity and public policy (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding at law or in equity) and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding may be brought.
     (i) The Securities, the Indenture and the Registration Rights Agreement conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Final Offering Memorandum.

Exhibit A-1-2


 

     (j) The execution, delivery and performance by the Company and the Guarantors of the Purchase Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement, the Securities, the Exchange Securities and the Indenture (other than performance under the indemnification section of the Purchase Agreement, as to which no opinion need be rendered), the issuance and sale of the Securities being delivered on the Closing Date and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Notes as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Final Offering Memorandum will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of the Designated Subsidiaries pursuant to, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of the Designated Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of the Designated Subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of the Designated Subsidiaries is subject that is filed as an Item 4 or Item 10 exhibit to the Company’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009, the Company’s Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2010, the Company’s Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2010 and the Company’s Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 30, 2010, each incorporated by reference in the Final Offering Memorandum or the Pricing Disclosure Package; (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or bylaws or similar organizational documents of the Company or any of the Designated Subsidiaries; or (iii) to our knowledge, result in the violation of any law or statute or any judgment except, in the case of clauses (i) and (iii) above, for such conflict, breach, violation or default that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
     (k) No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any court or arbitrator or other governmental or regulatory authority of the United States, the State of Delaware (solely with respect to its General Corporation Law) or the State of Texas is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company and the Guarantors of the Purchase Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement or the Indenture, the issuance and sale of the Securities being delivered on the Closing Date and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Final Offering Memorandum, except for (i) the filing of a registration statement by the Company with the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, the declaration of effectiveness of that registration statement by the Commission and the qualification of the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act as required by the Registration Rights Agreement and (ii) such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders and registrations or qualifications as may be required under applicable state securities laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Initial Purchasers.
     (l) To such counsel’s knowledge, there are no legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, actions, suits or proceedings pending or threatened to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or may be a party or to which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or may be the subject that are required to be described in the Company’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009, the Company’s Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2010, Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2010 or Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 30, 2010 that are not so described.

Exhibit A-1-3


 

     (m) The statements set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Final Offering Memorandum under the caption “Certain United States Federal Income Tax Considerations,” insofar as such statements summarize United States federal tax laws, are accurate in all material respects.
     (n) The statements set forth under the captions “Description of Other Indebtedness” and “Description of Notes” in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Final Offering Memorandum, insofar as such statements purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the Securities, the Indenture and the instruments governing such other indebtedness, are accurate summaries thereof in all material respects.
     (o) Neither the Company nor any Guarantor is and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Final Offering Memorandum, will not be an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
     (p) Assuming the accuracy of the representations, warranties and covenants of the Company and the Initial Purchasers contained herein, no registration of the Notes or the Guarantees under the Securities Act, and no qualification of an indenture under the Trust Indenture Act with respect thereto, is required in connection with the purchase of the Securities by the Initial Purchasers or the initial resale of the Securities by the Initial Purchasers to people reasonably believed to be Qualified Institutional Buyers and in compliance with Regulation S in the manner contemplated by this Agreement and the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Final Offering Memorandum other than any registration or qualification that may be required in connection with the Exchange Offer contemplated by the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Final Offering Memorandum or in connection with the Registration Rights Agreement. Such counsel need express no opinion, however, as to when or under what circumstances any Initial Notes initially sold by the Initial Purchasers may be reoffered or resold.
     In addition, such counsel shall state that such counsel has reviewed the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Final Offering Memorandum and has participated in conferences with officers and other representatives of the Company and the Guarantors, with representatives of the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm and with the Initial Purchasers and their counsel, at which the contents of the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Final Offering Memorandum and related matters were discussed. The purpose of such counsel’s professional engagement was not to establish or confirm factual matters set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Final Offering Memorandum, and such counsel has not undertaken to verify independently any of the factual matters in such documents. Moreover, many of the determinations required to be made in the preparation of the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Final Offering Memorandum involve matters of a non-legal nature. Accordingly, such counsel need not pass upon, or assume any responsibility for, the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements included in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Final Offering Memorandum (except to the extent stated in paragraphs (i), (m) and (n) above). Subject to the foregoing and on the basis of the information such counsel gained in the course of performing the services referred to above, such

Exhibit A-1-4


 

counsel shall advise you that nothing came to such counsel’s attention that caused such counsel to believe that:
  (1)   the Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Time of Sale, included an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or
  (2)   the Final Offering Memorandum, as of its date or as of the Closing Date, included an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
it being understood that in each case such counsel need not express any belief with respect to the financial statements and schedules or other financial or accounting information contained or included or incorporated by reference therein or omitted therefrom.

Exhibit A-1-5


 

EXHIBIT A-2
Form of Opinion of Holland & Hart LLP
     Opinion of local counsel for the Company to be delivered pursuant to Section 5 of the Purchase Agreement.
     (a) The Purchase Agreement has been duly authorized and validly executed and delivered by Exterran Water Management Services, LLC.
     (b) The Registration Rights Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by Exterran Water Management Services, LLC.
     (c) The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by Exterran Water Management Services, LLC.
     (d) The Guarantees of the Notes have been duly authorized by Exterran Water Management Services, LLC, and the Guarantees of the Exchange Notes have been duly authorized by Exterran Water Management Services, LLC.

Exhibit A-2


 

EXHIBIT B
Form of Opinion of General Counsel of Company
     All the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of each Guarantor excluding Exterran Energy Solutions, L.P., have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable other than liens arising under the Company’s Senior Secured Credit Agreement dated August 20, 2007) and are owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance or, to the knowledge of such counsel, any pending or threatened claim.

Exhibit B-1


 

ANNEX I
     Each Initial Purchaser understands that:
     Such Initial Purchaser agrees that it has not offered or sold and will not offer or sell the Securities in the United States or to, or for the benefit or account of, a U.S. Person (other than a distributor), in each case, as defined in Rule 902 of Regulation S (i) as part of its distribution at any time and (ii) otherwise until 40 days after the later of the commencement of the offering of the Securities pursuant hereto and the Closing Date, other than in accordance with Regulation S or another exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. Such Initial Purchaser agrees that, during such 40-day restricted period, it will not cause any advertisement with respect to the Securities (including any “tombstone” advertisement) to be published in any newspaper or periodical or posted in any public place and will not issue any circular relating to the Securities, except such advertisements as are permitted by and include the statements required by Regulation S.
     Such Initial Purchaser agrees that, at or prior to confirmation of a sale of Securities by it to any distributor, dealer or person receiving a selling concession, fee or other remuneration during the 40-day restricted period referred to in Rule 903 of Regulation S, it will send to such distributor, dealer or person receiving a selling concession, fee or other remuneration a confirmation or notice to substantially the following effect:
“The Securities covered hereby have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and may not be offered and sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons (i) as part of your distribution at any time or (ii) otherwise until 40 days after the later of the date the Securities were first offered to persons other than distributors in reliance upon Regulation S and the Closing Date, except in either case in accordance with Regulation S under the Securities Act (or in accordance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act or to accredited investors in transactions that are exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act), and in connection with any subsequent sale by you of the Securities covered hereby in reliance on Regulation S under the Securities Act during the period referred to above to any distributor, dealer or person receiving a selling concession, fee or other remuneration, you must deliver a notice to substantially the foregoing effect. Terms used above have the meanings assigned to them in Regulation S under the Securities Act.”

Annex I-1