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

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): September 13, 2017

Concho Resources Inc.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

Delaware
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)

001-33615	 	76-0818600	
(Commission File Number)	 	(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)	
		
One Concho Center
600 W. Illinois Avenue
Midland, Texas	 	79701	
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)	 	(Zip Code)	
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (432) 683-7443

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):
 
☐	Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)	
 
☐	Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)	
 
☐	Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))	
 
☐	Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))	
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR §230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR §240.12b-2).
Emerging growth company  ☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  ☐

 

Item 1.01	Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.	
Underwriting Agreement
On September 13, 2017, Concho Resources Inc. (the “ Company ”) and its current subsidiaries entered into an underwriting agreement (the “ Underwriting Agreement ”) with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Barclays Capital Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Inc., as representatives of the underwriters named in Schedule 1 thereto (collectively, the “ Underwriters ”), in connection with an underwritten public offering of $1,800 million aggregate principal amount of the Company’s senior unsecured notes, consisting of $1,000 million aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 3.750% senior unsecured notes due 2027 (the “ 2027 notes ”) and $800 million aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 4.875% senior unsecured notes due 2047 (the “ 2047 notes ” and, together with the 2027 notes, the “ Notes ”). The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering, together with cash on hand and borrowings under its credit facility, to fund the purchase of its 5.5% Senior Notes due 2022 and 5.5% Senior Notes due 2023 (collectively, the “ 5.5% notes ”) pursuant to the pending tender offer (the “ Tender Offer ”) and the redemption of any 5.5% notes that remain outstanding after completion or termination of the Tender Offer. The 2027 notes will bear interest at a rate of 3.750% per annum and will be issued at 99.636% of par, and the 2047 notes will bear interest at a rate of 4.875% per annum and will be issued at 99.749% of par.
The issuance and sale of the Notes has been registered under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “ Securities Act ”) pursuant to an automatic shelf Registration Statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-206172), as amended, of the Company, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 6, 2015. Each series of the Notes will be issued pursuant to a new supplemental indenture to the Company’s existing indenture. The 2027 notes and the 2047 notes will each be guaranteed on a senior unsecured basis by the Company’s current subsidiaries. Closing of the issuance and sale of the Notes is expected to occur on September 26, 2017, subject to customary closing conditions. A legal opinion related to the Notes is filed herewith as Exhibit 5.1.
The Underwriting Agreement contains customary representations, warranties and agreements by the Company and customary conditions to closing, obligations of the parties and termination provisions. Additionally, the Company has agreed to indemnify the Underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute to payments the Underwriters may be required to make because of any of those liabilities.
Certain of the Underwriters or their affiliates have from time to time provided investment banking, commercial banking and financial advisory services to the Company, for which they have received customary compensation. The Underwriters and their affiliates may provide similar services in the future. In particular, certain of the underwriters or their affiliates are lenders under the Company’s credit facility. From time to time, certain of the Underwriters and their affiliates may effect transactions for their own account or the account of customers, and hold on behalf of themselves or their customers, long or short positions in the Company’s debt or equity securities or loans, and may do so in the future. In addition, certain of the Underwriters or their affiliates are holders of the 5.5% notes and, accordingly, may receive a portion of the proceeds of the offering pursuant to the Tender Offer or upon any subsequent redemption or repurchase of the 5.5% notes by the Company. Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated is acting as dealer manager for the Tender Offer, for which it will receive indemnification against certain liabilities and reimbursement of expenses.
The foregoing description of the Underwriting Agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference to such Underwriting Agreement, a copy of which is filed herewith as Exhibit 1.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9.01	Financial Statements and Exhibits.	
(d) Exhibits.

Exhibit
Number	  	Description	
		
  1.1	  	Underwriting Agreement dated September 13, 2017 by and among Concho Resources Inc., the subsidiary guarantors named therein and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner  & Smith Incorporated, Barclays Capital Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Inc., as representatives of the underwriters named therein.	
		
  5.1	  	Opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.	
		
23.1	  	Consent of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. (included in Exhibit 5.1).	

SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

	 		 	CONCHO RESOURCES INC.	
				
Date: September 14, 2017	 		 	By:	 	/s/ Travis L. Counts	
	 		 	Name:	 	Travis L. Counts	
	 		 	Title:	 	Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary	

EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit
Number	  	Description	
		
  1.1	  	Underwriting Agreement dated September 13, 2017 by and among Concho Resources Inc., the subsidiary guarantors named therein and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Barclays Capital Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Inc., as representatives of the underwriters named therein.	
		
  5.1	  	Opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.	
		
23.1	  	Consent of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. (included in Exhibit 5.1).	

Exhibit 1.1
CONCHO RESOURCES INC.
$1,000,000,000 3.750% Senior Notes due 2027
$800,000,000 4.875% Senior Notes due 2047
Underwriting Agreement
September 13, 2017
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated
One Bryant Park
New York, New York 10036
Barclays Capital Inc.
745 Seventh Avenue
New York, New York 10019
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
388 Greenwich Street
New York, New York 10013
as Representatives of the
several Underwriters listed
in Schedule 1 hereto
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Concho Resources Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you are acting as representatives (the “Representatives”), $1,000,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 3.750% Senior Notes due 2027 (the “2027 Notes”) and $800,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 4.875% Senior Notes due 2047 (the “2047 Notes,” and together with the 2027 Notes, the “Notes”). The Notes will be guaranteed (the “Guarantees”) on an unsecured senior basis by each of the guarantors listed in Schedule 2 hereto (the “Guarantors”). The Securities (as defined below) will be issued pursuant to an Indenture dated as of September 18, 2009 (the “Base Indenture”), among the Company, the Guarantors party thereto and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”), as amended and supplemented by the Twelfth Supplemental Indenture (herein so called) in respect of the 2027 Notes and the Thirteenth Supplemental Indenture (herein so called) in respect of the 2047 Notes, each to be dated as of September 26, 2017, among the Company, the Guarantors and the Trustee. The Base Indenture, as so amended and supplemented by the Twelfth Supplemental Indenture and the Thirteenth Supplemental Indenture (collectively, the “Supplemental Indentures”) is herein called the “Indenture,” and the Notes and the related Guarantees are herein collectively referred to as the “Securities.”

Each of the Company and the Guarantors hereby confirms its agreement with the several Underwriters concerning the purchase and sale of the Securities, as follows:
1. Registration Statement . The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Securities Act”), an automatic shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-206172), including a prospectus, relating to the Securities. Such registration statement, including any post-effective amendments thereto and the information, if any, deemed pursuant to Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act to be part of the registration statement at the time of its effectiveness (“Rule 430 Information”), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement”; and as used herein, the term “Preliminary Prospectus” means the prospectus dated August 6, 2015 included in such registration statement that omits Rule 430 Information and the preliminary prospectus supplement filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act on September 13, 2017, and the term “Prospectus” means the prospectus in the form first used (or made available upon request of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) in connection with confirmation of sales of the Securities. Any reference in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act, as of the effective date of the Registration Statement or the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, and any reference to “amend,” “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents filed after such date under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Exchange Act”) that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
At or prior to the time when sales of the Securities were first made (the “Time of Sale”), the Company had prepared the following information (collectively with the pricing information set forth on Annex B, the “Time of Sale Information”): the Preliminary Prospectus and each “free-writing prospectus” (as defined pursuant to Rule 405 under the Securities Act), if any, listed on Annex B hereto.
2. Purchase of the Securities by the Underwriters . (a) The Company agrees to issue and sell the Securities to the several Underwriters as provided in this Agreement, and each Underwriter, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective principal amount of Securities set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule 1 hereto at a price equal to (i) 98.986% of the principal amount of the 2027 Notes and (ii) 98.874% of the principal amount of the 2047 Notes, plus, in each of the cases mentioned in the preceding clause (i) or clause (ii), accrued interest, if any, from September 26, 2017 to the Closing Date (as defined below). The Company will not be obligated to deliver any of the Securities except upon payment for all the Securities to be purchased as provided herein.
 
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(b) The Company understands that the Underwriters intend to make a public offering of the Securities as soon after the effectiveness of this Agreement as in the judgment of the Representatives is advisable, and initially to offer the Securities on the terms set forth in the Prospectus. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters may offer and sell Securities to or through any affiliate of an Underwriter and that any such affiliate may offer and sell Securities purchased by it to or through any Underwriter.
(c) Payment for and delivery of the Securities will be made at the offices of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., 1001 Fannin Street, Houston, Texas 77002 at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on September 26, 2017, or at such other time or place on the same or such other date, not later than the fifth business day thereafter, as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing. The time and date of such payment and delivery is referred to herein as the “Closing Date.”
(d) Payment for the Securities shall be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account(s) specified by the Company to the Representatives against delivery to the Trustee, as custodian for The Depository Trust Company, for the account of the Underwriters, of one or more global notes representing the Securities of each series (collectively, the “Global Notes”), with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the sale of the Securities duly paid by the Company.
(e) The Company and the Guarantors acknowledge and agree that the Underwriters are acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the Company and the Guarantors with respect to the offering of Securities contemplated hereby (including in connection with determining the terms of the offering) and not as a financial advisor or a fiduciary to, or an agent of, the Company, the Guarantors or any other person. Additionally, none of the Representatives or any other Underwriter is advising the Company, the Guarantors or any other person as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction. The Company and the Guarantors shall consult with their own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making their own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Underwriters shall have no responsibility or liability to the Company or the Guarantors with respect thereto. Any review by the Underwriters of the Company, the Guarantors, the transactions contemplated hereby or other matters relating to such transactions will be performed solely for the benefit of the Underwriters and shall not be on behalf of the Company or the Guarantors.
3. Representations and Warranties of the Company and the Guarantors . The Company and the Guarantors jointly and severally represent and warrant to each Underwriter that:
(a) Preliminary Prospectus . No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and each Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, complied in all material respects with the Securities Act and did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or 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 and the Guarantors make no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in any Preliminary Prospectus, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) below.
 
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(b) Time of Sale Information . The Time of Sale Information, at the Time of Sale did not, 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 and the Guarantors make no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in such Time of Sale Information, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) below.
(c) Issuer Free Writing Prospectus . Other than the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company (including its agents and representatives, other than the Underwriters in their capacity as such) has not prepared, made, used, authorized, approved or referred to and will not prepare, make, use, authorize, approve or refer to 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 (other than a communication referred to in clause (i) below) an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”) other than (i) any document not constituting a prospectus pursuant to Section 2(a)(10)(a) of the Securities Act or Rule 134 under the Securities Act or (ii) the documents listed on Annex B hereto, each electronic road show, and any other written communications, in each case approved in writing in advance by the Representatives. Each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus complied in all material respects with the Securities Act, has been or will be (within the time period specified in Rule 433) filed in accordance with the Securities Act (to the extent required thereby), does not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and, when taken together with the Preliminary Prospectus accompanying, or delivered prior to delivery of, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, did not, 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 and the Guarantors make no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) below.
(d) Registration Statement and Prospectus . The Registration Statement is an “automatic shelf registration statement” as defined under Rule 405 of the Securities Act that has been filed with the Commission not earlier than three years prior to the date hereof; and no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of such registration statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act has been received by the Company. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement
 
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has been issued by the Commission and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act against the Company or related to the offering of the Securities has been initiated or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened by the Commission; as of the applicable effective date of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, the Registration Statement and any such post-effective amendment complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Trust Indenture Act”), and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and as of the date of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and as of the Closing Date, the Prospectus will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or 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 and the Guarantors make no representation and warranty with respect to (i) that part of the Registration Statement that constitutes the Statement of Eligibility and Qualification (Form T-1) of the Trustee under the Trust Indenture Act or (ii) any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) below.
(e) Incorporated Documents . The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Time of Sale Information, when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act, and none of such documents contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Time of Sale Information, when such documents become effective or are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(f) Financial Statements . The financial statements and the related notes thereto of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus 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 subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the results of their operations and the changes in their cash flows for the periods specified; such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with 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 Registration Statement present fairly in all material respects the information
 
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required to be stated therein; and the other financial information included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus has been derived from the accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries and presents fairly in all material respects the information shown thereby. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.
(g) No Material Adverse Change . Since the date of the most recent financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, (i) there has not been any change in the capital stock or material change in the long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, 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 prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; (ii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has entered into any transaction or agreement that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; and (iii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained any material 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, except in each case as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.
(h) Organization and Good Standing . 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, in good standing or have such power or authority would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the business, properties, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity, results of operations or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole or on the performance by the Company or the Guarantors of their obligations under this Agreement or under the Notes and the Guarantees, respectively (a “Material Adverse Effect”). The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than COG Acreage LP, COG Holdings LLC, COG Operating LLC, COG Production LLC, COG Realty LLC, Concho Oil & Gas LLC, Delaware River SWD LLC, Quail Ranch LLC, Mongoose Minerals LLC, and its midstream joint venture operating in the Southern Delaware Basin in which it holds a 23.75% non-operating equity interest.
 
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(i) Capitalization . The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus under the heading “Capitalization;” and all the outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity interests of each subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable (except as otherwise described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus) 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 any other claim of any third party, other than those arising under the Company’s Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of May 9, 2014, as amended.
(j) Due Authorization . The Company and each of the Guarantors have full corporate, limited partnership or limited liability company power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and the Securities, to the extent it is a party thereto, and to perform their respective obligations hereunder and under the Securities, the Base Indenture and the Supplemental Indentures (collectively with this Agreement, the “Transaction Documents”); the Company and each of the Guarantors had, as of the date of execution and delivery thereof, full corporate, limited partnership or limited liability company power and authority to execute and deliver the Base Indenture and the Supplemental Indentures; and all corporate, limited partnership or limited liability company action required to be taken for the due and proper authorization, execution and delivery of each of the Transaction Documents to which it is a party and the consummation by each of them of the transactions contemplated thereby has been duly and validly taken.
(k) The Indenture . Each of the Base Indenture and the Supplemental Indentures has been duly authorized by the Company and each of the Guarantors party thereto, and the Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act; the Base Indenture has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and each of the Guarantors party thereto; and when the Company and the Guarantors have duly executed and delivered the Supplemental Indentures (assuming due execution and delivery of the Base Indenture and the Supplemental Indentures by the Trustee), the Indenture will constitute a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company and each of the Guarantors enforceable against the Company and each of the Guarantors in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium, fraudulent transfer or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally or by equitable principles (whether considered in a proceeding at law or in equity) relating to enforceability (collectively, the “Enforceability Exceptions”).
(l) The Notes and the Guarantees . The Notes have been duly authorized by the Company and, when duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered as provided in the Indenture and paid for as provided herein, will be duly and validly issued and outstanding and will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, subject to the Enforceability Exceptions, and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture; and the Guarantees have been duly authorized by each of the Guarantors and, when the Notes have been duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered as provided in the Indenture and paid for as provided herein, will be valid and legally binding obligations of each of the Guarantors, enforceable against each of the Guarantors in accordance with their terms, subject to the Enforceability Exceptions, and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.
(m) Underwriting Agreement . This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the Guarantors.
 
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(n) Descriptions of the Transaction Documents . Each Transaction Document conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.
(o) No Violation or Default . Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents; (ii) in default, and no event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a 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; 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 case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for any such default or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(p) No Conflicts . The execution, delivery and performance by the Company and each of the Guarantors of each of the Transaction Documents to which it is a party, the issuance and sale of the Securities and compliance by the Company and each of the Guarantors with the terms thereof and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents 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 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, (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws 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, except, in the case of clauses (i) and (iii) above, for any such conflict, breach, violation, default, lien, charge or encumbrance that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(q) 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 and each of the Guarantors of each of the Transaction Documents to which it is a party, the issuance and sale of the Securities and compliance by the Company and each of the Guarantors with the terms thereof and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, except for the registration of the Securities under the Securities Act, the qualification of the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act and 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 Underwriters and any consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification that either has been, or prior to the Closing Date will have been, obtained or made, or which if not obtained or made, would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect and would not adversely affect the Company’s and the Guarantors’ ability to fulfill their respective obligations under this Agreement or under the Notes and Guarantees, respectively.
 
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(r) Legal Proceedings . Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, there are no legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, actions, suits or proceedings pending 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, individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or materially and adversely affect the ability of the Company or the Guarantors to perform their respective obligations under this Agreement; to the knowledge of the Company and each of its subsidiaries, no such investigations, actions, suits or proceedings are threatened or contemplated by any governmental or regulatory authority or others; and (i) there are no current or pending legal, governmental or regulatory actions, suits or proceedings that are required under the Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus that are not so described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus and (ii) there are no statutes, regulations or contracts or other documents that are required under the Securities Act to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus that are not so filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.
(s) Independent Accountants . Grant Thornton LLP, who has issued unqualified opinions covering the consolidated financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries as of December 31, 2016 and 2015 and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2016 (all incorporated by reference in the registration statement), 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 and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
(t) Title to Real and Personal Property . The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real and other property they own, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except those (i) described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus or (ii) that could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, all items of real and other property leased by the Company and its subsidiaries are leased under valid and enforceable leases, except as could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(u) No Undisclosed Relationships . 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, 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 the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and that is not so described in such documents and in the Time of Sale Information.
 
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(v) Investment Company Act . Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, none of them will be, 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, “Investment Company Act”).
(w) Taxes . 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; and except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus or as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, 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.
(x) Licenses and Permits . 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 Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, except where the failure to possess or make the same would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus or as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received notice of any revocation or modification of any such license, certificate, permit or authorization or has any reason to believe that any such license, certificate, permit or authorization will not be renewed in the ordinary course.
(y) 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 and each of the Guarantors, is contemplated or threatened and neither the Company nor any Guarantor is aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by, or dispute with, the employees of any of the Company’s or the Company’s subsidiaries’ principal suppliers, contractors or customers, except as would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
(z) Compliance With Environmental Laws . (i) The Company and its subsidiaries (x) are in compliance with any and all applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws, rules, regulations, requirements, decisions and orders relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment, hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (collectively, “Environmental Laws”); (y) have received and are in compliance with all permits, licenses, certificates or other authorizations or approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses; and (z) except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, have not received notice of any actual or potential liability for the investigation or remediation of any disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, and (ii) there are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws of or relating to the Company or its subsidiaries, except in the case of each of (i) and (ii) above, for any such failure to comply, or failure to receive required permits, licenses or approvals, or cost or liability, as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
 
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(aa) Compliance With ERISA . Each employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), that is maintained, administered or contributed to by the Company or any of its affiliates for employees or former employees of the Company and its affiliates has been maintained in compliance in all material respects with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including, but not limited to, ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”); no prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred with respect to any such plan, excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption and transactions which, individually or in the aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect, and no such plan is subject to the funding rules of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA.
(bb) Disclosure Controls . 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 provide reasonable assurance that such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
(cc) Accounting Controls . The Company and its subsidiaries maintain a system 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, the Company’s principal executive and principal financial officers, and effected by the Company’s board of directors, management and other personnel 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 those policies and procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the Company; (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and that receipts and expenditures of the Company are being made in accordance with and authorizations of management and directors of the Company; (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of the Company’s assets that could have a material effect on the Company’s financial statements; and (iv) provide reasonable assurance that the interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus is prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, there are no material weaknesses in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
 
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(dd) Insurance . The Company and its subsidiaries have insurance covering their respective properties, operations, personnel and businesses, which insurance is in reasonable amounts and insures against such losses and risks as are reasonably 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 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.
(ee) No Unlawful Payments . Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company and each of the Guarantors, 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; or (iv) made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment. No part of the proceeds of the offering of the Securities will be used, directly or indirectly, in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 or similar law of any other relevant jurisdiction, or the rules or regulations thereunder.
(ff) Compliance with Money Laundering Laws . The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money 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.
(gg) Compliance with OFAC . 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.
(hh) No Restrictions on Subsidiaries . 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.
 
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(ii) 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 Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities.
(jj) No Registration Rights . Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, no person has the right to require the Company or any of its subsidiaries to register any securities for sale under the Securities Act by reason of the filing of the Registration Statement with the Commission or the issuance and sale of the Securities.
(kk) No Stabilization . The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Securities.
(ll) Forward-Looking Statements . No material forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.
(mm) Sarbanes-Oxley Act . There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with any applicable provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and any applicable rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith, including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.
(nn) Status under the Securities Act . The Company is not an ineligible issuer and is a well-known seasoned issuer, in each case as defined under the Securities Act, in each case at the times specified in the Securities Act in connection with the offering of the Securities.
(oo) Reserve Data . The oil and natural gas reserve estimates of the Company and its subsidiaries as of December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014 contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus are derived from reports that have been prepared by either (a) Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc. (“NSA”) or (b) Cawley, Gillespie & Associates, Inc. (“Cawley”), as set forth and to the extent indicated therein, and such estimates fairly reflect, in all material respects, the oil and natural gas reserves of the Company and its subsidiaries, as applicable, at the dates indicated therein and are in accordance, in all material respects, with Commission guidelines applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved.
(pp) Independent Petroleum Engineers . Each of NSA and Cawley have represented to the Company that they are, and the Company believes them to be, independent petroleum engineers with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries and for the periods set forth in the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.
 
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4. Further Agreements of the Company and the Guarantors . The Company and each of the Guarantors jointly and severally covenant and agree with each Underwriter that:
(a) Required Filings . The Company will file the final Prospectus with the Commission within the time periods specified by Rule 424(b) and Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act, will file any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act; and will file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of the Prospectus and for so long as the delivery of a prospectus is required in connection with the offering or sale of the Securities; and the Company will furnish copies of the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (to the extent not previously delivered) to the Underwriters in New York City prior to 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement in such quantities as the Representatives may reasonably request.
(b) Delivery of Copies . The Company will (i) make available to each Underwriter electronically through EDGAR the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto, in each case including all exhibits and consents filed therewith and documents incorporated by reference therein, (ii) make available to each Underwriter electronically through EDGAR a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto filed prior to the later of (x) the Closing Date or (y) the expiration of the Prospectus Delivery Period (as defined below) or otherwise relating to the Securities, in each case including all exhibits and consents filed therewith and (iii) deliver, without charge, during the Prospectus Delivery Period (as defined below), as many copies of the Prospectus (including all amendments and supplements thereto) and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as the Representatives may reasonably request. As used herein, the term “Prospectus Delivery Period” means such period of time after the first date of the public offering of the Securities as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters a prospectus relating to the Securities is required by law to be delivered (or required to be delivered but for Rule 172 under the Securities Act) in connection with sales of the Securities by any Underwriter or dealer.
(c) Amendments or Supplements; Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses . Prior to the later of (i) the Closing Date or (ii) the expiration of the Prospectus Delivery Period, before preparing, using, authorizing, approving, referring to or filing any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and before filing any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, the Company will furnish to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters a copy of the proposed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, amendment or supplement for review and will not prepare, use, authorize, approve, refer to or file any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representatives reasonably object.
(d) Notice to the Representatives . The Company will advise the Representatives promptly, and confirm such advice in writing (i) when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective until the later of (x) the Closing Date and (y) the expiration of the Prospectus Delivery Period; (ii) when any supplement to the Prospectus or any amendment to the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus relating to the Securities has been filed; (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or the receipt of any comments
 
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from the Commission relating to the Registration Statement or any other request by the Commission for any additional information relating to the Registration Statement or any document incorporated therein until the later of (x) the Closing Date and (y) the expiration of the Prospectus Delivery Period; (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act; (v) of the occurrence of any event within the Prospectus Delivery Period as a result of which the Prospectus, the Time of Sale Information or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus, the Time of Sale Information or any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading; (vi) of the receipt by the Company of any notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act; and (vii) of the receipt by the Company of any notice with respect to any suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offer and sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and the Company will use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or suspending any such qualification of the Securities and, if any such order is issued, will obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.
(e) Time of Sale Information . If at any time prior to the Closing Date (i) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Time of Sale Information as then amended or supplemented would include 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 under which they were made, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Information to comply with law, the Company will promptly notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to Section 4(c) above, file with the Commission (to the extent required) and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may designate, such amendments or supplements to the Time of Sale Information as may be necessary so that the statements in the Time of Sale Information as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances, be misleading or so that the Time of Sale Information will comply with law.
(f) Ongoing Compliance . If during the Prospectus Delivery Period (i) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with law, the Company will promptly notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to Section 4(c) above, file with the Commission and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may designate, such amendments or supplements to the Prospectus as may be necessary so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus will comply with law.
 
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(g) Blue Sky Compliance . The Company will qualify the Securities for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives shall reasonably request and will continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for distribution of the Securities; provided that the Company shall not be required to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation or other entity or as a dealer in securities in any such jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (ii) file any general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction or (iii) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction if it is not otherwise so subject.
(h) Earnings Statement . The Company will make generally available to its security holders and the Representatives as soon as practicable an earnings statement that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 of the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the “effective date” (as defined in Rule 158) of the Registration Statement.
(i) Use of Proceeds . The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus under the heading “Use of Proceeds.”
(j) No Stabilization . The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Securities.
(k) Record Retention . The Company will, pursuant to reasonable procedures developed in good faith, retain copies of each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 433 under the Securities Act.
5. Certain Agreements of the Underwriters . Each Underwriter hereby represents and agrees that:
(a) It has not and will not use, authorize use of, refer to, or participate in the planning for use of, any “free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act (which term includes use of any written information furnished to the Commission by the Company and not incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and any press release issued by the Company) other than (i) a free writing prospectus that, solely as a result of use by such underwriter, would not trigger an obligation to file such free writing prospectus with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433, (ii) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed on Annex B or prepared pursuant to Section 3(c) or Section 4(c) above, or (iii) any free writing prospectus prepared by such Underwriter and approved by the Company in advance in writing (each such free writing prospectus referred to in clauses (i) or (iii), an “Underwriter Free Writing Prospectus”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Underwriters may use a term sheet substantially in the form of Annex C hereto without the consent of the Company.
 
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(b) It is not subject to any pending proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act with respect to the offering (and will promptly notify the Company if any such proceeding against it is initiated during the Prospectus Delivery Period).
6. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations . The obligation of each Underwriter to purchase Securities on the Closing Date as provided herein is subject to the performance by the Company and each of the Guarantors of their respective covenants and other obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:
(a) Registration Compliance; No Stop Order . No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceeding for such purpose, pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) or pursuant to Section 8A under the Securities Act shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission; the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission under the Securities Act (in the case of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act) and in accordance with Section 4(a) hereof; and all requests by the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Representatives.
(b) Representations and Warranties . The representations and warranties of the Company and each of the Guarantors contained herein shall be true and correct on the date hereof and on and as of the Closing Date; and the statements of the Company and each of the Guarantors and their respective officers made in any certificates delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall be true and correct on and as of the Closing Date.
(c) No Downgrade . Subsequent to the earlier of (A) the Time of Sale and (B) the execution and delivery of this Agreement, (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded the Securities or any other debt securities or preferred stock of or guaranteed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries that are rated by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as such term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, or has changed its outlook with respect to, its rating of the Securities or of any other debt securities or preferred stock of or guaranteed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries (other than an announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading).
(d) No Material Adverse Change . No event or condition of a type described in Section 3(g) hereof shall have occurred or shall exist, which event or condition is not described in the Time of Sale Information (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the Prospectus (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and 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 terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.
(e) Officer’s Certificate . The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date a certificate of an executive officer of the Company and of each Guarantor who has specific knowledge of the Company’s or such Guarantor’s financial matters and is satisfactory to the Representatives (i) confirming that such officer has carefully reviewed the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, and, to the knowledge of such
 
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officer, the representations set forth in Sections 3(b) or 3(d) hereof are true and correct, (ii) confirming that the other representations and warranties of the Company and the Guarantors in this Agreement are true and correct and that the Company and the Guarantors have complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on their part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date and (iii) to the effect set forth in Sections 6(a), 6(c) and 6(d) above.
(f) Comfort Letters . On the date of this Agreement and on the Closing Date, Grant Thornton LLP shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, containing statements and information of the type customarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus; provided that the letter delivered on the Closing Date shall use a “cut-off” date no more than three business days prior to the Closing Date.
(g) Reserve Letters . On the date of this Agreement and on the Closing Date, as the case may be, each of NSA and Cawley shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, reserve report confirmation letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, containing statements and information of the type customarily included in such letters to underwriters with respect to the reserve and other operational information contained and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.
(h) Opinion of Counsel for the Company.  (i) Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, its written opinion and negative assurance statement, and (ii) Travis L. Counts, General Counsel of the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, his written opinion, in each case dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect set forth in Annex A-1 and Annex A-2 hereto, respectively.
(i) Opinion and Negative Assurance Statement of Counsel for the Underwriters . The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date an opinion and negative assurance statement of Mayer Brown LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, with respect to such matters as the Representatives may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such documents and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.
(j) 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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(k) Good Standing . The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date satisfactory evidence of the good standing of the Company and the Guarantors in their respective jurisdictions of organization and their good standing in such other jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably request, in each case in writing or any standard form of telecommunication from the appropriate governmental authorities of such jurisdictions.
(l) Additional Documents . On or prior to the Closing Date, the Company and the Guarantors shall have furnished to the Representatives such further certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request.
All opinions, letters, certificates and evidence mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.
7. Indemnification and Contribution .
(a) Indemnification of the Underwriters . The Company and each of the Guarantors jointly and severally agree to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, directors, officers and employees and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, reasonable legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred), joint or several, that arise out of, or are based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, not misleading, or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Time of Sale Information, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in subsection (b) below.
(b) Indemnification of the Company and the Guarantors . Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of the Guarantors, each of their respective directors, their respective officers who signed the Registration Statement 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 to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in paragraph (a) above, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through
 
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the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Time of Sale Information, it being understood and agreed that the only such information consists of the following: the information contained in the Prospectus in the first paragraph under the caption “Underwriting—Discounts” and the third and fourth sentences in the first paragraph under the caption “Underwriting—New Issue of Notes.”
(c) Notice and Procedures . If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any person in respect of which indemnification may be sought pursuant to either paragraph (a) or (b) above, such person (the “Indemnified Person”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnification may be sought (the “Indemnifying Person”) in writing; provided that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under paragraph (a) or (b) above except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided , further , that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an Indemnified Person otherwise than under paragraph (a) or (b) above. If any such proceeding shall be brought or asserted against an Indemnified Person and it shall have notified the Indemnifying Person thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person (who shall not, without the consent of the Indemnified Person, be counsel to the Indemnifying Person) to represent the Indemnified Person in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and expenses of such counsel related to such proceeding, as incurred. In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless (i) the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary; (ii) the Indemnifying Person has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person; (iii) the Indemnified Person shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or in addition to those available to the Indemnifying Person; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceeding in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. Any such separate firm for any Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and any control persons of such Underwriter shall be designated in writing by the Representatives and any such separate firm for the Company, the Guarantors, their respective directors, their respective officers who signed the Registration Statement and any control persons of the Company shall be designated in writing by the Company. The Indemnifying Person shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. No Indemnifying Person shall, without the written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and indemnification could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person,
 
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unless such settlement (x) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (y) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person.
(d) Contribution . If the indemnification provided for in paragraphs (a) and (b) above is unavailable to an Indemnified Person or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Person under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (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 Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault of the Company and the Guarantors on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company and the Guarantors on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds (before deducting expenses) received by the Company from the sale of the Securities and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters in connection therewith, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate offering price of the Securities. The relative fault of the Company and the Guarantors on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or any Guarantor or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
(e) Limitation on Liability . The Company, the Guarantors and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in Section 7(d) above. The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in Section 7(d) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the offering of the Securities exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. 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 Underwriters’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to their respective purchase obligations hereunder and not joint.
 
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(f) Non-Exclusive Remedies . The remedies provided for in this Section 7 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any Indemnified Person at law or in equity.
8. Effectiveness of Agreement . This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto.
9. Termination . This Agreement may be terminated in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on or by any of the New York Stock Exchange or the over-the-counter market; (ii) trading of any securities issued or guaranteed by the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by federal or New York State authorities or a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States; or (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis, either within or outside the United States, that, 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 on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.
10. Defaulting Underwriter . (a) If, on the Closing Date, any Underwriter defaults on its obligation to purchase the Securities that it has agreed to purchase hereunder, the non-defaulting Underwriters may in their discretion arrange for the purchase of such Securities by other persons satisfactory to the Company on the terms contained in this Agreement. If, within 36 hours after any such default by any Underwriter, the non-defaulting Underwriters do not arrange for the purchase of such Securities, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of 36 hours within which to procure other persons satisfactory to the non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase such Securities on such terms. If other persons become obligated or agree to purchase the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter, either the non-defaulting Underwriters or the Company may postpone the Closing Date for up to five full business days in order to effect any changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the Underwriters may be necessary in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or in any other document or arrangement, and the Company agrees to promptly prepare any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus that effects any such changes. As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” includes, for all purposes of this Agreement unless the context otherwise requires, any person not listed in Schedule 1 hereto that, pursuant to this Section 10, purchases Securities that a defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase.
(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of such Securities that remains unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of all the Securities, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the principal amount of Securities that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder plus such Underwriter’s pro rata share (based on the principal amount of Securities that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder) of the Securities of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made.
 
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(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of such Securities that remains unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of all the Securities, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in paragraph (b) above, then this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters. Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 10 shall be without liability on the part of the Company, except that the Company will continue to be liable for the payment of expenses as set forth in Section 11 hereof and except that the provisions of Section 7 hereof shall not terminate and shall remain in effect.
(d) Nothing contained herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of any liability it may have to the Company or any non-defaulting Underwriter for damages caused by its default.
11. Payment of Expenses . (a) Whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company and each of the Guarantors jointly and severally agree to pay or cause to be paid all costs and expenses incident to the performance of their respective obligations hereunder, including without limitation, (i) the costs incident to the sale, preparation and delivery of the Securities and any taxes payable in that connection; (ii) the costs incident to the preparation, printing and filing under the Securities Act of the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus (including all exhibits, amendments and supplements thereto) and the distribution thereof; (iii) the costs of reproducing and distributing each of the Transaction Documents; (iv) the fees and expenses of the Company’s and the Guarantors’ counsel and independent accountants; (v) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the registration or qualification and determination of eligibility for investment of the Securities under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate and the preparation, printing and distribution of a Blue Sky Memorandum (including the related reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters); (vi) any fees charged by rating agencies for rating the Securities; (vii) the fees and expenses of the Trustee and any paying agent (including related fees and expenses of any counsel to such parties); (viii) all expenses and application fees incurred in connection with any filing with, and clearance of the offering by, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.; and (ix) all expenses incurred by the Company in connection with any road show presentation to potential investors; provided that notwithstanding clause (ix) above, the Underwriters shall pay one-half of the lease expenses associated with any airplane which is used for the purposes of such road show presentations.
(b) If (i) the Company for any reason fails to tender the Securities for delivery to the Underwriters or (ii) the Underwriters decline to purchase the Securities for any reason permitted under this Agreement (other than Section 9, but excluding any termination of this Agreement by the Representatives pursuant to clause (ii) thereof), the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including the reasonable fees and expenses of their counsel) reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement and the offering contemplated hereby.
 
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12. Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement . This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers and directors and any controlling persons referred to herein, and the affiliates of each Underwriter referred to in Section 7 hereof. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any other person any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein. No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor merely by reason of such purchase.
13. Survival . The respective indemnities, rights of contribution, representations, warranties and agreements of the Company, the Guarantors and the Underwriters contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of the Company, the Guarantors or the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement or any certificate delivered pursuant hereto shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Securities and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any termination of this Agreement or any investigation made by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriters.
14. Certain Defined Terms . For purposes of this Agreement, (a) except where otherwise expressly provided, the term “affiliate” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; (b) the term “business day” means any day other than a day on which banks are permitted or required to be closed in New York City; and (c) the term “subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.
15. Miscellaneous . (a) Authority of the Representatives . Any action by the Underwriters hereunder may be taken by the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, and any such action taken by the Representatives shall be binding upon the Underwriters.
(b) Notices . All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted and confirmed by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be given to the Representatives c/o Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, 50 Rockefeller Plaza, NY1-050-12-01, New York, New York 10020 (fax: (646) 855-5958), Attention: High Grade Transaction Management/Legal; Barclays Capital Inc., 745 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10019 Attn: Syndicate Registration, Fax: 646-834-8133; and Citigroup Global Markets Inc., 388 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10013, Attention: General Counsel, Fax no.: (646) 291-1469. Notices to the Company or the Guarantors shall be given to it at Concho Resources Inc., One Concho Center, 600 West Illinois Avenue, Midland, Texas 79701 (fax: (432) 683-7441), Attention: Travis L. Counts, Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary, with a copy to W. Matthew Strock, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., 1001 Fannin Street, Suite 2500, Houston, Texas 77002 (fax: (713) 615-5650).
In accordance with the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), the Underwriters are required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies their respective clients, including the Company, which information may include the name and address of their respective clients, as well as other information that will allow the Underwriters to properly identify their respective clients.
 
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(c) Governing Law . This Agreement, and any claim, controversy or dispute relating to or arising out of this Agreement, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
(d) WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL . THE COMPANY AND EACH UNDERWRITER HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
(e) Counterparts . This Agreement may be signed in counterparts (which may include counterparts delivered by any standard form of telecommunication), each of which shall be an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
(f) Amendments or Waivers . No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, nor any consent or approval to any departure therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the parties hereto.
(g) Headings . The headings herein are included for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.
 
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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please indicate your acceptance of this Agreement by signing in the space provided below.

Very truly yours,	
	
CONCHO RESOURCES INC.	
		
By	 	/s/ Jack Harper	
	 	Name: Jack Harper	
	 	Title: President and Chief Financial Officer	
	
COG HOLDINGS LLC	
COG OPERATING LLC	
COG PRODUCTION LLC	
COG REALTY LLC	
CONCHO OIL & GAS LLC	
DELAWARE RIVER SWD LLC	
QUAIL RANCH LLC	
MONGOOSE MINERALS LLC	
COG ACREAGE LP	
			
	 	By:	 	COG PRODUCTION LLC	
	 		 	its General Partner	
		
By	 	/s/ Jack Harper	
	 	Name: Jack Harper	
	 	Title: President and Chief Financial Officer	
[ Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement ]

			
Accepted: September 13, 2017	
	
MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH	
INCORPORATED	
		
By	 	/s/ Kevin Wehler	
	 	Name: Kevin Wehler	
	 	Title: Managing Director	
	
For themselves and on behalf of the
several Underwriters listed
in Schedule 1 hereto.	
[ Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement ]

			
BARCLAYS CAPITAL INC.	
		
By	 	/s/ Gregory J. Hall	
	 	Name: Gregory J. Hall	
	 	Title: Managing Director	
	
For themselves and on behalf of the
several Underwriters listed
in Schedule 1 hereto.	
[ Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement ]

			
CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.	
		
By	 	/s/ Brian D. Bednarski	
	 	Name: Brian D. Bednarski	
	 	Title: Managing Director	
	
For themselves and on behalf of the
several Underwriters listed
in Schedule 1 hereto.	
[ Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement ]

Schedule 1

Underwriter	  	Principal Amount
of 2027 Notes	 	  	Principal Amount
of 2047 Notes	 	
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated	  	$	230,000,000	 	  	$	184,000,000	 	
Barclays Capital Inc.	  	 	180,000,000	 	  	 	144,000,000	 	
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.	  	 	180,000,000	 	  	 	144,000,000	 	
BMO Capital Markets Corp.	  	 	33,000,000	 	  	 	26,400,000	 	
Capital One Securities, Inc.	  	 	33,000,000	 	  	 	26,400,000	 	
Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC	  	 	33,000,000	 	  	 	26,400,000	 	
ING Financial Markets LLC	  	 	33,000,000	 	  	 	26,400,000	 	
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC	  	 	33,000,000	 	  	 	26,400,000	 	
MUFG Securities Americas Inc.	  	 	33,000,000	 	  	 	26,400,000	 	
PNC Capital Markets LLC	  	 	33,000,000	 	  	 	26,400,000	 	
RBC Capital Markets, LLC	  	 	33,000,000	 	  	 	26,400,000	 	
U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc.	  	 	33,000,000	 	  	 	26,400,000	 	
Wells Fargo Securities, LLC	  	 	33,000,000	 	  	 	26,400,000	 	
BB&T Capital Markets, a division of BB&T Securities, LLC	  	 	10,000,000	 	  	 	8,000,000	 	
BBVA Securities Inc.	  	 	10,000,000	 	  	 	8,000,000	 	
CIBC World Markets Corp.	  	 	10,000,000	 	  	 	8,000,000	 	
Comerica Securities, Inc.	  	 	10,000,000	 	  	 	8,000,000	 	
DNB Markets, Inc.	  	 	10,000,000	 	  	 	8,000,000	 	
KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc.	  	 	10,000,000	 	  	 	8,000,000	 	
Regions Securities LLC	  	 	10,000,000	 	  	 	8,000,000	 	
SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc.	  	 	10,000,000	 	  	 	8,000,000	 	
	  	 	 	 	  	 	 	 	
Total	  	$	1,000,000,000	 	  	$	800,000,000	 	

S-1-1

Schedule 2
Guarantors
COG Acreage LP
COG Holdings LLC
COG Operating LLC
COG Production LLC
COG Realty LLC
Concho Oil & Gas LLC
Delaware River SWD LLC
Quail Ranch LLC
Mongoose Minerals LLC
 
S-2-1

Annex A-1
Form of Opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.
(1) The Registration Statement is an “automatic shelf registration statement” as defined under Rule 405 of the Securities Act that has been filed with the Commission not earlier than three years prior to the date of the Underwriting Agreement; each of the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus was filed with the Commission pursuant to the subparagraph of Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act specified in such opinion on the date specified therein; and, to such counsel’s knowledge, no order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued, no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of such Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act has been received by the Company and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act against the Company or in connection with the offering is pending or threatened by the Commission.
(2) The Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus included in the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus (other than the financial statements and related schedules, including the notes and schedules thereto and the auditor’s report thereon, and any other financial, accounting and oil and gas reserve and related net revenue or discounted cash flow information included therein or omitted therefrom, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) appear on their face to comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act.
(3) The Company is in good standing as a corporation under the laws of the State of Delaware, with corporate power and authority to execute and deliver the Underwriting Agreement and the Notes and to perform its obligations thereunder; each of the Delaware Guarantors is validly existing and in good standing as a limited liability company under the laws of the State of Delaware, with limited liability company power and authority to execute and deliver the Underwriting Agreement, to issue its Guarantees and to perform its obligations under the Transaction Documents to which it is a party; each of the Texas Guarantors is validly existing and in good standing as a limited liability company or limited partnership, as applicable, under the laws of the State of Texas, with limited liability company or limited partnership, as applicable, power and authority to execute and deliver the Underwriting Agreement, to issue its Guarantees and to perform its obligations under the Transaction Documents to which it is a party; the Company and each of the Guarantors had, as of the date of execution and delivery thereof, corporate, limited liability company or limited partnership power and authority to execute and deliver the Base Indenture and the Supplemental Indentures.
(4) Each of the Base Indenture and the Supplemental Indentures has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and each of the Guarantors party thereto and the Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and, assuming due execution and delivery of the Base Indenture and the Supplemental Indentures by the Trustee, the Indenture constitutes a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company and each of the Guarantors enforceable against the Company and each of the Guarantors in accordance with its terms, subject to the Enforceability Exceptions.
 
A-1-1

(5) The Notes have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and, when duly authenticated as provided in the Indenture and paid for as provided in the Underwriting Agreement, will be duly and validly issued and outstanding and will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, subject to the Enforceability Exceptions; and the Guarantees have been duly authorized by each of the Guarantors and, when the Notes have been duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered as provided in the Indenture and paid for as provided in the Underwriting Agreement, will be valid and legally binding obligations of each of the Guarantors, enforceable against each of the Guarantors in accordance with their terms, subject to the Enforceability Exceptions.
(6) The Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the Guarantors.
(7) The statements in the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus under the heading “Description of the Notes,” insofar as such statements purport to summarize certain provisions of the Indenture and the Notes, are accurate in all material respects.
(8) The execution, delivery and performance by the Company and each of the Guarantors of each of the Transaction Documents to which it is a party, the issuance and sale of the Securities (including the Guarantees) and compliance by the Company and each of the Guarantors with the terms thereof and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents 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 document filed as an exhibit to or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement (or as an exhibit to documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement), (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws 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 or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority known to such counsel, except, in the case of clauses (i) and (iii) above, for any such conflict, breach, violation, default, lien, charge or encumbrance that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. With respect to clause (iii) above, such counsel expresses no opinion as to the application of any state securities or Blue Sky laws or federal or state antifraud laws, rules or regulations.
(9) 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 and each of the Guarantors of each of the Transaction Documents to which it is a party, the issuance and sale of the Securities (including the Guarantees) and compliance by the Company and each of the Guarantors with the terms thereof and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, except for the registration of the Securities under the Securities Act, the qualification of the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act and 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 Underwriters and any consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification that either has been, or prior
 
A-1-2

to the Closing Date will have been, obtained or made, or which if not obtained or made, would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. With respect to this paragraph (9), such counsel need not express any opinion with respect to consents, approvals, authorizations, orders and registrations or qualifications as may be required under applicable state securities laws or federal or state antifraud laws, rules or regulations.
(10) The descriptions in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus under the heading “Certain United States Federal Income Tax Considerations” to the extent that they constitute summaries of matters of law or regulation or legal conclusions, are accurate in all material respects.
(11) The Company 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 Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, will not be, an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act.
(12) The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus or any further amendment or supplement thereto made by the Company prior to the Closing Date (other than the financial statements and related schedules, including the notes and schedules thereto and the auditor’s report thereon, and any other financial, accounting and oil and gas reserve and related net revenue or discounted cash flow information included therein or omitted therefrom, as to which such counsel need express no opinion), when they were filed with the Commission, appeared on their face to have complied as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
Such counsel shall also state that they have participated in conferences with representatives of the Company and with representatives of its independent accountants, representatives of its independent petroleum engineers and representatives of and counsel for the Underwriters, at which conferences the contents of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus and any amendment and supplement thereto and related matters were discussed and, although such counsel has not undertaken to determine independently, and does not assume any responsibility for, or express any opinion regarding (other than as listed in opinions (7) and (10) above), the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information, the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto (except as expressly provided above), based upon the participation described above (relying as to factual matters in respect to the determination by such counsel of materiality to the extent such counsel deems reasonable upon statements of fact made to such counsel by representatives of the Company) and subject to the next succeeding sentence, nothing has come to the attention of such counsel to cause such counsel to believe that the Registration Statement, at the time of its effective date (including the information, if any, deemed pursuant to Rule 430A, 430B or 430C to be part of the Registration Statement at the time of effectiveness), contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, that the Time of Sale Information, at the Time of Sale (which such counsel may assume to be the date of the Underwriting Agreement) included an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
 
A-1-3

made, not misleading, or that the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto as of its date and the Closing Date included or includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. In making the foregoing statement, such counsel will not express any comment or belief with respect to the Form T-1 filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and the financial statements and related schedules, including the notes and schedules thereto and the auditor’s report thereon, and any other financial, accounting and oil and gas reserve and related net revenue or discounted cash flow information, included in or omitted from the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information or the Prospectus.
In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely as to matters of fact on certificates of responsible officers of the Company, the Guarantors and public officials that are furnished to the Underwriters. The foregoing opinions are to be limited to matters involving the federal laws of the United States of America to the extent specifically referred to herein, the laws of the States of New York and Texas (excluding rules, regulations and ordinances of counties, towns, municipalities and other special political subdivisions of the States of New York and Texas), the Delaware General Corporation Law, the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act and the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act.
The opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. described above shall be rendered to the Underwriters at the request of the Company and shall so state therein.
 
A-1-4

Annex A-2
Form of Opinion of Travis L. Counts
(1) 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 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 in good standing or have such power or authority would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(2) The Company has an authorized equity capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus under the heading “Capitalization.”
(3) To the knowledge of such counsel, except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, there are no legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, actions, suits or proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or is reasonably expected to be a party or to which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or is reasonably expected to be the subject which, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and, to the knowledge of such counsel, no such investigations, actions, suits or proceedings are threatened by any governmental or regulatory authority or threatened by others.
 
A-2-1

Annex B
Time of Sale Information
Term sheet in the form of Annex C hereto.
 
B-1

Annex C
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus
Pursuant to Rule 433 under the Securities Act of 1933
Registration Statement on Form S-3: No. 333-206172
Concho Resources Inc.
Pricing Term Sheet
$1,000,000,000 3.750% Senior Notes due 2027
$800,000,000 4.875% Senior Notes due 2047
September 13, 2017
This Pricing Term Sheet supplements the information set forth in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement, dated September 13, 2017, to the Prospectus dated August 6, 2015. Capitalized terms used in this Pricing Term Sheet but not defined have the meanings given them in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement.

Issuer:	  	Concho Resources Inc.	
		
Security Description:	  	3.750% Senior Notes due 2027
4.875% Senior Notes due 2047	
		
Distribution:	  	SEC Registered	
		
Trade Date:	  	September 13, 2017	
		
Settlement Date:	  	(T+9); September 26, 2017	
		
Anticipated Ratings*:	  	[Intentionally Omitted]	
		
3.750% Senior Notes due 2027	  		
		
Size:	  	$1,000,000,000	
		
Maturity Date:	  	October 1, 2027	
		
Benchmark Treasury:	  	2.250% due August 15, 2027	
		
Benchmark Treasury Price/Yield:	  	100-16 / 2.194%	
		
Spread to Benchmark Treasury:	  	+160 bps	
		
Yield to Maturity:	  	3.794%	
		
Coupon:	  	3.750% per annum	
		
Price to Public:	  	99.636%	
		
Interest Payment Dates:	  	April 1 and October 1, beginning April 1, 2018	
		
Optional Redemption:	  	Prior to July 1, 2027, make-whole call at T+25
bps; par call on and after July 1, 2027	
		
CUSIP/ISIN:	  	20605P AH4 / US20605PAH47	
 
C-1

			
		
4.875% Senior Notes due 2047	  		
		
Size:	  	$800,000,000	
		
Maturity Date:	  	October 1, 2047	
		
Benchmark Treasury:	  	3.000% due May 15, 2047	
		
Benchmark Treasury Price/Yield:	  	104-06+ / 2.791%	
		
Spread to Benchmark Treasury:	  	+210 bps	
		
Yield to Maturity:	  	4.891%	
		
Coupon:	  	4.875% per annum	
		
Price to Public:	  	99.749%	
		
Interest Payment Dates:	  	April 1 and October 1, beginning on April 1, 2018	
		
Optional Redemption:	  	Prior to April 1, 2047, make-whole call at T+35
bps; par call on and after April 1, 2047	
		
CUSIP/ISIN:	  	20605P AJ0 / US20605PAJ03
 
***

Joint Book-Running Managers:	  	Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
                    Incorporated
 
Barclays Capital Inc.
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.	
		
Senior Co-Managers:	  	BMO Capital Markets Corp.
Capital One Securities, Inc.
Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC
ING Financial Markets LLC
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
MUFG Securities Americas Inc.
PNC Capital Markets LLC
RBC Capital Markets, LLC
U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc.
Wells Fargo Securities, LLC	
		
Junior Co-Managers:	  	BB&T Capital Markets, a division of BB&T
                        Securities, LLC
 
BBVA Securities Inc.
CIBC World Markets Corp.
Comerica Securities, Inc.
DNB Markets, Inc.
KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc.
Regions Securities LLC
SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc.	
 
*	Note: A securities rating is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities and may be subject to revision, suspension or withdrawal at any time. Each credit rating should be evaluated independently of any other credit rating.	
 
C-2

The issuer has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus and prospectus supplement) with the SEC for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in that registration statement and other documents the issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the issuer and this offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC Web site at www.sec.gov . Alternatively, the issuer, any underwriter or any dealer participating in the offering will arrange to send you the prospectus if you request it by contacting Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, by emailing dg.prospectus_requests@baml.com, or via phone at (800) 294-1322; Barclays Capital Inc., c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions by e-mailing barclaysprospectus@broadridge.com, or via phone at (888) 603-5847; or Citigroup Global Markets Inc., c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, by e-mailing prospectus@citi.com, or via phone at (800) 831-9146.
Additional Information
Pro Forma Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges
The following disclosure is hereby added as the last paragraph of “Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges” on page S-14:
For the six months ended June 30, 2017, our consolidated ratio of earnings to fixed charges, giving effect to this offering, would have been 14.18. Due to our loss from operations before income taxes for the year ended December 31, 2016, the ratio coverage was less than 1:1. To achieve a pro forma ratio coverage of 1:1, we would have needed additional earnings of approximately $2.3 billion.
Use of Proceeds
The following disclosure under “Use of Proceeds” on page S-15 and each other location where it appears in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement is amended to read as follows:
We expect the net proceeds from this offering to be approximately $1.777 billion, after deducting estimated fees and expenses (including underwriting discounts).
We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering, together with cash on hand and borrowings under our credit facility, to fund the purchase of the 5.5% notes in the Tender Offer and the redemption of any 5.5% notes that remain outstanding after the completion or termination of the Tender Offer.
 
C-3

Exhibit 5.1

September 14, 2017
Concho Resources Inc.
One Concho Center
600 West Illinois Avenue
Midland, Texas 79701
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as special counsel to Concho Resources Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), with respect to certain legal matters in connection with the registration by the Company under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “ Securities Act ”) of the offer and sale (i) by the Company (the “ Offering ”) of $1,800.0 million aggregate principal amount of the Company’s senior unsecured notes, consisting of $1,000 million aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 3.750% senior unsecured notes due 2027 (the “ 2027 Notes ”) and $800 million aggregate principal amount of the Company’s senior unsecured notes due 2047 (the “ 2047 Notes ” and, together with the 2027 Notes, the “ Notes ”), each series of notes being fully and unconditionally guaranteed by the Company’s current subsidiaries (the “ Subsidiary Guarantors ”), pursuant to that certain Underwriting Agreement dated September 13, 2017 (the “ Underwriting Agreement ”) by and among the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantors, and the underwriters named therein and (ii) of guarantees (the “ Guarantees ”) by the Subsidiary Guarantors of the Notes. The Notes and the Guarantees are referred to collectively herein as the “ Securities .”
The Securities have been offered for sale pursuant to a prospectus supplement, dated September 13, 2017, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ Commission ”) pursuant to Rule 424(b) on September 14, 2017, to a prospectus dated August 6, 2015 (such prospectus, as amended and supplemented by the prospectus supplement, the “ Prospectus ”), included in a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-206172) (the “ Registration Statement ”), which Registration Statement became effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act.
The 2027 Notes are to be issued pursuant to a Twelfth Supplemental Indenture (the “ Twelfth Supplemental Indenture ”) to be entered into on September 26, 2017, to the Indenture dated as of September 18, 2009 (the “ Base Indenture ”), by and among the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantors and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Trustee (the “ Trustee ”). The 2047 Notes are to be issued pursuant to a Thirteenth Supplemental Indenture (the “ Thirteenth Supplemental Indenture ”) to be entered into on September 26, 2017, to the Base Indenture (the Base Indenture, as amended and supplemented by the Twelfth Supplemental Indenture and the Thirteenth Supplemental Indenture, being called herein the “ Indenture ”).

Vinson & Elkins LLP Attorneys at Law
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Houston, TX 77002-6760
Tel +1.713.758.2222 Fax +1.713.758.2346 www.velaw.com	

			
	  	September 14, 2017 Page 2	
 
We have examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of (i) the Restated Certificate of Incorporation and the Third Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company, (ii) certain resolutions (the “ Resolutions ”) adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company relating to the terms and sale of the Notes and related matters, (iii) certain resolutions adopted by the Debt Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company, (iv) the Registration Statement, (v) the Prospectus, (vi) the Base Indenture, the Twelfth Supplemental Indenture and the Thirteenth Supplemental Indenture and (viii) such other certificates, instruments and documents as we considered appropriate for purposes of the opinions hereafter expressed. In addition, we reviewed such questions of law as we considered appropriate.
As to any facts material to the opinions contained herein, we have made no independent investigation of such facts and have relied, to the extent that we deem such reliance proper, upon certificates of public officials and officers or other representatives of the Company.
In connection with rendering the opinions set forth below, we have assumed that (i) all information contained in all documents reviewed by us is true and correct; (ii) all signatures on all documents examined by us are genuine; (iii) all documents submitted to us as originals are authentic and all documents submitted to us as copies conform to the originals of those documents; (iv) each natural person signing any document reviewed by us had the legal capacity to do so; (v) each person signing in a representative capacity any document reviewed by us had authority to sign in such capacity; (vi) all Securities will be issued and sold in compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws and in the manner stated in the Prospectus and the Registration Statement; (vii) the Indenture, the Twelfth Supplemental Indenture and the Thirteenth Supplemental Indenture will be duly executed and delivered by the parties thereto in substantially the form reviewed by us or with changes that do not affect the opinions given hereunder; and (viii) the Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized and validly executed and delivered by the underwriters named therein.
Based upon such examination and review and the assumptions, qualifications, limitations and exceptions set forth herein, we are of the opinion that when the Notes have been duly executed and delivered by the Company and duly authenticated by the Trustee and paid for by the underwriters as contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement, (1) the Notes will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture and (2) the Guarantees will constitute valid and binding obligations of the respective Subsidiary Guarantors, enforceable against the respective Subsidiary Guarantors in accordance with their terms and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.
The foregoing opinions are qualified to the extent that the enforceability of any document, instrument or security may be limited by or subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer or conveyance, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally, and general equitable or public policy principles.

			
	  	September 14, 2017 Page 3	
 
We express no opinions concerning (i) the validity or enforceability of any provisions contained in the Indenture that purport to waive or not give effect to rights to notices, defenses, subrogation or other rights or benefits that cannot be effectively waived under applicable law or (ii) the enforceability of indemnification provisions to the extent they purport to relate to liabilities resulting from or based upon negligence or any violation of federal or state securities or blue sky laws.
The foregoing opinions are limited in all respects to the Delaware General Corporation Law, the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act (including the applicable provisions of the Delaware Constitution and the reported judicial decisions interpreting these laws), the laws of the States of Texas and New York and the federal laws of the United States of America as in effect on the date hereof, and we undertake no duty to update or supplement the foregoing opinions to reflect any facts or circumstances that may hereafter come to our attention or to reflect any changes in any law that may hereafter occur or become effective, and we do not express any opinions as to the laws of any other jurisdiction.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as an exhibit to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed by the Company on even date herewith. In giving this consent, we do not admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission issued thereunder.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.