Rating Agencies. No “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined in Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities Act) (i) has imposed (or has informed the Company that it is considering imposing) any condition (financial or otherwise) to retain any rating assigned to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or to any securities of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or (ii) has indicated to the Company that it is considering (A)

the downgrading, suspension, or withdrawal of, or any review (or of any potential or intended review) for a possible change in, any rating so assigned (including, without limitation, the placing of any of the foregoing ratings on credit watch with negative or developing implications or under review with an uncertain direction) or (B) any change in the outlook for any rating of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or any securities of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries.

Capitalization and Other Capital Stock Matters. All of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company and each of the Subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and were not issued in violation of, and are not subject to, any preemptive or similar rights. The table under the caption “Capitalization” in the Time of Sale Document and the Final Offering Memorandum (including the footnotes thereto) sets forth, as of its date, the capitalization of the Company other than subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to employee benefit plans or upon exercise of outstanding options or warrants as described in the Final Offering Memorandum. All of the outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity interests of each of the Subsidiaries are owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company, free and clear of all liens, security interests, mortgages, pledges, charges, equities, claims or restrictions on transferability or encumbrances of any kind (collectively, “Liens), other than those Permitted Liens and those imposed by the Securities Act and the securities or “Blue Sky” laws of certain U.S. state or non-U.S. jurisdictions. Except as disclosed in the Time of Sale Document and the Final Offering Memorandum, and except as contemplated by the Company’s 2009 Long Term Incentive Plan, there are no outstanding (A) options, warrants or other rights to purchase from the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, (B)

agreements, contracts, arrangements or other obligations of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries to issue or (C) other rights to convert any obligation into or exchange any securities for, in the case of each of clauses (A) through (C), shares of capital stock of or other ownership or equity interests in the Company or any of the Subsidiaries.

Notes. The Notes, Exchange Notes and Private Exchange Notes have each been duly and validly authorized by the Company and, in the case of the Notes, when issued and delivered to and paid for by the Initial Purchasers in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and the Indenture, will have been duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered and will constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, entitled

to the benefit of the Indenture and the Registration Rights Agreement, and enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except that the enforcement thereof may be subject to (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, receivership, moratorium, fraudulent conveyance, fraudulent transfer or other similar laws now or hereafter in effect relating to creditors’ rights generally and (ii) general principles of equity (whether applied by a court of law or equity) and the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought. When executed and delivered, the Notes will conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof in the Time of Sale Document and the Final Offering Memorandum and will be in the form contemplated by the Indenture.

Compliance with Existing Instruments. Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its certificate of incorporation, by-laws or other organizational documents (the “Charter Documents”); (ii) in violation of any U.S. or non-U.S. federal, state or local statute, law (including, without limitation, common law) or ordinance, or any judgment, decree, rule, regulation, order or injunction (collectively, “Applicable Law”) of any U.S. or non-U.S. federal, state, local or other governmental or regulatory authority, governmental or regulatory agency or body, court, arbitrator or self-regulatory organization (each, a “Governmental Authority”), applicable to any of them or any of their respective properties; or (iii) in breach of or default under any bond, debenture, note, loan or other evidence of indebtedness, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, lease or any other agreement or instrument to which any of them is a party or by which any of them or their respective property is bound (collectively, the “Applicable Agreements”), except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) for such violations, breaches or defaults that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. All Applicable Agreements are in full force and effect and are legal, valid and binding obligations, other than as disclosed in the Time of Sale Document and the Final Offering Memorandum and other than as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. There exists no condition that, with the passage of time or otherwise, would constitute (a) a violation of such Charter Documents or Applicable Laws, (b) a breach of or default or a “Debt Repayment Triggering Event” (as defined below) under any Applicable Agreement or (c) result in the imposition of any penalty or the acceleration of any indebtedness, except in the case of sub-clauses (b) and (c) of this sentence as would not, individually or in the

aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. As used herein, a “Debt Repayment Triggering Event” means any event or condition that gives, or with the giving of notice or lapse of time would give, the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties.

All Necessary Permits. Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries possess all licenses, permits, certificates, consents, orders, approvals and other authorizations from, and has made all declarations and filings with, all Governmental Authorities, presently required or necessary to own or lease, as the case may be, and to operate its properties and to carry

on its businesses as now or proposed to be conducted as described in the Time of Sale Document and the Final Offering Memorandum (“Permits”), except where the failure to possess such Permits would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; each of the Company and the Subsidiaries has fulfilled and performed all of its obligations with respect to such Permits, except where the failure to fulfill or perform such obligations would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; no event has occurred which allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination of any such Permit or has resulted, or after notice or lapse of time would result, in any other material impairment of the rights of the holder of any such Permit; and none of the Company or the Subsidiaries has received or has any reason to believe it will receive any notice of any proceeding relating to revocation or modification of any such Permit, except as described in the Time of Sale Document and the Final Offering Memorandum or except where such revocation or modification would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

Title to Properties. The Company and its subsidiaries have (i) Defensible (as defined below) title to all its interests in its producing natural gas and oil properties (including oil and gas wells, producing leasehold interests and appurtenant personal property) described in the Time of Sale Document and the Final Offering Memorandum as owned by it, (ii) investigated title in accordance with customary industry procedures prior to acquiring any non-producing leasehold properties (including undeveloped locations or leases held by production, and those leases not held by production and including exploration prospects) described in the Time of Sale Document and the Final Offering Memorandum as owned by it, (iii) good and indefeasible title to its other real property as described in the Time of Sale Document and the Final Offering Memorandum as owned by it and (iv) good title to its personal property as described in the Time of Sale Document and the Final Offering Memorandum as owned by it, in each case described in sub-clauses (i) through (iv) above, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests, claims, restrictions or encumbrances of any kind except such as (a) are described in the Time of Sale Document and the Final Offering Memorandum or (b) do not, individually or in the aggregate, materially affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; all real property, buildings and other improvements, and equipment and other property held under lease or sublease by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries material to the business is (i) held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases or subleases, as the case may be, with, solely in the case of leases or subleases relating to real property and buildings or other improvements, such exceptions as are not material and do not materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such property and buildings or other improvements by the Company and its Subsidiaries, and (ii) all such leases and subleases are in full force and effect. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has any notice of any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries under any of the leases or subleases mentioned above or affecting or questioning the rights of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease. As used herein, “Defensible” means, with respect to title to the producing properties (including oil and gas wells and

producing leasehold interests) described in the Time of Sale Document and the Final Offering Memorandum as being owned by the Company or its Subsidiaries, that the Company and its Subsidiaries (1) are entitled to receive not less than the net revenue interests of such properties as set forth in the Reserve Reports (as defined herein) of all hydrocarbons and minerals produced, saved and marketed from such properties, and proceeds thereof, all without reduction, suspension or termination of such interests throughout the productive life of such properties, and (2) are obligated to bear a share of the costs and expenses relating to the maintenance, exploration, drilling, completion, development, operation, plugging and abandonment of such properties not greater than the working interests of such properties as set forth in the Reserve Reports, without increase throughout the life of such properties.

Intellectual Property Rights. Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries owns, or is licensed under, and has the right to use, all patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks, domain names and trade names (collectively, “Intellectual Property”) necessary for the conduct of its businesses and, as of the Closing Date, the Intellectual Property will be free and clear of all Liens, other than Permitted Liens. The Company is not a party to, or bound by, any options, licenses or agreements with respect to the intellectual property rights of any other person or entity that are necessary to be described in the Time of Sale Document or the Final Offering Memorandum to avoid a material misstatement or omission and are not described therein. No claims or notices of any potential claim have been asserted by any person challenging the use of any such Intellectual Property by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or questioning the validity or effectiveness of any Intellectual Property or any license or agreement related thereto, other than any claims that, if successful, would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. None of the intellectual property necessary to the business of and used by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries has been obtained or is hereby used by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries in violation of any contractual obligation binding on the

Company or any of the Subsidiaries or, to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries’ knowledge, its officers, directors or employees or otherwise in violation of the rights of any person.

Compliance with Environmental Laws. Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries is (i) in compliance with any and all applicable U.S. or non-U.S. federal, state and local laws

and regulations relating to health and safety, or the pollution or the protection of the environment or hazardous or toxic substances of wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“Environmental Laws”), (ii) has received and is in compliance with all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct its respective businesses and (iii) has not received notice of, and is not aware of, any actual or potential liability for damages to natural resources or the investigation or remediation of any disposal, release or existence of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, in each case except where such non-compliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive and comply with required permits, licenses or other approvals, or liability would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has been named as a “potentially responsible party” under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended, or any similar U.S. or non-U.S. state or local Environmental Laws or regulation requiring the Company or any of the Subsidiaries to investigate or remediate any pollutants or contaminants, except where such requirements would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business. The Company has reviewed the effects of Environmental Laws on the business, operations and properties of the Company and the Subsidiaries, in the course of which it identified and evaluated associated costs and liabilities (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws, or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties). On the basis of such review, the Company has reasonably concluded that such associated costs would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

Insurance. Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which they are engaged. All material policies of insurance insuring the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or their respective businesses, assets, employees, officers and directors are in full force and effect. The Company and the Subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms of such policies and instruments in all material respects, and there are no claims by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries under any such material policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause. Neither the Company nor any such Subsidiary has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for, and except as disclosed in the Time of Sale Document and the Final Offering Memorandum under the captions “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business and Our Industry—We may not be insured against all of the operating risks to which our business is exposed,” and “—Legislative and regulatory initiatives relating to offshore operations, which include consideration of increases in the minimum levels of demonstrated financial responsibility required to conduct exploration and production operations on the outer continental shelf and elimination of liability limitations on damages, will, if adopted, likely result in increased costs and additional operating restrictions and could have a material adverse effect on our business” neither the Company nor any such Subsidiary has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as

may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

Use of Proceeds; Solvency; Going Concern. All indebtedness represented by the Securities is being incurred for proper purposes and in good faith. On the Closing Date, after giving pro forma effect to the Offering and the use of proceeds therefrom described under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Time of Sale Document and Final Offering Memorandum, the Company and each Guarantor (i) will be Solvent (as hereinafter defined), (ii) will have sufficient capital for carrying on its business and (iii) will be able to pay its debts as they mature. As used in this paragraph, the term “Solvent” means, with respect to a particular date, that on such date (i) the present fair market value (or present fair saleable value) of the assets of the Company and each Guarantor is not less than the total amount required to pay the liabilities of the Company and each Guarantor on its total existing debts and liabilities (including contingent liabilities) as they become absolute and matured; (ii) the Company and each Guarantor is able to pay its debts and other liabilities, contingent obligations and commitments as they mature and become due in the normal course of business; (iii) assuming consummation of the issuance of the Securities as contemplated by this Agreement and the Time of Sale Document and Final Offering Memorandum, neither the Company nor any Guarantor is incurring debts or liabilities beyond its ability to pay as such debts and liabilities mature; (iv) neither the Company nor any Guarantor is engaged in any business or transaction, and does not propose to engage in any business or transaction, for which its property would constitute unreasonably small capital after giving due consideration to the prevailing practice in the industry in which the Company or any Guarantor is engaged; and (v) neither the

Company nor any Guarantor is otherwise insolvent under the standards set forth in Applicable Laws.

No Directed Selling Efforts. None of the Company, any of its Affiliates or other person acting on behalf of the Company has, with respect to Securities sold outside the United States, offered the Securities to buyers qualifying as “U.S. persons” (as defined in Rule 902 under the Securities Act) or engaged in any directed selling efforts within the meaning of Rule 902 under the Securities Act; the Company, any Affiliate of the Company and any person acting on behalf of the Company have complied with and will implement the “offering restrictions” within the meaning of such Rule 902; and neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates has entered or will enter into any arrangement or agreement with respect to the distribution of the Securities, except for this Agreement;

provided that no representation is made in this paragraph with respect to the actions of the Initial Purchasers.

Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. None of the Company or any Subsidiary or any director, officer, employee or, to the knowledge of the Company or any Subsidiary, any agent or

other person acting on behalf of the Company or any Subsidiary has, in the course of its actions for, or on behalf of, the Company or any Subsidiary (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expenses relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any domestic government official, “foreign official” (as defined in the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “FCPA”) or employee from corporate funds; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the FCPA or any applicable non-U.S. anti-bribery statute or regulation; or (iv) made any unlawful bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment to any domestic government official, such foreign official or employee.

Securities Law Compliance. To (i) advise the Initial Purchasers promptly after obtaining knowledge (and, if requested by the Initial Purchasers, confirm such advice in writing) of (A) the issuance by any U.S. or non-U.S. federal or state securities commission of any stop order suspending the qualification or exemption from qualification of any of the Securities for offer or sale in any jurisdiction, or the initiation of any proceeding for such purpose by any U.S. or non-U.S. federal or state securities commission or other regulatory authority, or (B) the happening of any event that makes any statement of a material fact made in the Time of Sale Document, any Company Additional Written Communication or the Final Offering Memorandum, untrue or that requires the making of any additions to or changes in the Time of Sale Document, any Company Additional Written Communication, or the Final Offering Memorandum, to make the statements

therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, (ii) use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order or order suspending the qualification or exemption from qualification of any of the Securities under any securities or “Blue Sky” laws of U.S. state or non-U.S. jurisdictions and (iii) if, at any time, any U.S. or non-U.S. federal or state securities commission or other regulatory authority shall issue an order suspending the qualification or exemption from qualification of any of the Securities under any such laws, use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the withdrawal or lifting of such order at the earliest possible time.

Preparation of Amendments and Supplements to Offering Documents. So long as the Initial Purchasers shall hold any of the Securities, (i) if any event shall occur as a result of which, in the reasonable judgment of the Company or the Initial Purchasers, it becomes necessary or advisable to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Document or the Final Offering Memorandum to correct any untrue statement of a material fact or omission to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or if it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Document or the Final Offering Memorandum to comply with any Applicable Law, to prepare, at the expense of the Company, an appropriate amendment or supplement to the Time of Sale Document and the Final Offering Memorandum (in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Initial Purchasers) so

that (A) as so amended or supplemented, the Time of Sale Document and the Final Offering Memorandum will not include an untrue statement of material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and (B) the Time of Sale Document and the Final Offering Memorandum will comply in all material respects with Applicable Law and (ii) if in the reasonable judgment of the Company it becomes necessary or advisable to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Document or the Final Offering Memorandum so that the Time of Sale Document and the Final Offering Memorandum will contain all of the information specified in, and meet the requirements of, Rule 144A(d)(4) of the Securities Act, to prepare an appropriate amendment or supplement to the Time of Sale Document or the Final Offering Memorandum (in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Initial Purchaser) so that the Time of Sale Document or the Final Offering Memorandum, as so amended or supplemented, will contain the information specified in, and meet the requirements of, such Rule.

Payment of Expenses. Whether or not any of the Offering or the Transactions are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, to pay (i) all costs, expenses, fees and taxes incident to and in connection with: (A) the preparation, printing and distribution of the Time of Sale Document and the Final Offering Memorandum and all amendments and supplements thereto (including, without limitation, financial statements and exhibits), and all other agreements, memoranda, correspondence and other documents prepared and delivered in connection herewith, (B) the negotiation, printing, processing and distribution (including, without limitation, word processing and duplication costs) and delivery of, each of the Documents, (C) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the Securities, (D) the qualification of the Securities for offer and sale under the securities or “Blue Sky” laws of U.S. state or non-U.S. jurisdictions (including, without limitation, the fees and disbursements of the Initial Purchasers’ counsel relating to such registration or qualification), (E) furnishing such copies of the Time of Sale Document and the Final Offering Memorandum, and all amendments and supplements thereto, as may reasonably be requested for use by the Initial Purchasers and (F) the performance of the obligations of the Company and the Guarantors obligations under the Registration Rights Agreement, including but not limited to the Exchange Offer, the Exchange Offer Registration Statement and any Shelf Registration Statement, (ii) all fees and expenses of the counsel, accountants and any other experts or advisors retained by the Company or the Guarantors, (iii) all fees and expenses (including fees and expenses of counsel) of the Company or the Guarantors in connection with approval of the Securities by DTC for

“book-entry” transfer, (iv) all fees charged by rating agencies in connection with the rating of the Securities, (v) all fees and expenses (including reasonable fees and expenses of counsel) of the Trustee and (vi) all other reasonable fees, disbursements and out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Initial Purchasers in connection with its services to be rendered hereunder including, without limitation, travel and lodging expenses, chartering of airplanes, roadshow or investor presentation expenses, word processing charges, the costs of printing or producing any investor presentation materials, messenger and duplicating service expenses, facsimile expenses and other customary expenditures.

Additional Offering Materials. Except in connection with the Exchange Offer or the filing of the Shelf Registration Statement, not to, and not to authorize or permit any person acting on its behalf to, (i) distribute any offering material in connection with the

offer and sale of the Securities other than the Time of Sale Document and the Final Offering Memorandum and any amendments and supplements to the Preliminary Offering Memorandum or the Final Offering Memorandum prepared in compliance with this Agreement, (ii) solicit any offer to buy or offer to sell the Securities by means of any form of general solicitation or general advertising (including, without limitation, as such terms are used in Regulation D under the Securities Act) or in any manner involving a public offering within the meaning of Section 4(2) of the Securities Act, or (iii) engage in any directed selling efforts within the meaning of Regulation S, and all such persons will comply with the offering restrictions requirement of Regulation S.

Officers’ Certificate. A certificate dated the Closing Date, signed by (1) the Chief Executive Officer and (2) the principal financial or accounting officer of the Company, on behalf of the Company and the Guarantors, to the effect that (a) the representations and warranties set forth in Section 4 hereof and in each of the

Documents are true and correct in all material respects with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Date, (b) the Company and the Guarantors have performed and complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions in all material respects on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Date, (c) at the Closing Date, since the date hereof or since the date of the most recent financial statements in the Time of Sale Document and the Final Offering Memorandum (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto after the date hereof), no event or events have occurred, no information has become known nor does any condition exist that, individually or in the aggregate, would have a Material Adverse Effect, (d) since the date of the most recent financial statements in the Time of Sale Document and the Final Offering Memorandum (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto after the date hereof), other than as described in the Time of Sale Document and the Final Offering Memorandum or contemplated hereby, neither the Company, the Guarantors nor any other Subsidiary has incurred any liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent, not in the ordinary course of business, that are material to the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or entered into any transactions not in the ordinary course of business that are material to the business, condition (financial or otherwise) or results of operations or prospects of the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, and there has not been any change in the capital stock or long-term indebtedness of the Company, the Guarantors or any other Subsidiary of the Company that is material to the business, condition (financial or otherwise) or results of operations or prospects of the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, and (e) the sale of the Securities has not been enjoined (temporarily or permanently).

The Initial Purchasers shall have received from UHY LLP, the registered public or certified public accountants of ASOP, (A) a customary initial

comfort letter delivered according to Statement of Auditing Standards No. 72 (or any successor bulletin), dated the date hereof, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Initial Purchasers and their counsel, with respect to the Statements of Revenue and Operating Expense related to the ASOP Properties and contained in the Time of Sale Document and the Final Offering Memorandum, and (B) a customary “bring-down” comfort letter, dated the Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Initial Purchasers and their counsel, which includes, among other things, a reaffirmation of the statements made by UHY LLP in its initial letter furnished pursuant to clause (A) with respect to such financial statements and financial information contained in the Time of Sale Document and the Final Offering Memorandum.

Executed Documents. The Initial Purchasers shall have received fully executed originals (or facsimile or other electronic copies of such fully executed originals) of each Document (each of which shall be in full force and effect on terms reasonably

satisfactory to the Initial Purchasers), and each opinion, certificate, letter and other document to be delivered in connection with the Offering or any other Transaction.

Notifications and Other Indemnification Procedures. As promptly as reasonably practicable after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section of notice of the commencement of any action for which such indemnified party is entitled to indemnification under this Section, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section, notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof in writing; but the omission to so notify the indemnifying party (i) will not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability under Section 8(a) or (b) above unless and only to the extent it is materially prejudiced as a proximate result thereof and (ii) will not, in any event, relieve the indemnifying party from any obligations to any indemnified party other than the indemnification obligation provided in Section 8(a) and (b) above. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party, and it notifies the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it may elect, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified by 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, that if (i) the use of counsel chosen by the indemnifying party to represent the indemnified party would

present such counsel with a conflict of interest, (ii) the defendants in any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party, and the indemnified party shall have 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 one or more legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties that are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, or (iii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after receipt by the indemnifying party of notice of the institution of such action, then, in each such case, the indemnifying party shall not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of such indemnified party or parties and such indemnified party or parties shall have the right to select separate counsel to defend such action on behalf of such indemnified party or parties at the expense of the indemnifying party. After notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof and approval by such indemnified party of counsel appointed to defend such action, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section for any legal or other expenses, other than reasonable costs of investigation, 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 in connection with such action the indemnifying party shall not be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate counsel (in addition to local counsel) in any one action or separate but substantially similar actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances, designated by the Initial Purchasers in the case of Section 8(a) or the Company in the case of Section 8(b), representing the indemnified parties under such Section 8(a) or (b), as the case may be, who are parties to such action or actions), (ii) the indemnifying party has authorized in writing the employment of counsel for the indemnified party at the expense of the indemnifying party or (iii) 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 and shall be paid as they are incurred. After such notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party, the indemnifying party will not be liable for the costs and expenses of any settlement of such action effected by such indemnified party without the prior written consent of the indemnifying party (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), unless such indemnified party waived in writing its rights under this Section, in which case the indemnified party may effect such a settlement without such consent.

Settlements. No indemnifying party shall be liable under this Section for any settlement of any claim or action (or threatened claim or action) effected without its written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, but if a claim or action settled with its written consent, or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff with respect to any such claim or action, each indemnifying party jointly and severally agrees, subject to the exceptions and limitations set forth above, to indemnify and hold harmless each indemnified party from and against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities (and legal and other expenses as set forth above) incurred by reason of such settlement or judgment. No

indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), effect any settlement or compromise of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which the indemnified party is or could have been a party, or indemnity could have been sought hereunder by the indemnified party, unless such settlement (A) includes an unconditional written release of the indemnified party, in form and substance satisfactory to the indemnified party, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (B) does not include any statement as to an admission of fault, culpability or failure to act by or on behalf of the indemnified party.

Equitable Consideration. The Company, the Guarantors and the Initial Purchasers agree that it would not be equitable if the amount of such contribution determined pursuant to Section 8(e) were determined by pro rata or per capita allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to in Section 8(e). Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section, the Initial Purchasers shall not be obligated to make contributions hereunder that in the aggregate exceed the total discounts, commissions and other compensation received by such Initial Purchasers under this Agreement, less the aggregate amount of any damages that such Initial Purchasers have otherwise been required to pay by reason of the untrue or alleged untrue statements or the omissions or alleged omissions to state a material fact. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of

such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Initial Purchasers’ obligation to contribute hereunder shall be several in proportion to their respective purchase obligations hereunder and not joint. For purposes of Section 8(e), each director, officer and employee of the Initial Purchasers, and each person, if any, who controls the Initial Purchasers within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, shall have the same rights to contribution as the Initial Purchasers, and each director, officer and employee of the Company and the Guarantors, and each person, if any, who controls the Company or any of the Guarantors within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company and the Guarantors.

Separability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and the parties hereto shall use their reasonable best efforts to find and employ an alternative means to achieve the same or substantially the same result as that contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or restriction. It is hereby stipulated and declared to be the intention of the parties that they would have executed the remaining

terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions without including any of such that may be hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.

/s/ Craig Zaph

/s/ Thomas D. Dale

Initial Purchasers

Jefferies & Company, Inc.

BMO Capital Markets Corp.

Capital One Southcoast, Inc.

Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc.

Natixis Securities North America Inc.

Scotia Capital (USA) Inc.

Total