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) : May 5, 2005
Commission File No. 1-10403
TEPPCO
Partners, L.P.
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in
its charter)
Delaware
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76-0291058
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(State of
Incorporation
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(I.R.S. Employer
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or Organization)
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Identification Number)
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2929 Allen Parkway
P.O. Box 2521
Houston, Texas 77252-2521
(Address of principal executive offices,
including zip code)
(713) 759-3636
(Registrants telephone number, including
area code)
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:
o Written communications pursuant to Rule 425
under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
o Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12
under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under
the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under
the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.
On November 3, 2003, TEPPCO Partners, L.P., a Delaware
limited partnership (the Partnership), filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the Commission) a global shelf registration statement on Form S-3
(Registration No. 333-110207) (the Registration Statement). The
Commission declared the Registration Statement effective on December 2,
2003. On May 5, 2005, the Partnership entered into an Underwriting
Agreement relating to the offering of up to 7,015,000 units (including an
option to purchase up to 915,000 units) representing limited partner interests
in the Partnership (the Units). On May 6, 2005, the Partnership filed
with the Commission a Prospectus Supplement to the Registration Statement
pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5) under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, relating to the offering of the Units. Exhibits 1.1, 5.1, 8.1,
23.1 and 23.2 to this Form 8-K relating to the issuance of the Units
are hereby incorporated into such Registration Statement by reference.
Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(c) Exhibits:
Exhibit
Number
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Description
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1.1
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Underwriting Agreement.
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5.1
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Opinion of
Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.
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8.1
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Opinion of
Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P. regarding tax matters.
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23.1
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Consent of Counsel (the consent of Fulbright &
Jaworski L.L.P. to the use of their opinion filed as Exhibit 5.1
hereto and the reference to their firm in the Registration Statement is
contained in such opinion).
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23.2
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Consent of Counsel (the consent of Fulbright and
Jaworski L.L.P. to the use of their opinion filed as Exhibit 8.1
hereto and the reference to their firm in the Registration Statement is
contained in such opinion).
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SIGNATURE
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.
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TEPPCO Partners, L.P.
(Registrant)
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By: Texas Eastern Products Pipeline
Company, LLC
General Partner
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/s/ CHARLES H. LEONARD
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Charles H. Leonard
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Senior Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer
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Date: May 9, 2005
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INDEX TO
EXHIBITS
Exhibit
Number
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Description
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1.1
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Underwriting
Agreement.
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5.1
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Opinion
of Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.
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8.1
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Opinion
of Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P. regarding tax matters.
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23.1
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Consent
of Counsel (the consent of Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P. to the
use of their opinion filed as Exhibit 5.1 hereto and the reference to
their firm in the Registration Statement is contained in such opinion).
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23.2
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Consent
of Counsel (the consent of Fulbright and Jaworski L.L.P. to the use
of their opinion filed as Exhibit 8.1 hereto and the reference to their
firm in the Registration Statement is contained in such opinion).
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Exhibit 1.1
TEPPCO Partners, L.P.
6,100,000
Common Units
Representing Limited Partner Interests
Underwriting
Agreement
New York, New York
May 5, 2005
Citigroup
Global Markets Inc.
UBS Securities LLC
Lehman Brothers
Inc.
A.G. Edwards &
Sons, Inc.
Sanders Morris
Harris Inc.
Wachovia Capital
Markets, LLC
KeyBanc Capital
Markets, a Division of McDonald Investments Inc.
As Representatives
of the several Underwriters,
c/o
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
338 Greenwich
Street
New York, New York
10013
c/o
UBS Securities LLC
229 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10171
Ladies and Gentlemen:
TEPPCO Partners, L.P., a
limited partnership organized under the laws of Delaware (the Partnership), proposes to issue and sell
to the several underwriters named in Schedule I
hereto (the Underwriters), for
whom Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and UBS Securities LLC (the Representatives) are acting as
representatives, 6,100,000 common units (the Firm
Units), each representing
a limited partner interest in the Partnership (Common Units). The Partnership also proposes to grant to the
Underwriters an option to purchase up to 915,000 additional Common Units to
cover over-allotments (the Option
Units). The Firm Units and the Option Units, if
purchased, are hereinafter collectively called the Units. To the extent there are no additional
Underwriters listed on Schedule I
other than you, the term Representatives as used herein shall mean you, as
Underwriters, and the terms Representatives and Underwriters shall mean either
the singular or plural as the context requires.
Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus,
any Preliminary Final 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 which were filed under the Exchange Act on
or before the Effective Date of the Registration Statement or the issue date of
the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Final Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the
case may be; and any reference herein to the terms amend, amendment or supplement
with respect to the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus,
any Preliminary
Final Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the
filing of any document under the Exchange Act after the Effective Date of the
Registration Statement or the issue date of the Base Prospectus, any
Preliminary Final Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, deemed to
be incorporated therein by reference.
Certain terms used herein are defined in Section 17 hereof.
Each of (i) the
Partnership, (ii) Texas Eastern Products Pipeline Company, LLC, a Delaware
limited liability company and general partner of the Partnership (the General Partner), (iii) TEPPCO GP, Inc.,
a Delaware corporation and general partner of each of the Operating
Partnerships (as defined below) and Jonah (as defined below) (TEPPCO GP), (iv) TE Products Pipeline
Company, Limited Partnership, a Delaware limited partnership (TE Products), (v) TCTM, L.P., a
Delaware limited partnership (TCTM),
(vi) TEPPCO Midstream Companies, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (TEPPCO Midstream and together with TE
Products and TCTM, the Operating
Partnerships), (vii) Jonah Gas Gathering Company, a Wyoming
general partnership (Jonah), (viii) Val
Verde Gas Gathering Company, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (Val Verde), and (ix) TEPPCO NGL
Pipelines, L.L.C. (TEPPCO NGL)
are referred to collectively as the TEPPCO
Entities.
1. Representations
and Warranties. The Partnership
represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each Underwriter as set forth
below in this Section 1:
(a) Compliance with Registration Requirements. The
Partnership meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the
Securities Act and has prepared and filed with the Commission a registration
statement (File No. 333-110207) on Form S-3, including a
related base prospectus, for registration under the Securities Act of the
offering and sale of the Units. The
Partnership may have filed one or more amendments thereto, including a
Preliminary Final Prospectus, each of which has previously been furnished to
you. The Partnership will next file with
the Commission one of the following: (1) after the Effective Date of such
registration statement, a final prospectus supplement relating to the Units in
accordance with Rules 430A and 424(b), (2) prior to the Effective
Date of such registration statement, an amendment to such registration
statement (including the form of final prospectus supplement) or (3) a
final prospectus in accordance with Rules 415 and 424(b). In the case of clause (1), the
Partnership has included in such registration statement, as amended at the
Effective Date, all information (other than Rule 430A Information)
required by the Securities Act and the rules thereunder to be included in
such registration statement and the Prospectus.
As filed, such final prospectus supplement or such amendment and form of
final prospectus supplement shall contain all Rule 430A Information, together
with all other such required information, and, except to the extent the
Representatives shall agree in writing to a modification, shall be in all
substantive respects in the form furnished to you prior to the Execution Time
or, to the extent not completed at the Execution Time, shall contain only such
specific additional information and other changes (beyond that contained in the
Base Prospectus and any Preliminary Final Prospectus) as the Partnership has
advised you, prior to the Execution Time, will be included or made
therein. The Registration Statement, at
the Execution Time, meets the requirements set forth in Rule 415(a)(1)(x).
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(b) No Material Misstatements or Omissions.
On the Effective Date, the Registration Statement did or will, and when
the Prospectus is first filed in accordance with Rule 424(b), and on the
Closing Date (as defined herein) and on any date on which Option Units are
purchased, if such date is not the Closing Date (a settlement date), the Prospectus (and any supplement thereto)
will comply in all material respects with all applicable requirements of the
Securities Act and the Exchange Act and the respective rules thereunder;
on the Effective Date and at the Execution Time, the Registration Statement did
not or will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to
make the statements therein not misleading; and did or, when filed, will
contain all statements required to be stated therein in accordance with the
Securities Act and the Exchange Act and the respective rules thereunder,
and did or, when filed, will contain all statements required to be stated
therein in accordance with the Securities Act and the Exchange Act; on the
Effective Date and at the Execution Time, the Registration Statement did not or
will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the
statements therein not misleading; and on the Effective Date, the Prospectus,
if not filed pursuant to Rule 424(b), will not, and on the date of any
filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date and any
settlement date, the Prospectus (together with any supplement thereto) will
not, include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a
material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Each forward-looking statement (within the
meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the
Exchange Act) made by the Partnership in such documents, including (but not
limited to) any statements with respect to future available cash or future cash
distributions of the Partnership or the anticipated ratio of taxable income to
distributions, was made or will be made with a reasonable basis and in good
faith. The Partnership makes no representations
or warranties as to the information contained in or omitted from the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or any supplement thereto) in
reliance on and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the
Partnership by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives
specifically for inclusion in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or
any supplement thereto). No order
preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus has been issued by the
Commission.
(c) Incorporated Documents. The documents that are incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or from which
information is so incorporated by reference, when they became effective or were
filed with the Commission, as the case may be, complied and will comply in all
material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and none of such
documents, as of the time each such document was filed, 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; and
any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference subsequent to the
Closing Date or any settlement date, as the case may be, shall, when they are
filed with the Commission, conform in all material respects with the
requirements of the Exchange Act and will not, as of the time each such
document was filed, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading.
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(d) Capitalization. The Partnerships capital as of March 31,
2005 is as set forth in the Prospectus Supplement in the column entitled Actual
under the heading Capitalization. The
adjustments to the Partnerships capital as of March 31, 2005 as set forth
under the column entitled As Adjusted represent the adjusted effects on the
Partnerships capital of the offer and sale of the Units and the application of
the estimated net proceeds from such offer and sale in the manner set forth in
the Prospectus Supplement under the heading Use of Proceeds, and the other
transactions described therein.
(e) Formation and Good Standing of the Partnership, the
Operating Partnerships and the Subsidiary Partnerships. Each of the Partnership, the Operating
Partnerships and TEPPCO Crude Pipeline, L.P., TEPPCO Seaway L.P., TEPPCO Crude
Oil, L.P. and Lubrication Services, L.P. (collectively, each of TEPPCO Crude
Pipeline, L.P., TEPPCO Seaway L.P., TEPPCO Crude Oil, L.P. and Lubrication
Services, L.P., the TCTM Subsidiary
Partnerships) and Chaparral Pipeline Company, L.P., Quanah Pipeline
Company, L.P., Dean Pipeline Company, L.P., Panola Pipeline Company, L.P., Val
Verde and Wilcox Pipeline Company, L.P. (collectively, each of Chaparral
Pipeline Company, L.P., Quanah Pipeline Company, L.P., Dean Pipeline Company,
L.P., Panola Pipeline Company, L.P., Val Verde and Wilcox Pipeline Company,
L.P., the Midstream Subsidiary Partnerships
and together with the TCTM Subsidiary Partnerships, the Subsidiary Partnerships) has been duly
formed and is, and at the Closing Date or any settlement date, as the case may
be, will be, validly existing as a limited partnership in good standing under
the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act, as amended (the Delaware LP Act). Each of the Partnership, the Operating
Partnerships and the Subsidiary Partnerships has, and at the Closing Date or
any settlement date, as the case may be, will have, full power and authority to
conduct all the activities conducted by it, to own, lease and operate its
properties and to conduct its business in all material respects as described in
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its
obligations under this Agreement. Each
of the Partnership, the Operating Partnerships and the Subsidiary Partnerships
is, and at the Closing Date or any settlement date, as the case may be, will
be, duly qualified or registered and in good standing as a foreign limited
partnership to transact business in each other jurisdiction in which such
qualification or registration is required, whether by reason of the ownership
or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so
to qualify or to register (i) would not, individually or in the aggregate,
result in a material adverse effect on the business, properties, condition (financial or otherwise), results
of operations, earnings or prospects of the TEPPCO Entities and their
subsidiaries taken as a whole or invalidate this Agreement (a Material Adverse Effect), or (ii) would
not subject the limited partners of such partnership to any material liability
or disability. The Partnership is the
sole limited partner of each of the Operating Partnerships, in each case owning
a limited partner interest of 99.999%.
These limited partner interests of the Operating Partnerships have been
duly authorized by the respective agreements of limited partnership of the
Operating Partnerships (the Operating
Partnership Agreements), have been validly issued in accordance
with the respective Operating Partnership Agreements, are fully paid and
non-assessable, except to the extent such non-assessability may be affected by Section 17-607
of the Delaware LP Act, and are the only outstanding limited partner interests
of each of the Operating
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Partnerships. TCTM is the sole limited partner of TEPPCO
Crude Oil, L.P. and TEPPCO Crude Pipeline, L.P., in each case with a limited
partner interest of 99.99%. TEPPCO Crude
Oil, L.P. is the sole limited partner of Lubrication Services, L.P.; and TEPPCO
Crude Pipeline, L.P. is the sole limited partner of TEPPCO Seaway, L.P., in
each case with a limited partner interest of 99.99%, respectively. TEPPCO Midstream is the sole limited partner
of each of the Midstream Subsidiary Partnerships, in each case with a limited
partner interest of 99.999%. The limited
partner interests of the Subsidiary Partnerships have been duly authorized by
the respective agreements of limited partnership of the Subsidiary Partnerships
(the Subsidiary Partnership Agreements),
have been validly issued in accordance with the respective Subsidiary
Partnership Agreements, are fully paid and non-assessable, except to the extent
such non-assessability may be affected by Section 17-607 of the
Delaware LP Act, and are the only outstanding limited partner interests of each
of the Subsidiary Partnerships. The
Partnership owns such limited partner interests in the Operating Partnerships;
TCTM owns such limited partner interests in TEPPCO Crude Oil, L.P. and TEPPCO
Crude Pipeline, L.P.; TEPPCO Crude Oil, L.P. owns such limited partner
interests in Lubrication Services, L.P.; TEPPCO Crude Pipeline, L.P. owns such
limited partner interests in TEPPCO Seaway, L.P.; and TEPPCO Midstream owns
such limited partner interests in the Midstream Subsidiary Partnerships, either
directly or indirectly, and free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, security
interests, equities, charges or claims, except for such liens, encumbrances,
security interests, equities, charges or claims as are not, individually or in
the aggregate, material or except as described in the Prospectus. TEPPCO Seaway, L.P. owns a 50% general
partner interest in Seaway Crude Pipeline Company. Such general partner interest has been duly
authorized and validly issued and is owned of record free and clear of all
liens, encumbrances, security interests, equities, charges or claims, except
for such liens, encumbrances, security interests, equities, charges or claims
as are not, individually or in the aggregate, material. TEPPCO Midstream also owns a 99.999% general
partner interest in Jonah. Such general
partner interest has been duly authorized and validly issued and is owned of
record free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, security interests, equities,
charges or claims, except for such liens, encumbrances, security interests,
equities, charges or claims as are not, individually or in the aggregate, material
or except as described in the Prospectus.
TEPPCO Midstream is the sole member of each of TEPPCO NGL and TEPPCO
Colorado, L.L.C. (TEPPCO Colorado),
and TCTM is the sole member of TEPPCO Crude GP, LLC. These member interests have been duly authorized
and validly issued and are owned of record free and clear of all liens,
encumbrances, security interests, equities, charges or claims, except for such
liens, encumbrances, security interests, equities, charges or claims as are
not, individually or in the aggregate, material. Complete and correct copies, as of the date
hereof, of (i) the agreement of limited partnership of the Partnership
(the Partnership Agreement), (ii) the
Operating Partnership Agreements, (iii) the Subsidiary Partnership
Agreements, (iv) the agreement of limited partnership of TEPPCO Seaway,
L.P. and (v) the limited liability company agreements of each of TEPPCO
NGL, TEPPCO Colorado and TEPPCO Crude GP, LLC have been delivered to counsel to
the Underwriters, and no changes therein will be made subsequent to the date
hereof and prior to the Closing Date or any settlement date, as the case may
be.
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(f) Formation and Good Standing of the General Partner. The General Partner has been duly organized
and is, and at the Closing Date or any settlement date, as the case may be,
will be, validly existing as a limited liability company in good standing under
the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act (Delaware
LLC Act) and has full power and authority to conduct all the
activities conducted by it, to own, lease and operate its properties and to
conduct its business and to act as general partner of the Partnership, in each
case in all material respects, as described in the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this
Agreement; and the General Partner is, and at the Closing Date or any
settlement date, as the case may be, will be, duly qualified or registered and
in good standing as a foreign limited liability company to transact business in
each other jurisdiction in which such qualification or registration is
required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the
conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or to register (i) would
not result in a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) would not subject its
members to any material liability or disability or (iii) would not subject
any limited partner of the Partnership to any liability by reason of such
failure. The General Partner is the sole
general partner of the Partnership with a general partner interest in the
Partnership of 2.0%. Such general
partner interest has been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with
the Partnership Agreement, and is owned of record by the General Partner, free
and clear of all liens, encumbrances, security interests, equities, charges or
claims, except for such liens, encumbrances, security interests, equities,
charges or claims as are not, individually or in the aggregate, material or
except as described in the Prospectus.
Complete and correct copies of the certificate of formation and the
limited liability company agreement of the General Partner and all amendments
thereto have been delivered to the Underwriters, and no changes therein will be
made subsequent to the date hereof and prior to the Closing Date or any
settlement date, as the case may be.
(g) Formation and Good Standing of TEPPCO GP. TEPPCO GP has been duly incorporated and is,
and at the Closing Date or any settlement date, as the case may be, will be,
validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the Delaware General
Corporation Law (DGCL) and has
full corporate power and authority to conduct all the activities conducted by
it, to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business and to
act as general partner of the Operating Partnerships, in each case in all
material respects, as described in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement;
and TEPPCO GP is, and at the Closing Date or any settlement date, as the case
may be, will be, duly qualified or registered and in good standing as a foreign
corporation to transact business in each other jurisdiction in which such
qualification or registration is required, whether by reason of the ownership
or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so
to qualify or to register (i) would not result in a Material Adverse
Effect, (ii) would not subject its securityholders to any material
liability or disability, or (iii) would not subject the Partnership, as
the sole limited partner of each of the Operating Partnerships to any liability
by reason of such failure. All of the
capital stock of TEPPCO GP is owned of record by the Partnership, free and
clear of all liens, encumbrances, security interests, equities, charges, or
claims, except as set forth in the Prospectus or as are not, individually or in
the aggregate, material. TEPPCO GP is
the sole general partner of each of the Operating Partnerships and, with
respect to Jonah, the sole managing general
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partner, in each case with a
general partner interest of 0.001%.
These general partner interests have been duly authorized by the
respective Operating Partnership Agreements (or, in the case of Jonah, by its
agreement of general partnership), have been validly issued in accordance with
the respective Operating Partnership Agreements (or, in the case of Jonah, by
its agreement of general partnership), and are owned of record by TEPPCO GP,
free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, security interests, equities,
charges or claims, except for such liens, encumbrances, security interests,
equities, charges or claims as are not, individually or in the aggregate,
material or except as described in the Prospectus. Complete and correct copies of the
certificate of incorporation and the bylaws of TEPPCO GP and all amendments
thereto have been delivered to counsel to the Underwriters, and no changes
therein will be made subsequent to the date hereof and prior to the Closing
Date or any settlement date, as the case may be.
(h) Formation and Good Standing of TEPPCO NGL. TEPPCO NGL has been duly organized and is,
and at the Closing Date or any settlement date, as the case may be, will be,
validly existing as a limited liability company in good standing under the
Delaware LLC Act and has full limited liability company power and authority to
conduct all the activities conducted by it, to own, lease and operate its
properties and to conduct its business and to act as general partner of each of
the Midstream Subsidiary Partnerships, in each case in all material respects,
as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus; and TEPPCO NGL
is, and at the Closing Date or any settlement date, as the case may be, will
be, duly qualified or registered and in good standing as a foreign limited
liability company to transact business in each other jurisdiction in which such
qualification or registration is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or
the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or to register (i) would
not result in a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) would not subject its
members to any material liability or disability. TEPPCO NGL is the sole general partner of
each of the Midstream Subsidiary Partnerships, in each case with a general
partner interest of 0.001%. These
general partner interests have been duly authorized by the respective
Subsidiary Partnership Agreements, have been validly issued in accordance with
the respective Subsidiary Partnership Agreements, and are owned of record by
TEPPCO NGL, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, security interests,
equities, charges or claims, except for such liens, encumbrances, security
interests, equities, charges or claims as are not, individually or in the
aggregate, material or except as described in the Prospectus. Complete and correct copies of the certificate
of formation and the limited liability company agreement of TEPPCO NGL and all
amendments thereto have been delivered to the Underwriters, and no changes
therein will be made subsequent to the date hereof and prior to the Closing
Date or any settlement date, as the case may be.
(i) Formation and Good Standing of TEPPCO Crude GP, LLC. TEPPCO Crude GP, LLC has been duly organized
and is, and at the Closing Date or any settlement date, as the case may be,
will be, validly existing as a limited liability company in good standing under
the Delaware LLC Act and has full limited liability company power and authority
to conduct all the activities conducted by it, to own, lease and operate its
properties and to conduct its business and to act as general partner of each of
the TCTM
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Subsidiary Partnerships, in each case in all material respects, as
described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus; and TEPPCO Crude
GP, LLC is, and at the Closing Date or any settlement date, as the case may be,
as the case may be, will be, duly qualified or registered and in good standing
as a foreign limited liability company to transact business in each other
jurisdiction in which such qualification or registration is required, whether
by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business,
except where the failure so to qualify or to register (i) would not result
in a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) would not subject its members to any
material liability or disability. TEPPCO Crude GP, LLC is the sole general
partner of the TCTM Subsidiary Partnerships, in each case with a general
partner interest of 0.01%. These general partner interests have been duly
authorized by the respective Subsidiary Partnership Agreements, have been
validly issued in accordance with the respective Subsidiary Partnership
Agreements, and are owned of record by TEPPCO Crude GP, LLC, free and clear of
all liens, encumbrances, security interests, equities, charges or claims, except
for such liens, encumbrances, security interests, equities, charges or claims
as are not, individually or in the aggregate, material or except as described
in the Prospectus. Complete and correct copies of the certificate of formation
and the limited liability company agreement of TEPPCO Crude GP, LLC and all
amendments thereto have been delivered to the Underwriters, and no changes
therein will be made subsequent to the date hereof and prior to the Closing
Date or any settlement date, as the case may be.
(j) Formation and Good Standing of TEPPCO Colorado. TEPPCO Colorado has been duly organized and
is, and at the time of purchase or the additional time of purchase, as the case
may be, will be, validly existing as a limited liability company in good
standing under the Delaware LLC Act and has full limited liability company
power and authority to conduct all the activities conducted by it, to own,
lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business, in each case in
all material respects; and TEPPCO Colorado is, and at the Closing Date or any
settlement date, as the case may be, will be, duly qualified or registered and
in good standing as a foreign limited liability company to transact business in
each other jurisdiction in which such qualification or registration is
required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the
conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or to register (i) would
not result in a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) would not subject its members
to any material liability or disability.
(k) Formation and Good Standing of Jonah. Jonah has been duly formed and is, and at the
time of purchase or the additional time of purchase, as the case may be, will
be, validly existing as a general partnership in good standing under the
Wyoming Uniform Partnership Act, as amended (the Wyoming Act). Jonah
has, and at the time of purchase or the additional time of purchase, as the
case may be, will have, full partnership power and authority to conduct all the
activities conducted by it, to own, lease and operate its properties and to
conduct its business in all material respects as described in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus. Jonah is
not, and at the Closing Date or any settlement date, as the case may be, will
not be, required to register or qualify as a foreign general partnership to
transact business in any other jurisdiction in which such qualification or
registration is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of
property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or
to register
8
(i) would not result in a Material
Adverse Effect or (ii) would not subject the partners of such partnership
to any material liability or disability.
(l) Partnership Interests. As of the date of this Agreement, the limited
partners of the Partnership hold limited partner interests in the Partnership
aggregating a 98% interest in the Partnership, such limited partner interests
being represented by 62,998,554 Common Units. The Common Units are the only
limited partner interests of the Partnership that are issued and outstanding;
all of the issued and outstanding Common Units of the Partnership have been (1) duly
authorized and validly issued under the Partnership Agreement and are fully
paid and non-assessable, except as such nonassessability may be affected by Section 17-607
of the Delaware LP Act, and (2) issued in compliance with all applicable
federal and state laws and were not issued in violation of any preemptive
right, resale right, right of first refusal or similar right.
(m) Capitalization of the General Partner. All
of the membership interests of the General Partner are registered on its books
in the name of DFI GP Holdings L.P. (formerly Enterprise GP Holdings L.P.) (DFI), a Delaware limited partnership, free
and clear of all liens, encumbrances, security interests, equities, charges or
claims except as set forth in the Prospectus or as are not individually or in
the aggregate, material.
(n) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts. None of the TEPPCO Entities nor any of
their subsidiaries is in breach of, or in default under (nor has any event
occurred which with notice, lapse of time, or both, would result in any breach
of, or constitute a default under), the respective partnership agreement or
certificate of limited partnership or limited liability company agreement or
certificate or articles of incorporation or formation, or any other
organizational document, as the case may be, or in the performance or
observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any
indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, bank loan or credit agreement or any other
evidence of indebtedness or any agreement, lease, contract or other agreement
or instrument to which any of the TEPPCO Entities or any of their subsidiaries
is a party or by which any of them or any of their properties is bound and the
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the issuance of the
Units and consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby will
not conflict with, or result in any breach of or constitute a default under (or
constitute any event which with notice, lapse of time, or both would result in
any breach of, or constitute a default under), any provisions of the respective
partnership agreement or certificate of limited partnership or limited
liability company agreement or articles or certificate of incorporation or
formation, or any other organizational document, as the case may be, of any of
the TEPPCO Entities or any of their subsidiaries or under any provision of any
license, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, bank loan or credit agreement or
other evidence of indebtedness, or any lease, contract or other agreement or
instrument to which any of the TEPPCO Entities or any of their subsidiaries is a party or by which any of them or
their respective properties may be bound or affected, or under any federal,
state, local or foreign law, regulation or rule or any decree, judgment or
order applicable to any of the TEPPCO Entities or any of their subsidiaries.
9
(o) Authorization, Execution and Delivery of Agreement. This
Agreement has been duly authorized, validly executed and delivered by the
Partnership, and constitutes the valid and legally binding agreement of the
Partnership, enforceable against the Partnership in accordance with its terms,
except as may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer,
reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting
creditors rights generally and by general principles of equity (regardless of
whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law);
provided, further, that the indemnity and contribution provisions contained
herein may be limited by applicable law or public policy.
(p) Accuracy of Disclosure. The Common
Units conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained in
the Registration Statement, Prospectus and Prospectus Supplement. All legal or governmental proceedings,
affiliate transactions, contracts, leases or documents of a character required
to be described in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or Prospectus
Supplement or the documents incorporated by reference therein or to be filed as
an exhibit thereto have been so described or filed as required.
(q) Authorization of Units. On
the Closing Date, the Firm Units or the Option Units, as the case may be, and
the limited partner interests represented thereby to be issued and sold by the
Partnership have been duly and validly authorized and, when issued and
delivered against payment therefor as provided herein, will be duly and validly
issued and fully paid and non-assessable, except as such nonassessability may
be affected by Section 17-607 of the Delaware LP Act and will not be
subject to any preemptive or similar right or voting or transfer restriction.
(r) No Consents. No approval,
authorization, consent, order, registration, filing or qualification (consent) of or with any court or any national, state or
local governmental or regulatory commission, board, authority, agency or body
is required in connection with the offering, issuance and sale by the
Partnership of the Units, the execution, delivery and performance of this
Agreement by the Partnership, or the consummation by the Partnership of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except for (i) registration
of the Units under the Securities Act which has been or will be completed, (ii) any
necessary qualification under the Exchange Act and state securities or Blue
Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Units by the
Underwriters or (iii) under the rules and regulations of the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (NASD).
(s) Absence of Restrictions on Units. Except
as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and except for
any such rights which have been effectively complied with or waived, (i) no
person has the right, contractual or otherwise, to cause the Partnership to
issue or sell to it any units representing limited partner interests in the
Partnership, (ii) no person has any preemptive rights, resale rights,
rights of first refusal or other rights to purchase any units representing
limited partner interests in the Partnership, and (iii) no person has the
right to act as an underwriter, or as a financial advisor to the Partnership,
in connection with the offer and sale of the Units, in the case of each of the
foregoing clauses (i), (ii) and (iii), whether as a result of the filing
or
10
effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the sale of the Units as
contemplated thereby or otherwise; no person has the right, contractual or
otherwise, to cause the Partnership to register under the Act any units
representing limited partner interests in the Partnership, or to include any
units representing limited partner interests in the Partnership in the
Registration Statement or the offering contemplated thereby whether as a result
of the filing or effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the sale of the
Units as contemplated thereby or otherwise, except for such rights as have been complied with or waived.
(t) Independent Registered Public Accountants. KPMG LLP (KPMG) who have certified or shall certify
the audited financial statements of the Partnership and its subsidiaries and
delivered their report with respect to the audited consolidated financial
statements and schedules contained or incorporated by reference into the
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Final Prospectus and the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) are
independent registered public accountants with respect to the Partnership and
the General Partner as required by the Securities Act and Exchange Act.
(u) Permits. Each
of the TEPPCO Entities and their subsidiaries has all necessary licenses,
authorizations, consents and approvals and has made all necessary filings
required under any federal, state, local or foreign law, regulation or rule,
and has obtained all necessary authorizations, consents and approvals from
other persons, in order to conduct its respective business in the manner
described in the Prospectus; none of the TEPPCO Entities or their subsidiaries
is in violation of, or in default under, any such license, authorization,
consent or approval or any federal, state, local or foreign law, regulation or rule or
any decree, order or judgment applicable to any of the TEPPCO Entities or their
subsidiaries, the effect of which, individually or in the aggregate, could have
a Material Adverse Effect.
(v) Absence of Proceedings. Except
as disclosed in the Prospectus, there are no actions, suits, claims,
investigations or proceedings pending or threatened against any of the TEPPCO
Entities or their subsidiaries, or any of their respective officers is a party
or of which any of their respective properties or assets is subject, at law or
in equity, or before or by any federal, state, local or foreign governmental or
regulatory commission, board, body, authority or agency which could result in a
judgment, decree or order having a Material Adverse Effect or prevent
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.
(w) Financial Statements. The
historical consolidated financial statements (including the related notes and
supporting schedules) included or incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects, the
consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows and
changes in financial position of the Partnership and its subsidiaries as of the
dates and for the periods indicated and have been prepared in accordance with
U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) consistently applied throughout the periods involved,
and comply as to form with the applicable accounting requirements of the
Exchange Act (except as noted therein).
The selected financial data of the Partnership set forth under
11
the caption Historical Summary
Selected Financial and Operating Information in the Prospectus fairly present,
on the basis stated in the Prospectus, the information included therein. The other financial and statistical
information and data in the Prospectus are accurately presented and prepared on
a basis consistent with the financial statements and books and records of the
Partnership. The supporting schedules,
if any, included in the Registration Statement present fairly in accordance
with GAAP the information required to be stated therein. No other financial statements or schedules of
the Partnership are required by the Securities Act or the Exchange Act to be
included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus. None of TEPPCO Entities or their subsidiaries
have any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent (including
any off-balance sheet obligations), not disclosed in the Registration Statement,
the Prospectus or the documents incorporated by reference therein.
(x) No Material Adverse Change in Business. None of the
TEPPCO Entities has sustained since the date of the latest audited financial
statements included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus 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 dispute
or court or governmental action, investigation, order or decree, otherwise than
as set forth or contemplated in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus. Subsequent to the respective
dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus there has not been (i) any material adverse change, or any
development involving a prospective material adverse change, in the business,
properties, management, condition (financial or otherwise), results of
operations, prospects or earnings of any of the TEPPCO Entities and their
subsidiaries taken as a whole, (ii) any transaction which is material to
any of the TEPPCO Entities and their subsidiaries taken as a whole, (iii) any
obligation, direct or contingent (including any off-balance sheet obligations),
which is material to the TEPPCO Entities or their subsidiaries taken as a
whole, incurred by any of the TEPPCO Entities or their subsidiaries, (iv) any
material change in the capital stock, equity interests or outstanding
indebtedness of any of the TEPPCO Entities or their subsidiaries, (v) any
dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Partnership,
or (vi) any event that has invalidated or could invalidate the Agreement.
(y) Lock-Up Agreements. The
Partnership has obtained for the benefit of the Underwriters the agreement, in
the form set forth as Exhibit D
hereto, of each of the General Partners directors and officers as set forth on
Schedule III, on behalf of
itself and its subsidiaries that own Common Units (collectively, the Lock-Up
Agreements); the Partnership will not release or purport to release any person
from any Lock-Up Agreement without the prior written consent of Citigroup
Global Markets Inc. and UBS Securities LLC.
(z) Investment Company/Public Utility Holding Company. None of the
TEPPCO Entities nor any of their subsidiaries is now, and after sale of the
Units to be sold by the Partnership hereunder and application of the net
proceeds from such sale as described in the Prospectus under the caption Use
of Proceeds will be, (i) an investment company or an affiliated person
of, or promoter or principal underwriter for, an investment company
within the meaning of the Investment
12
Company Act of 1940, as amended, or (ii) a public utility
company, holding company or a subsidiary company of a holding company
under the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, as amended.
(aa) Statistical and Market Data. Any statistical and market-related data
included in the Prospectus and the Registration Statement are based on or
derived from sources that the Partnership believes to be reliable and accurate,
and the Partnership has obtained the written consent to the use of such data
from such sources to the extent the General Partner believes is required.
(bb) No Stabilization. None
of the TEPPCO Entities, nor any of their directors, officers or
controlling person has taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or
that would constitute or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result
in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the
price of any security of the Partnership to facilitate the sale or resale of
the Units.
(cc) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. None of the TEPPCO Entities nor any of
its subsidiaries, nor any director, officer, agent, employee or other person
acting on behalf of any of the TEPPCO Entities or their subsidiaries, is aware
of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a
violation by any of the foregoing of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977,
as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the FCPA), including, without limitation,
making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce
corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization
of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or
authorization of the giving of anything of value to any foreign official (as
such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official
thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the
FCPA and the TEPPCO Entities and their subsidiaries, and to the knowledge of
the Partnership, its and the affiliates of the TEPPCO Entities and their
subsidiaries, have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA and
have instituted and maintained policies and procedures designed to ensure, and
which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance
thereunder.
(dd) Intellectual Property. Each
of the TEPPCO Entities and their subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire on
reasonable terms, adequate patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions,
service mark registrations, copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and
other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information,
systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks, trade names or other
intellectual property (collectively, Intellectual
Property) necessary to carry on their respective businesses now operated
by them, and none of the TEPPCO Entities nor any of their subsidiaries has
received any notice or is otherwise aware of any infringement of or conflict
with asserted rights of others with respect to any Intellectual Property or of
any facts or circumstances which would render any Intellectual Property invalid
or inadequate to protect the interest of any of the TEPPCO Entities or their
subsidiaries, and which infringement or conflict (if the subject of any
unfavorable decision, ruling or finding) or invalidity or inadequacy, singly or
in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect.
13
(ee) No Labor Dispute. No labor problem or
dispute with the employees of any of the TEPPCO Entities exists or, to the
knowledge of any of the TEPPCO Entities, is imminent or threatened, and none of
the TEPPCO Entities has any actual knowledge of an existing, imminent or
threatened labor disturbance by the employees of any of its, or any of its
affiliates, principal suppliers, manufacturers, customers or contractors,
which, in either case, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material
Adverse Effect. Each of the TEPPCO
Entities and their subsidiaries is in compliance with all federal, state and
local employment labor laws, including, but not limited to, laws relating to
non-discrimination in hiring, promotion and pay of employees, except for any
noncompliance that could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material
Adverse Effect.
(ff) Benefit Plans. With respect to each employee benefit
plan, program and arrangement (including, without limitation, any employee
benefit plan as defined in Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (ERISA)) maintained or contributed to
by any of the TEPPCO Entities or their subsidiaries, or with respect to which
any of the TEPPCO Entities could incur any liability under ERISA (collectively,
the Benefit Plans), no event has occurred and, to the best knowledge of each
of the TEPPCO Entities or their subsidiaries, there exists no condition or set
of circumstances, in connection with which any of the TEPPCO Entities or their
subsidiaries could be subject to any liability under the terms of such Benefit
Plans, applicable law (including, without limitation, ERISA and the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended) or any applicable agreement that could have a
Material Adverse Effect.
(gg) Environmental Compliance. Each
of the TEPPCO Entities and their subsidiaries is (i) in compliance with
any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations
relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or
imposing liability or standards of conduct concerning any Hazardous Material
(as hereinafter defined) (Environmental Laws),
(ii) has received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of it
under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct its business and (iii) is
in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or
approval, except where such noncompliance with Environmental Laws, failure to
receive required permits, licenses or other approvals or failure to comply with
the terms and conditions of such permits, licenses or other approvals would
not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse
Effect. The term Hazardous Material means (A) any hazardous
substance as defined by the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended (CERCLA), (B) any hazardous waste as
defined by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, as amended, (C) any
petroleum or petroleum product, (D) any polychlorinated biphenyl and (E) any
pollutant or contaminant or hazardous, dangerous, or toxic chemical, material,
waste or substance regulated under or within the meaning of any other
Environmental Law. Except as set forth
in the Prospectus, none of the TEPPCO Entities nor
their subsidiaries has been named as a potentially responsible party under CERCLA.
In the
ordinary course of its business, the Partnership conducts a periodic review of
the effect of Environmental Laws on the business, operations and properties of
14
the TEPPCO Entities and
their subsidiaries, in the course of which it identifies and evaluates
associated costs and liabilities (including, without limitation, any capital or
operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or
compliance with Environmental Laws or any permit, license or approval, any
related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to
third parties). Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus, there are no costs and liabilities associated with or arising in
connection with Environmental Laws as currently in effect (including without
limitation, costs of compliance therewith) which would, singly or in the
aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(hh) Title to Properties. Each
of the TEPPCO Entities and their subsidiaries have satisfactory and marketable
title to all properties and assets owned by such entities, in each case free
and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests, claims,
restrictions or encumbrances of any kind except such as (i) are described
in the Prospectus or (ii) do not, singly or in the aggregate, materially
affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the use made and
proposed to be made of such property by such entities; and all such leases and
subleases material to the business of such entities, and under which such
entities hold properties described in the Prospectus, are in full force and
effect, and none of such entities has any notice of any material claim of any
sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of such entities
under any of the leases or subleases mentioned above, or affecting or
questioning the rights of such entities to the continued possession of the
leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease.
(ii) Right-of-Way. Each
of the TEPPCO Entities has such consents, easements, rights-of-way or licenses
from any person (rights-of-way) as are necessary to conduct its business in
the manner described in the Prospectus, subject to such qualifications as may
be set forth in the Prospectus and except for such rights-of-way the failure of
which to have obtained would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a
Material Adverse Effect; each of the TEPPCO Entities has fulfilled and
performed all its material obligations with respect to such rights-of-way and
no event has occurred which allows, or after notice or lapse of time would
allow, revocation or termination thereof or would results in any impairment of
the rights of the holder of any such rights-of-way, except for such revocations
and assets owned by such entities, in each case free and clear of all
mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests, claims, restrictions or
encumbrances of any kind except such as (1) are described in the
Prospectus or (ii) do not, singly or in the aggregate, materially affect
the value of such property and do not interfere with the use made and proposed
to be made of such property by such entities; terminations and impairments that
will not have a Material Adverse Effect, subject in each case to such
qualification as may be set forth in the Prospectus; and, except as described
in the Prospectus, non of such rights-of-way contains any restriction that is
materially burdensome to the TEPPCO Entities, taken as a whole.
(jj) Disclosure. Neither this Agreement, the Registration
Statement, nor any other document, certificate or instrument delivered to the
Underwriters by or on behalf of the Partnership in connection with the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, contains any untrue statement of a
material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary
15
in order to make the statements
contained therein not misleading. There is no fact known to the Partnership or
the General Partner which would result in a Material Adverse Effect or in the
future may (so far as the Partnership can now foresee) result in a Material
Adverse Effect which has not been set forth or referred to in this Agreement or
the Registration Statement.
(kk) Significant Subsidiaries. The
subsidiaries listed on Schedule II
attached hereto are the only significant subsidiaries of the Partnership as
defined by Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X.
(ll) Registration Rights. No
holder of securities of the Partnership has rights to the registration of any
securities of the Partnership because of the filing of the Registration
Statement that have not been waived.
(mm) Officers Certificates. Any
certificate signed on behalf of the Partnership or the General Partner by any
President or Vice President of the General Partner and delivered to the
Underwriters or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a
representation and warranty by each of the TEPPCO Entities to each Underwriter
as to the matters covered thereby.
(nn) NASD Affiliations. To the Partnerships knowledge after due
inquiry, there are no affiliations or associations between any member of the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. and any of the
Partnership or General Partners officers, directors or securityholders, except
as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
(oo) Internal Accounting Controls. Each
of the TEPPCO Entities and their subsidiaries maintains a system of internal
accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (A) transactions
are executed in accordance with managements general or specific authorization;
(B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of
financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for
assets; (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with
managements general or specific authorization; and (D) the recorded
accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable
intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.
(pp) Related Party Transactions. No
relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the TEPPCO Entities
on the one hand, and the directors, officers, partners, customers or suppliers
of the General Partner and its affiliates (other than the TEPPCO Entities) on
the other hand, which is required to be described in the Prospectus which is
not so described.
(qq) Tax Returns. Each of the TEPPCO Entities has
filed all foreign, federal, state and local income and franchise tax returns
that are required by law to be filed by them through the date hereof, which
returns are complete and correct in all material respects, or has requested
extensions thereof (except in any case in which the failure so to file would
not have a Material Adverse Effect) and have paid all taxes, assessments and
16
other governmental charges as required to be paid, including any
interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto, levied upon them or
any of their properties, assets, income or franchises which are due and
payable, other than (i) those which are not past due or are presently
being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted
for which such reserves or other appropriate provisions, if any, as shall be
required by GAAP have been made and (ii) with respect to state and local
taxes such as will not result in a Material Adverse Effect. There are no tax returns of any of the TEPPCO
Entities that are currently being audited by state, local or federal taxing
authorities or agencies (and with respect to which any of the TEPPCO Entities
has received notice), where the findings of such audit, if adversely
determined, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(rr) Insurance. Each
of the TEPPCO Entities and their subsidiaries is insured by insurers of
recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such
amounts as are reasonably adequate and customary in the businesses in which
they are engaged; no TEPPCO Entity or any of its subsidiaries has received
written notice from any insurer or agent of such insurer that substantial
capital improvements or other expenditures will have to be made in order to
continue such insurance; all policies of insurance insuring the TEPPCO Entities
and their subsidiaries or their respective businesses, assets, employees,
officers and directors are outstanding and duly in force on the date hereof and
will be outstanding and duly in force on the Closing Date and any settlement
date, as the case may be; the TEPPCO Entities and its subsidiaries are in
compliance with the terms of such policies and instruments in all material
respects; and there are no claims by the TEPPCO Entities or any of their
subsidiaries under any such policy or instrument as to which any insurance
company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause;
neither the TEPPCO Entities nor any of their subsidiaries has been refused any
insurance coverage sought or applied for; and the Partnership has no reason to
believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage for
the TEPPCO Entities and their subsidiaries as and when such coverage expires or
to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to
continue its business at a cost that would not reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect.
(ss) Absence of Notice. None of the TEPPCO Entities nor any of their
subsidiaries have sent or received any communication regarding termination of,
or intent not to renew, any of the contracts or agreements referred to or
described in, or filed as an exhibit to, the Registration Statement or any
document incorporated by reference therein, and no such termination or
non-renewal has been threatened by the Partnership or, to the knowledge of the
Partnership after due inquiry, any other party to any such contract or
agreement, which termination or non-renewal would have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(tt) NYSE Listing. The
Units have been approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), subject only to official notice of issuance.
(uu) Sarbanes-Oxley Act. There is and has been no failure on the part of
the Partnership and any of the General Partners directors or officers, in
their capacities as such, to comply with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act of 2002 and the rules and
17
regulations promulgated in connection therewith (the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act), including Section 402 related to loans and Section 302 and 906
related to certifications.
(vv) Prohibition on Dividends and Distributions. No subsidiary
of the Partnership is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying
any dividends or distributions to the Partnership, from making any other
distribution on such subsidiarys equity securities, from repaying to the
Partnership any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Partnership or
from transferring any of such subsidiarys property or assets to the
Partnership or any other subsidiary of the Partnership, except as described in
or contemplated by the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).
(ww) Partnership Agreements. The Partnership Agreement has been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by the General Partner and is a valid and
legally binding agreement of the General Partner, enforceable against the
General Partner in accordance with its terms, and each of the Operating
Partnership Agreements and Subsidiary Partnership Agreements has been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by the parties thereto and is a valid and
legally binding agreement of the parties thereto, enforceable against the
parties thereto in accordance with its terms, except as the enforceability of
such agreements may be affected by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization and
other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors rights
and general equitable principles.
(xx) Disclosure Controls. The Partnership has established and
maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-14
and 15d-14 under the Exchange Act) which (i) are designed to ensure
that material information relating to the Partnership, including its
consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to the General Partners Chief
Executive Officer and its Chief Financial Officer by others within those
entities, particularly during the periods in which the periodic reports
required under the Exchange Act are being prepared; (ii) have been
evaluated for effectiveness as of the end of the period covered by the
Partnerships most recent annual or quarterly report filed with the Commission;
and (iii) are effective in achieving reasonable assurance that the
Partnerships desired control objectives as described in Item 4 of the
Partnerships Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31,
2005 (First Quarter 2005 Report) have been met.
(yy) No Deficiency in Internal
Controls. Based
on the evaluation of its disclosure controls and procedures conducted in
connection with the preparation and filing of the First Quarter 2005 Report,
the Partnership is not aware of (i) any significant deficiency or material
weakness in the design or operation of its internal controls over financial
reporting that are likely to adversely affect the Partnerships ability to
record, process, summarize and report financial data; or (ii) any fraud,
whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a
significant role in the Partnerships internal controls over financial
reporting.
(zz) No Changes in Internal Controls. There were no significant changes in the
Partnerships internal controls over financial reporting that occurred during
the first
18
quarter of 2005 that materially affected or are
reasonably likely to materially affect the Partnerships internal controls over
financial reporting.
(aaa) Personal Loans. There are no outstanding extensions of
credit in the form of a personal loan made, directly or indirectly, by the
Partnership to any director or executive officer of the General Partner, or to
any family member or affiliate of any director or executive officer of the
General Partner.
Any certificate signed by
any officer of the TEPPCO Entities and delivered to the Underwriters or counsel
for the Underwriters in connection with the offering of the Units shall be
deemed a representation and warranty by the TEPPCO Entities, as to matters
covered thereby, to each Underwriter.
2. Purchase
and Sale. (a) Subject to the
terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties
herein set forth, the Partnership agrees to sell to each Underwriter, and each
Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the
Partnership, at a purchase price of $40.08 per Unit, the amount of the Firm
Units set forth opposite such Underwriters name in Schedule I hereto.
(b) Subject
to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and
warranties herein set forth, the Partnership hereby grants an option to the
several Underwriters to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to 915,000
Option Units at the same purchase price per Unit as the Underwriters shall pay
for the Firm Units. Said option may be
exercised only to cover over-allotments in the sale of the Firm Units by the
Underwriters. Said option may be
exercised in whole or in part at any time on or before the 30th day after the
date of the Prospectus upon written or telegraphic notice by the
Representatives to the Partnership setting forth the number of Units of the
Option Units as to which the several Underwriters are exercising the option and
the settlement date. The number of
Option Units to be purchased by each Underwriter shall be the same percentage
of the total number of Units of the Option Units to be purchased by the several
Underwriters as such Underwriter is purchasing of the Firm Units, subject to
such adjustments as you in your absolute discretion shall make to eliminate any
fractional shares.
3. Delivery
and Payment. Delivery
of and payment for the Firm Units
and the Option Units (if the option provided for in Section 2(b) hereof
shall have been exercised on or before the third Business Day prior to the
Closing Date) shall be made at 10:00 AM, New York City time, on May 11,
2005 or at such time on such later date not more than three Business Days after
the foregoing date as the Representatives shall designate, which date and time
may be postponed by agreement among the Representatives and the Partnership or
as provided in Section 9 hereof (such date and time of delivery and
payment for the Units being herein called the Closing Date).
Delivery of the Firm Units shall be made to the Representatives for the
respective accounts of the several Underwriters against payment by the several
Underwriters through the Representatives of the purchase price thereof to or
upon the order of the Partnership by wire transfer payable in same-day funds to
an account specified by the Partnership.
Delivery of the Firm Units and the Option Units shall be made through
the facilities of The Depository Trust Company unless the Representatives shall
otherwise instruct. Time shall be of the
essence, and
19
delivery
at the time and place specified pursuant to this Agreement is a further
condition of the obligation of each Underwriter hereunder.
If the option provided
for in Section 2(b) hereof is exercised after the third Business Day
prior to the Closing Date, the Partnership will deliver the Option Units (at
the expense of the Partnership) to the Representatives, at 388 Greenwich
Street, New York, New York on the date specified by the Representatives (which
shall be within three Business Days after exercise of said option) for the
respective accounts of the several Underwriters, against payment by the several
Underwriters through the Representatives of the purchase price thereof to or
upon the order of the Partnership by wire transfer payable in same-day funds to
an account specified by the Partnership.
If settlement for the Option Units occurs after the Closing Date, the
Partnership will deliver to the Representatives on the settlement date for the
Option Units, and the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase the Option
Units shall be conditioned upon receipt of, supplemental opinions, certificates
and letters confirming as of such date the opinions, certificates and letters
delivered on the Closing Date pursuant to Section 6 hereof.
4. Offering
of Units by Underwriters. It
is understood that the several Underwriters propose to offer the Units for sale
to the public as set forth in the Prospectus.
5. Further
Agreements of the Partnership. The
Partnership hereby agrees with each Underwriter that:
(a) Preparation of Prospectus and Registration Statement. The
Partnership will use its best efforts to cause the Registration Statement, if
not effective at the Execution Time, and any amendment thereof, to become
effective. Prior to the termination of
the offering of the Units, the Partnership will not file any amendment of the
Registration Statement or supplement (including the Prospectus or any
Preliminary Final Prospectus) to the Base Prospectus or any Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement unless the Partnership has furnished you a copy for your review prior
to filing and will not file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which
you reasonably object. Subject to the
foregoing sentence, if the Registration Statement has become or becomes
effective pursuant to Rule 430A, or filing of the Prospectus is otherwise
required under Rule 424(b), the Partnership will cause the Prospectus,
properly completed, and any supplement thereto to be filed in a form approved
by the Representatives with the Commission pursuant to the applicable paragraph
of Rule 424(b) within the time period prescribed and will provide
evidence satisfactory to the Representatives of such timely filing. The Partnership will promptly advise the
Representatives (1) when the Registration Statement, if not effective at
the Execution Time, shall have become effective, (2) when the Prospectus,
and any supplement thereto, shall have been filed (if required) with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) or when any Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement shall have been filed with the Commission, (3) when, prior to
termination of the offering of the Units, any amendment to the Registration
Statement shall have been filed or become effective, (4) of any request by
the Commission or its staff for any amendment of the Registration Statement, or
any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, or for any supplement to the
Prospectus or for any additional information, (5) of the issuance by the
Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose
20
and (6) of the receipt by
the Partnership of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification
of the Units for sale in any jurisdiction or the institution or threatening of
any proceeding for such purpose. The
Partnership will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop
order or the suspension of any such qualification and, if issued, to obtain as
soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.
(b) Filing of Amendment or Supplement. If,
at any time when a prospectus relating to the Units is required to be delivered
under the Securities Act, any event occurs as a result of which the Prospectus
as then supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or
omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the
light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading, or if it
shall be necessary to amend the Registration Statement or supplement the
Prospectus to comply with the Securities Act or the Exchange Act or the
respective rules thereunder, the Partnership promptly will (1) notify
the Representatives of such event, (2) prepare and file with the
Commission, subject to the second sentence of paragraph (a) of this Section 5,
an amendment or supplement which will correct such statement or omission or
effect such compliance and (3) supply any supplemented Prospectus to you in
such quantities as you may reasonably request.
(c) Earnings Statement. As
soon as practicable, the Partnership will make generally available to its
unitholders and to the Representatives an earnings statement or statements of
the Partnership and its subsidiaries which will satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of
the Securities Act and Rule 158 under the Securities Act.
(d) Signed Copies of the Registration Statement. The
Partnership will furnish to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters,
without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement (including exhibits
thereto) and to each other Underwriter a copy of the Registration Statement
(without exhibits thereto) and, so long as delivery of a prospectus by an
Underwriter or dealer may be required by the Securities Act, as many copies of
each Preliminary Final Prospectus and the Prospectus and any supplement thereto
as the Representatives may reasonably request.
The Partnership will pay the expenses of printing or other production of
all documents relating to the offering.
(e) Copies of Reports. The
Partnership will, for a period of three years from the Closing Date, furnish or
make available via the Commissions Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and
Retrieval (EDGAR) System to the Underwriters a copy of each annual report,
quarterly report, current report and all other documents, reports and
information furnished by the Partnership to holders of Units (excluding any
periodic income tax reporting materials) or filed with any security exchange or
market pursuant to the requirements of such exchange or market or with the
Commission pursuant to the Securities Act or the Exchange Act.
(f) Qualification of Units. The
Partnership will arrange, if necessary, for the qualification of the Units for
sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate,
will maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required for the
distribution of the Securities and will pay any fee of the NASD, in connection
with its review of the offering; provided that in no event shall the
Partnership
21
be obligated to qualify to do
business in any jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified or to take any
action that would subject it to service of process in suits, other than those
arising out of the offering or sale of the Units, in any jurisdiction where it
is not now so subject.
(g) Lock-Up Period; Lock-Up Letter. The Partnership will not, without the
prior written consent of the Representatives, offer, sell, contract to sell,
pledge, or otherwise dispose of, (or enter into any transaction which is
designed to, or might reasonably be expected to, result in the disposition
(whether by actual disposition or effective economic disposition due to cash
settlement or otherwise) by the Partnership or any affiliate controlled by the
Partnership or the General Partner or any person in privity with the
Partnership or any affiliate of the Partnership), directly or indirectly, including
the filing (or participation in the filing) of a registration statement with
the Commission in respect of, or establish or increase a put equivalent
position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning
of Section 16 of the Exchange Act, any other Common Units or any
securities convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, Common Units;
or publicly announce an intention to effect any such transaction for a period
of 60 days following the Execution Time (Lock-Up Period), provided, however, that the
Partnership may issue and sell Common Units (or options, warrants or
convertible securities in respect thereof) pursuant to (i) the
registration of the Common Units and sales to the Underwriters pursuant to this
Agreement, (ii) the issuance of employee options not exercisable during
the Lock-Up Period pursuant to option plans described in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus and (iii) issuances of Common Units upon the
exercise of options or warrants disclosed as outstanding in the Registration
Statement and Prospectus.
(h) Expenses. The
Partnership agrees to pay (a) the costs incident to the authorization,
issuance, sale and delivery of the Units and any taxes payable in that
connection; (b) the costs incident to the preparation, printing and filing
under the Securities Act of the Registration Statement and any amendments and
exhibits thereto; (c) the costs of printing and distributing the
Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto and any
post-effective amendments thereof (including, in each case, exhibits), each
Preliminary Final Prospectus, the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement to
the Prospectus, all as provided in this Agreement; (d) the costs of
producing and distributing this Agreement, any underwriting and selling group
documents and any other related documents in connection with the offering,
purchase, sale and delivery of the Units; (e) the filing fees incident to
securing the review, if applicable, by the NASD of the terms of sale of the
Units; (f) any applicable listing or other similar fees; (g) any fees
payable to investment rating agencies with respect to the Units; (h) the
fees and expenses of preparing, printing and distributing a Blue Sky Memorandum
(including related fees and expenses of counsel to the Underwriters); (i) the
cost of printing certificates representing the Units; (j) the costs and
charges of any transfer agent or registrar; (k) the costs and expenses of
the Partnership relating to investor presentations on any road show
undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Units,
including, without limitation, expenses associated with the production of road
show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in
connection with the road show presentations with the prior approval of the
22
Partnership, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and
officers of the Partnership and any such consultants; and (k) all other costs
and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Partnership
under this Agreement; provided that, except as provided in this Section 5
and in Section 7 hereof, the Underwriters shall pay their own costs and
expenses, including the costs and expenses of their counsel, any transfer taxes
on the Units which they may sell and the expenses of advertising any offering
of the Units made by the Underwriters.
(i) Use of Proceeds. The
Partnership will use the net proceeds received by them from the sale of the
Units in the manner specified in the Prospectus under Use of Proceeds.
(j) Investment Company. The
Partnership will take such steps as shall be necessary to ensure that
none of the TEPPCO Entities nor any of their subsidiaries
shall become an investment company as defined in the Investment Company Act
of 1940, as amended and the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder.
(k) Compliance. The
Partnership will comply with all applicable securities and other applicable
laws, rules and regulations, including, without limitation, the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and to use its best efforts to cause the General Partners
directors and officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with such laws, rules and
regulations, including, without limitation, the provisions of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
(l) Stabilization. The
Partnership will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or
that would result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, stabilization or
manipulation of the price of any security of the Partnership to facilitate the
sale or resale of the Units.
(m) Statements. The Partnership will
timely file any financial statements required by Rule 3-05(b)(2) of Regulation S-X.
6. Conditions
to the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations of the Underwriters to
purchase the Firm Units and the Option Units, as the case may be, shall be
subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of
the TEPPCO Entities on the date hereof and on the Closing Date and any
settlement date pursuant to Section 3 hereof, to the accuracy of the
statements of the Partnership and the officers of the General Partner made in
any certificates delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance
by the Partnership of its obligations hereunder and to the following additional
conditions:
(a) If
the Registration Statement has not become effective prior to the Execution
Time, unless the Representatives agree in writing to a later time, the Registration
Statement will become effective not later than (i) 6:00 PM New York City
time on the date of determination of the public offering price, if such
determination occurred at or prior to 3:00 PM New York City time on such date
or (ii) 9:30 AM on the Business Day following the day on which the
public offering price was determined, if such determination occurred after 3:00
PM New York City time on such date; if filing of the Prospectus, or any
supplement thereto, is required pursuant to Rule 424(b), the
23
Prospectus, and any such supplement, will be filed in the manner and
within the time period required by Rule 424(b); and no stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been
issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or
threatened.
(b) All
corporate, partnership and limited liability company proceedings and other
legal matters incident to the authorization, form and validity of this
Agreement, the Units and the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and all
other legal matters relating to this Agreement and the transactions
contemplated hereby shall be reasonably satisfactory in all material respects
to counsel for the Underwriters, and the Partnership shall have furnished to
such counsel all documents and information that they may reasonably request to
enable them to pass upon such matters.
(c) The
Partnership shall have requested and caused (i) Fulbright &
Jaworski L.L.P., counsel for the Partnership, to have furnished to the
Representatives their opinion addressed to the Underwriters and dated the
Closing Date, as set forth in Exhibit A
and (ii) James C. Ruth, general counsel of the Partnership, to have
furnished to the Representatives his opinion addressed to the Underwriters and
dated the Closing Date, as set forth in Exhibit B,
with reproduced copies of each for the other Underwriters and each in a form
satisfactory to Vinson & Elkins LLP, counsel for the Underwriters.
(d) The
Representatives shall have received from Vinson & Elkins LLP,
counsel for the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated the Closing Date,
as applicable, and addressed to the Representatives, with respect to the
issuance and sale of the Units, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus
(together with any supplement thereto) and other related matters as the
Representatives may reasonably require, and the Partnership shall have
furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for the purpose of
enabling them to pass upon such matters.
(e) The
Partnership shall have requested and caused KPMG LLP to have furnished to the
Representatives, at the Execution Time and as of the Closing Date, letters
(which may refer to letters previously delivered to one or more of the
Representatives), dated respectively as of the Execution Time and as of the
Closing Date or any settlement date, in form and substance satisfactory to the
Representatives, to the effect set forth in Exhibit C
hereto.
(f) The
Partnership shall have furnished to the Representatives a certificate, dated
the Closing Date, of the chief executive officer and the chief financial
officer of its general partner, in its capacity as the general partner of the
Partnership, stating that such officers have carefully examined the
Registration Statement, the Prospectus, and any supplements to the Prospectus
and this Agreement and that:
(i) the
representations and warranties of the Partnership in this Agreement are true
and correct on and as of the Closing Date with the same effect as if made on
the Closing Date and the Partnership has complied with all the agreements and
satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or
prior to the Closing Date;
24
(ii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have
been instituted or, to the Partnership knowledge, threatened; and
(iii) since the date of the
most recent financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the
Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto), there has been no material
adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings,
business or properties of the Partnership and its subsidiaries, taken as a
whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of
business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Prospectus (exclusive
of any supplement thereto).
(g) If
any event shall have occurred on or prior to such Closing Date that requires
the Partnership under Section 5(b) to prepare an amendment or
supplement to the Prospectus, such amendment or supplement shall have been
prepared, the Underwriters shall have been given a reasonable opportunity to comment
thereon as provided in Section 5(b) hereof, and copies thereof shall
have been delivered to the Underwriters reasonably in advance of such Closing
Date.
(h) No
action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall
have been enacted, adopted or issued by any governmental agency or body which
would, as of such Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Units; and
no injunction, restraining order or order of any other nature by any federal or
state court of competent jurisdiction shall have been issued as of such Closing
Date which would prevent the issuance or sale of the Units.
(i) Between
the Execution Time and the Closing Date or any settlement date, as the case may
be, there shall not have been (i) any increase or decrease specified in
the letter or letters referred to in paragraph (e) of this Section 6
or (ii) any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in
or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, business or
properties of the TEPPCO Entities taken as a whole, except as set forth in or
contemplated in the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto) the effect
of which, in any case referred to in clause (i) or (ii) above,
is, in the sole judgment of the Representatives, so material and adverse as to
make it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of
the Units as contemplated by the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
(j) The
NYSE shall have approved the Units for listing, subject only to official notice
of issuance.
(k) At
the Execution Time, the Partnership shall have furnished to the Representatives
a Lock-up Letter substantially in the form of Exhibit D
hereto from each officer and director of the General Partner addressed to the Representatives.
(l) Prior
to the Closing Date, the Partnership shall have furnished to the Underwriters
such further information, certificates and documents as the Underwriters may
reasonably request.
25
(m) Subsequent
to the Execution Time, there shall not have been any decrease in the rating of
any of the Partnerships or TE Products debt securities by any nationally
recognized statistical rating organization (as defined for purposes of Rule 436(g) under
the Securities Act) or any notice given of any intended or potential decrease
in any such rating or of a possible change in any such rating that does not
indicate the direction of the possible change.
If any of the conditions
specified in this Section 6 shall not have been fulfilled when and as
provided in this Agreement, or if any of the opinions and certificates
mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall not be reasonably
satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and counsel for the
Underwriters, this Agreement and all obligations of the Underwriters hereunder
may be canceled at, or at any time prior to, the Closing Date by the
Representatives. Notice of such
cancellation shall be given to the Partnership in writing or by telephone or
facsimile confirmed in writing.
The documents required to
be delivered by this Section 6 shall be delivered at the office of Vinson & Elkins
LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, at 2300 First City Tower, 1001 Fannin
Street, Suite 5100, Houston, Texas 77002, on the Closing Date.
7. Reimbursement
of Underwriters Expenses. If the sale of the Units
provided for herein is not consummated because any condition to the obligations
of the Underwriters set forth in Section 6 hereof is not satisfied, because
of any termination pursuant to Section 10 hereof or because of any
refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Partnership to perform any
agreement herein or comply with any provision hereof other than by reason of a
default by any of the Underwriters, the Partnership will reimburse the
Underwriters through the Representatives on demand for all out-of-pocket
expenses (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel) that shall
have been incurred by them in connection with the proposed purchase and sale of
the Units.
8. Indemnification
and Contribution. (a) The Partnership agrees to
indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, the directors, officers,
employees and agents of each Underwriter and each person who controls any
Underwriter within the meaning of either the Securities Act or the Exchange Act
against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities (including, but not
limited to, the reasonable cost of investigation, legal representation and
other expenses incurred in connection with, and any and all amounts paid in
settlement of, any action, suit or proceeding between any of the indemnified
parties and any indemnifying parties or between any indemnified party and any
third party, or otherwise, or any claim asserted), joint or several, to which
they or any of them may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange
Act or other Federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law or
otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions
in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the
Registration Statement for the registration of the Units as originally filed or
in any amendment thereof; (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary
Final Prospectus, or the Prospectus or in any amendment thereof or supplement
thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or the alleged omission
to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in
order to make the statements, in the light in which they were made, not
misleading; provided, however, that the Partnership will not
26
be liable in any such case to the extent that any such
loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon any such untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made
therein in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished
to the Partnership by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the
Representatives specifically for inclusion therein; or (iii) any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement made by the Partnership in Section 1
hereof or the failure by the Partnership to perform when and as required any
agreement or covenant contained herein, or (iii) any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any audio or visual
materials provided by the Partnership or based upon written information
furnished by or with the consent of the Partnership including, without
limitation, slides, videos, films or tape recordings used in connection with
the marketing of the Units; provided,
however, that the indemnity
agreement contained in this subsection (a) with respect to any
Preliminary Final Prospectus or Prospectus shall not inure to the benefit of
any Underwriter (or to the benefit of any person controlling such Underwriter)
from whom the person asserting any such loss, damage, expense, liability or
claim purchased the Units which is the subject thereof if the Prospectus
corrected any such alleged untrue statement or omission and if such Underwriter
failed to send or give a copy of the Prospectus to such person at or prior to
the written confirmation of the sale of such Units to such person, unless the
failure is the result of noncompliance by the Partnership with paragraph (d) of
Section 5 hereof. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to
any liability which the Partnership may otherwise have.
The Partnership
shall not be liable for any settlement of any claim, action, suit or proceeding
effected without its written consent but if settled with the written consent of
the General Partner, the Partnership agrees to indemnify and hold harmless any
Underwriter and any such person from and against any loss or liability by
reason of such settlement.
Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified
party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified
party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by subsection (c) below,
then the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement
of any such claim, action, suit or proceeding effected without its written
consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than sixty (60)
business days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid
request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the
indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such
settlement and (iii) such indemnified party shall have given the
indemnifying party at least thirty (30) days prior notice of its intention to
settle. An indemnifying party will not,
without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties (which consent
shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), settle or
compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any pending
or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which
indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the
indemnified parties are actual or potential parties to such claim or action)
unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release
of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, action,
suit or proceeding and does not include an admission of fault, culpability or a
failure to act, by or on behalf of such indemnified party.
(b) Each
Underwriter severally and not jointly agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the
Partnership, the directors of the General Partner, the respective officers of
the General Partner who sign the Registration Statement, and each person who
controls the Partnership within the meaning of either the Securities Act or the
Exchange Act, and the successors and
27
assigns of the foregoing
persons, to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Partnership to
each Underwriter, but only with reference to written information relating to
such Underwriter furnished to the Partnership by or on behalf of such
Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion in the
documents referred to in the foregoing indemnity. This indemnity agreement will be in addition
to any liability which any Underwriter may otherwise have. The Partnership acknowledges that the
statements set forth in the last paragraph of the cover page regarding
delivery of the Units and, under the heading Underwriting, (i) the list
of Underwriters and their respective participation in the sale of the Units, (ii) the
sentences related to concessions and reallowances and (iii) the paragraphs
related to stabilization, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids in
any Preliminary Final Prospectus and the Prospectus constitute the only
information furnished in writing by or on behalf of the several Underwriters
for inclusion in any Preliminary Final Prospectus or the Prospectus.
No Underwriter
shall be liable for any settlement of any claim, action, suit or proceeding
effected without the written consent of such Underwriter but if settled with
the written consent of such Underwriter, such Underwriter agrees to indemnify
and hold harmless the Partnership and any such person from and against any loss
or liability by reason of such settlement.
Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified
party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified
party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated in subsection (c) below,
then the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement
of any such claim, action, suit or proceeding effected without its written
consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than sixty (60)
business days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid
request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the
indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such
settlement and (iii) such indemnified party shall have given the
indemnifying party at least thirty (30) days prior notice of its intention to
settle. An indemnifying party will not,
without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties (which consent
shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), settle or
compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any pending
or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which
indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the
indemnified parties are actual or potential parties to such claim or action)
unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release
of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, action,
suit or proceeding and does not include an admission of fault, culpability or a
failure to act, by or on behalf of such indemnified party.
(c) Promptly
after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8 of notice of
the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in
respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section 8,
notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the
failure so to notify the indemnifying party (i) will not relieve it from
liability under paragraph (a) or (b) above unless and to
the extent it did not otherwise learn of such action and such failure results
in the forfeiture by the indemnifying party of substantial rights and defenses
and (ii) will not, in any event, relieve the indemnifying party from any
obligations to any indemnified party other than the indemnification obligation
provided in paragraph (a) or (b) above. The indemnifying party shall be entitled to
appoint counsel of the indemnifying partys choice at the indemnifying partys
expense to represent the indemnified party in any action for which
indemnification is sought (in which case the indemnifying party
28
shall not thereafter be
responsible for the fees and expenses of any separate counsel retained by the
indemnified party or parties except as set forth below); provided, however,
that such counsel shall be reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified
party. Notwithstanding the indemnifying
partys election to appoint counsel to represent the indemnified party in an
action, the indemnified party shall have the right to employ one separate
counsel (in addition to local counsel), and the indemnifying party shall bear
the fees, costs and expenses of such separate counsel if (i) the use of
counsel chosen by the indemnifying party to represent the indemnified party
would present such counsel with a conflict of interest, (ii) the actual or
potential defendants in, or targets of, any such action include both the
indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall
have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it
and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or additional to
those available to the indemnifying party, (iii) the indemnifying party
shall not have employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified
party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice
of the institution of such action or (iv) the indemnifying party shall
authorize the indemnified party to employ separate counsel at the expense of
the indemnifying party.
(d) In
the event that the indemnity provided in paragraph (a) or (b) of
this Section 8 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an
indemnified party for any reason, the Partnership and the Underwriters
severally agree to contribute to the aggregate losses, claims, damages and
liabilities (including legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in
connection with investigating or defending same) (collectively Losses) to which the Partnership and one
or more of the Underwriters may be subject in such proportion as is appropriate
to reflect the relative benefits received by the Partnership on the one hand
and by the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Units; provided,
however, that in no case shall any Underwriter (except as may be
provided in any agreement among underwriters relating to the offering of the
Units) be responsible for any amount in excess of the underwriting discount or
commission applicable to the Units purchased by such Underwriter
hereunder. If the allocation provided by
the immediately preceding sentence is unavailable for any reason, the
Partnership and the Underwriters severally shall contribute in such proportion
as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the
relative fault of the Partnership on the one hand and of the Underwriters on
the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such
Losses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. Benefits received by the Partnership shall be
deemed to be equal to the total net proceeds from the offering (before
deducting expenses) received by it, and benefits received by the Underwriters
shall be deemed to be equal to the total underwriting discounts and commissions
received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth on the cover page of
the Prospectus. Relative fault shall be
determined by reference to, among other things, whether any untrue or any
alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission
to state a material fact relates to information provided by the Partnership on
the one hand or the Underwriters on the other, the intent of the parties and
their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or
prevent such untrue statement or omission.
The Partnership and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and
equitable if contribution were determined by pro rata allocation or any other
method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable
considerations referred to above.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph (d), 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. For
29
purposes of this Section 8,
each person who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of either the
Securities Act or the Exchange Act and each director, officer, employee and
agent of an Underwriter shall have the same rights to contribution as such
Underwriter, and each person who controls the Partnership within the meaning of
either the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, each officer of the General
Partner who shall have signed the Registration Statement and each director of
the General Partner shall have the same rights to contribution as the
Partnership, subject in each case to the applicable terms and conditions of
this paragraph (d).
9. Default
by an Underwriter. If
any one or more Underwriters shall fail to purchase and pay for any of the
Units agreed to be purchased by such Underwriter or Underwriters hereunder and
such failure to purchase shall constitute a default in the performance of its
or their obligations under this Agreement, the remaining Underwriters shall be
obligated severally to take up and pay for (in the respective proportions which
the number of Units set forth opposite their names in Schedule I hereto bears to the
aggregate number of Units set forth opposite the names of all the remaining
Underwriters) the Units which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed
but failed to purchase; provided, however, that in the event that
the aggregate number of Units which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters
agreed but failed to purchase shall exceed 10% of the aggregate number of Units
set forth in Schedule I
hereto, the remaining Underwriters shall have the right to purchase all, but
shall not be under any obligation to purchase any, of the Units, and if such
nondefaulting Underwriters do not purchase all the Units, this Agreement will
terminate without liability to any nondefaulting Underwriter or the
Partnership. In the event of a default
by any Underwriter as set forth in this Section 9, the Closing Date shall
be postponed for such period, not exceeding five Business Days, as the
Representatives shall determine in order that the required changes in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus or in any other documents or
arrangements may be effected. Nothing
contained in this Agreement shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter of its
liability, if any, to the Partnership and any nondefaulting Underwriter for
damages occasioned by its default hereunder.
10. Termination. This
Agreement shall be subject to termination in the absolute discretion of the
Representatives, by notice given to the Partnership prior to delivery of and
payment for the Units, if (x) since the Execution Time or the earlier
respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus, there has been any material adverse change in the business,
properties, management, financial condition or results of operations of the
TEPPCO Entities or their subsidiaries taken as a whole, which would, in your
judgment or in the judgment of such group of Underwriters, make it
impracticable or inadvisable to market the Units on the terms and in the manner
contemplated in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or (y) since the
Execution Time: (i) trading in the Partnerships Common Units shall have
been suspended by the Commission or the NYSE or limited or minimum prices shall
have been established in respect of the Partnerships Common Units on any such
Exchange, (ii) trading in securities generally on the NYSE shall have been
suspended or limited or minimum prices shall have been established on such
Exchange, (iii) a banking moratorium shall have been declared either by
Federal or New York State authorities or (iv) there shall have occurred
any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, declaration by the United States of
a national emergency or war, or other calamity or crisis the effect of which on
financial markets is such as to make it, in the judgment of the
Representatives, impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or
delivery of the Units as contemplated by the Prospectus (exclusive of any
supplement thereto), or (z) since the Execution Time, there shall have occurred
any downgrading, or any
30
notice or announcement
shall have been given or made of (i) any intended or potential downgrading
or (ii) any watch, review or possible change that does not indicate an
affirmation or improvement in the rating accorded any securities of or
guaranteed by the Partnership or any of its subsidiaries by any nationally
recognized statistical rating organization, as that term is defined in Rule 436(g)(2) under
the Securities Act.
11. Representations
and Indemnities to Survive. The
respective agreements, representations, warranties, indemnities and other
statements of the Partnership or the General Partners respective officers and
of the Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain
in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf
of any Underwriter or the Partnership or any of the General Partners
respective officers, directors, employees, agents or controlling persons
referred to in Section 8 hereof, and will survive delivery of and payment
for the Units. The provisions of
Sections 7 and 8 hereof shall survive the termination or cancellation of
this Agreement.
12. Notices. All
communications hereunder will be in writing and effective only on receipt, and,
if sent to the Representatives, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to
Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Attention: General Counsel, Fax (212) 816-7912,
with a copy, in the case of any notice pursuant to Section 8(c), to the
Office of the General Counsel, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., 388 Greenwich
Street, New York, NY 10013 and to UBS Securities LLC, Attn: Syndicate
Department, with a copy, in the case of any notice pursuant to Section 8(c),
to Syndicate Department, UBS Securities LLC, 229 Park Avenue, New York NY
10171; or, if sent to the Partnership, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed
to (713) 759-3957, and confirmed to it
at TEPPCO Partners, L.P., 2929 Allen Parkway, P.O. Box 2521, Houston,
Texas 77252, with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to John A. Watson, Esq.,
Fulbright & Jaworski, L.L.P., 1301 McKinney, Suite 5100, Houston,
Texas 77010.
13. Successors. This
Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto
and their respective successors and the officers, directors, employees, agents
and controlling persons referred to in Section 8 hereof, and no other
person will have any right or obligation hereunder.
14. Applicable
Law. This
Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the
State of New York applicable to contracts made and to be performed within the
State of New York.
15. Counterparts. This
Agreement may be signed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall
constitute an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the
same agreement.
16. Headings. The section headings
used herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction
hereof.
17. Definitions. The terms
which follow, when used in this Agreement, shall have the meanings indicated.
31
Base Prospectus shall mean the prospectus
referred to in paragraph 1(a) above contained in the Registration Statement
at the Effective Date including any Preliminary Final Prospectus.
Business Day shall mean
any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a legal holiday or a day on
which banking institutions or trust companies are authorized or obligated by
law to close in New York City.
Commission shall mean
the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Effective Date shall
mean each date and time that the Registration Statement, any post-effective
amendment or amendments thereto and any Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement became or become effective.
Exchange Act shall mean
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and
regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
Execution Time shall
mean the date and time that this Agreement is executed and delivered by the
parties hereto.
Preliminary Final
Prospectus shall mean any preliminary prospectus supplement to the Base
Prospectus which describes the Units and the offering thereof and is used prior
to filing of the Prospectus, together with the Base Prospectus.
Prospectus shall mean
the prospectus supplement relating to the Units that was first filed pursuant
to Rule 424(b) after the Execution Time, together with the Base
Prospectus.
Registration Statement
shall mean the registration statement referred to in paragraph 1(a) above,
including exhibits and financial statements, as amended at the Execution Time
(or, if not effective at the Execution Time, in the form in which it shall
become effective) and, in the event any post-effective amendment thereto or any
Rule 462(b) Registration Statement becomes effective prior to the
Closing Date, shall also mean such registration statement as so amended or such
Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, as the case may be. Such term shall include any Rule 430A
Information deemed to be included therein at the Effective Date as provided by Rule 430A.
Rule 415, Rule 424,
Rule 430A and Rule 462 refer to such rules under the Act.
Rule 430A
Information shall mean information with respect to the Units and the offering
thereof permitted to be omitted from the Registration Statement when it becomes
effective pursuant to Rule 430A.
Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement shall mean a registration statement and any amendments thereto filed
pursuant to Rule 462(b) relating to the offering covered by the
registration statement referred to in Section 1(a) hereof.
32
Securities Act shall
mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations
of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
18. Submission
to Jurisdiction. Except as set forth
below, no claim, counterclaim or dispute of any kind or nature whatsoever
arising out of or in any way relating to this Agreement (Claim) may be commenced, prosecuted or
continued in any court other than the courts of the State of New York located
in the City and County of New York or in the United States District Court for
the Southern District of New York, which courts shall have jurisdiction over
the adjudication of such matters, and the Partnership consents to the
jurisdiction of such courts and personal service with respect thereto. The Partnership hereby consents to personal
jurisdiction, service and venue in any court in which any Claim arising out of
or in any way relating to this Agreement is brought by any third party against
the Representatives or any indemnified party.
Both the Representatives and the Partnership (on its behalf and, to the
extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its holders and affiliates)
waive all right to trial by jury in any action, proceeding or counterclaim
(whether based upon contract, tort or otherwise) in any way arising out of or
relating to this Agreement. The
Partnership agrees that a final judgment in any such action, proceeding or
counterclaim brought in any such court shall be conclusive and binding upon the
Partnership and may be enforced in any other courts in the jurisdiction of
which the Partnership is or may be subject, by suit upon such judgment.
33
If the foregoing is in
accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to
us the enclosed duplicate hereof, whereupon this letter and your acceptance
shall represent a binding agreement among the Partnership and the several
Underwriters.
|
Very
truly yours,
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|
|
|
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TEPPCO
PARTNERS, L.P.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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By:
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TEXAS
EASTERN PRODUCTS PIPELINE
|
|
|
COMPANY,
LLC, its General Partner
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
By:
|
|
|
|
|
Name:
|
Charles
H. Leonard
|
|
|
Title:
|
Senior
Vice President and Chief
|
|
|
|
Financial
Officer
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
34
The foregoing
Agreement is hereby
|
|
confirmed and
accepted as of the
|
|
date first above
written, on behalf of each of
|
|
the
Representatives and the Underwriters named
|
|
in Schedule I.
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|
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CITIGROUP
GLOBAL MARKETS INC.
|
|
|
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By:
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Citigroup Global
Markets Inc.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
By:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Name:
|
|
|
|
Title:
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|
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UBS
SECURITIES LLC
|
|
|
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By:
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|
|
|
|
Name:
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|
|
Title:
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|
|
|
|
By:
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Name:
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Title:
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35
SCHEDULE I
Underwriters
|
|
Number of Firm Units
to be
Purchased
|
|
|
|
|
|
Citigroup Global Markets Inc
|
|
1,626,800
|
|
UBS Securities LLC
|
|
1,626,800
|
|
Lehman Brothers Inc
|
|
813,300
|
|
A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc
|
|
650,600
|
|
Sanders Morris Harris Inc
|
|
650,600
|
|
Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC
|
|
650,600
|
|
KeyBanc Capital Markets, a Division of McDonald
Investments Inc
|
|
81,300
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
6,100,000
|
|
SCHEDULE II
SIGNIFICANT
SUBSIDIARIES
TE Products Pipeline
Company, Limited Partnership
TEPPCO Midstream
Companies, L.P.
TCTM, L.P.
Jonah Gas Gathering
Company
Val Verde Gas Gathering
Company, L.P.
SCHEDULE III
PERSONS
SUBJECT TO LOCK-UP AGREEMENTS
Barbara A. Carroll
J. Michael Cockrell
John N. Goodpasture
Thomas R. Harper
Charles H. Leonard
Leonard W. Mallett
Barry R. Pearl
Stephen W. Russell
James C. Ruth
Ralph S. Cunningham
Lee W. Marshall, Sr.
Murray H. Hutchison
Michael B. Bracy
C. Bruce Shaffer
EXHIBIT A
Form of
Opinion of Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.
1. Each of the Partnership, the
Operating Partnerships, TEPPCO Crude Pipeline, L.P., TEPPCO Seaway, L.P.,
TEPPCO Crude Oil, L.P., Val Verde and Chaparral Pipeline Company, L.P. has been
duly formed and is validly existing as a limited partnership in good standing
under the Delaware LP Act, with limited partnership, power and authority to
own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described
in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and, with respect to the
Partnership, to perform its obligations pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement
and to issue, sell and deliver the Units as contemplated by the Underwriting
Agreement.
2. The General Partner has been
duly formed and is validly existing as a limited liability company in good
standing under the Delaware LLC Act, with limited liability company power and
authority to own, lease and operate its properties, to conduct its business and
to act as the general partner of the Partnership, in each case, as described in
the Registration Statement and Prospectus.
3. All of the member interests of
the General Partner are duly authorized, validly issued and nonassessable
(except as provided in the Delaware LLC Act) and are owned of record and, to
such counsels knowledge, beneficially, by DFI GP Holdings L.P. (DFI),
free and clear of (A) any security interest that is perfected solely by
the filing of a financing statement under the UCC in the Office of the
Secretary of State of the State of Delaware and that names DFI as debtor or (B) to
such counsels knowledge, any other security interest, lien, encumbrance, right
to purchase or adverse claim.
4. TEPPCO GP has been duly
incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under
the DGCL, with corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its
properties, to conduct its business and to act as the general partner of each
of the Operating Partnerships, in each case as described in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus.
5. Each of the General Partner, the
Partnership, TE Products, TEPPCO Midstream, TCTM, Chaparral Pipeline Company,
L.P., Val Verde, TEPPCO Crude Oil, L.P., TEPPCO Crude Pipeline, L.P. and TEPPCO
Seaway, L.P. have been duly qualified to do business as a foreign limited
partnership, limited liability company, or corporation, as the case may be, and
is in good standing in the state of Texas.
6. The General Partner is the sole
general partner of the Partnership with a general partner interest in the
Partnership of 1.999999%; such general partner interest is duly authorized by
the Partnership Agreement and is validly issued. The General Partner owns of record and, to
such counsels knowledge, beneficially owns, such
B-1
general partner interest, free and clear of (A) any
security interest that is perfected solely by the filing of a financing
statement under the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) in the Office of the
Secretary of State of the State of Delaware and that names the General Partner
as debtor or (B) to such counsels knowledge, any other security interest,
lien, encumbrance, right to purchase or adverse claim.
7. TEPPCO GP is the sole general
partner of each of the Operating Partnerships with a general partner interest
in each of the Operating Partnerships of 0.001%; such general partner interests
are duly authorized by the Operating Partnership Agreements, as the case may
be, and are validly issued. TEPPCO GP
owns of record and, to such counsels knowledge, beneficially owns, such
general partner interests, free and clear of (A) any security interest
that is perfected solely by the filing of a financing statement under the UCC
in the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware and that names
TEPPCO GP as debtor or (B) to such counsels knowledge, any other security
interest, lien, encumbrance, right to purchase or adverse claim.
8. The Partnership is the sole
limited partner of each of the Operating Partnerships with a limited partner
interest in each of the Operating Partnerships of 99.999%; such limited partner
interests are duly authorized by the Operating Partnership Agreements and are
validly issued and non-assessable (except as provided in the Delaware LP Act).
The Partnership owns of record and, to such counsels knowledge, beneficially
owns, such limited partner interests in the Operating Partnerships, free and
clear of (A) any security interest that is perfected solely by the filing
of a financing statement under the UCC in the Office of the Secretary of State
of the State of Delaware and that names the Partnership as debtor or (B) to
such counsels knowledge, any other security interest, lien, encumbrance, right
to purchase or adverse claim.
9. All of the capital stock of
TEPPCO GP is duly authorized, validly issued and nonassessable and is owned of
record and, to such counsels knowledge, beneficially, by the Partnership, free
and clear of (A) any security interest that is perfected solely by the
filing of a financing statement under the UCC in the Office of the Secretary of
State of the State of Delaware and that names the Partnership as debtor or (B) to
such counsels knowledge, any other security interest, lien, encumbrance, right
to purchase or adverse claim.
10. TEPPCO NGL is the sole general
partner of Val Verde with a general partner interest in Val Verde of 0.001%;
such general partner interest is duly authorized by the agreement of limited
partnership of Val Verde, (the Val Verde Partnership Agreement) and is
validly issued. TEPPCO NGL owns of
record and, to such counsels knowledge, beneficially owns, such general
partner interests, free and clear of (A) any security interest that is
perfected solely by the filing of a financing statement under the UCC in the
Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware and that names TEPPCO
NGL as debtor or (B) to such counsels knowledge, any other security
interest, lien, encumbrance, right to purchase or adverse claim.
B-2
11. TEPPCO Midstream is the sole
limited partner of Val Verde with a limited partner interest of 99.999%; such
limited partner interest is duly authorized by the Val Verde Partnership
Agreement and is validly issued and non-assessable (except as provided in the
Delaware LP Act). TEPPCO Midstream owns
of record and, to such counsels knowledge, beneficially owns, such limited
partner interests in Val Verde, free and clear of (A) any security
interest that is perfected solely by the filing of a financing statement under
the UCC in the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware and
that names TEPPCO Midstream as debtor or (B) to such counsels knowledge,
any other security interest, lien, encumbrance, right to purchase or adverse
claim.
12. All of the general partner
interests of each of the TCTM Subsidiary Partnerships are duly authorized,
validly issued and owned of record and, to such counsels knowledge,
beneficially, by TEPPCO Crude GP, LLC, free and clear of (A) any security
interest that is perfected solely by the filing of a financing statement under
the UCC in the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware and
that names TEPPCO Crude GP, LLC as debtor or (B) to such counsels
knowledge, any other security interest, lien, encumbrance, right to purchase or
adverse claim.
13. All of the limited partner
interests of each of the TCTM Subsidiary Partnerships are duly authorized,
validly issued and nonassessable (except as provided in the Delaware LP Act),
and are owned of record and, to such counsels knowledge, beneficially, by TCTM
(or, with respect to Lubrication Services, L.P., by TEPPCO Crude Oil, L.P. and
with respect to TEPPCO Seaway, L.P., by TEPPCO Crude Pipeline, L.P.), free and
clear of (A) any security interest that is perfected solely by the filing
of a financing statement under the UCC in the Office of the Secretary of State
of the State of Delaware and that names such respective limited partner as
debtor or (B) to such counsels knowledge, any other security interest,
lien, encumbrance, right to purchase or adverse claim.
14. All of the general partner
interests of each of the Midstream Subsidiary Partnerships are duly authorized,
validly issued and owned of record and, to such counsels knowledge,
beneficially, by TEPPCO NGL, free and clear of (A) any security interest
that is perfected solely by the filing of a financing statement under the UCC
in the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware and that names
TEPPCO NGL as debtor or (B) to such counsels knowledge, any other
security interest, lien, encumbrance, right to purchase or adverse claim.
15. All of the limited partner
interests of each of the Midstream Subsidiary Partnerships are duly authorized,
validly issued and nonassessable (except as provided in the Delaware LP Act),
and are owned of record and, to such counsels knowledge, beneficially, by
TEPPCO Midstream, free and clear of (A) any security interest that is
perfected solely by the filing of a financing statement under the UCC in the
Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware and that names TEPPCO
Midstream as debtor or (B) to such counsels knowledge, any other security
interest, lien, encumbrance, right to purchase or adverse claim.
B-3
16. All of the member interests of
TEPPCO Colorado, LLC are duly authorized, validly issued and nonassessable
(except as provided in the Delaware LLC Act) and are owned of record and, to
such counsels knowledge, beneficially, by TEPPCO Midstream, free and clear of (A) any
security interest that is perfected solely by the filing of a financing
statement under the UCC in the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of
Delaware and that names TEPPCO Midstream as debtor or (B) to such counsels
knowledge, any other security interest, lien, encumbrance, right to purchase or
adverse claim.
17. All of the member interests of
TEPPCO NGL are duly authorized, validly issued and nonassessable (except as
provided in the Delaware LLC Act) and are owned of record and, to such counsels
knowledge, beneficially, by TEPPCO Midstream, free and clear of (A) any
security interest that is perfected solely by the filing of a financing
statement under the UCC in the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of
Delaware and that names TEPPCO Midstream as debtor or (B) to such counsels
knowledge, any other security interest, lien, encumbrance, right to purchase or
adverse claim.
18. All of the member interests of
TEPPCO Crude GP, LLC are duly authorized, validly issued and nonassessable
(except as provided in the Delaware LLC Act) and are owned of record and, to
such counsels knowledge, beneficially, by TCTM, free and clear of (A) any
security interest that is perfected solely by the filing of a financing
statement under the UCC in the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of
Delaware and that names TCTM as debtor or (B) to such counsels knowledge,
any other security interest, lien, encumbrance, right to purchase or adverse
claim.
19. The Underwriting Agreement has
been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Partnership.
20. The Units have been duly
authorized by the board of directors of the General Partner and the Partnership
Agreement on behalf of the Partnership and, when issued and delivered to the
Underwriters against payment therefor in accordance with the terms of the
Underwriting Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable
(except as provided in the Delaware LP Act), and free of any preemptive or, to
the knowledge of such counsel, similar rights that entitle or will entitle any
person to acquire any partnership interest in the Partnership upon the issuance
thereof by the Partnership.
21. To such counsels knowledge, the
Partnerships authorized and outstanding Common Units are as set forth in the
Prospectus; and, except as set forth in the Prospectus, to such counsels
knowledge, no options, warrants or other rights to purchase, agreements or
other obligations to issue, or rights to convert any obligations into or
exchange any securities for, partnership interests or ownership interests in
the Partnership are outstanding, other than options, warrants or other rights
to purchase, agreements or other obligations to issue, or rights to convert any
obligations into or exchange any securities for, partnership interests or
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ownership interests in the Partnership
included or described in the Partnership Agreement or any employee or
non-employee director option plans, employment agreements and other employment
arrangements to which the Partnership, the General Partner or their affiliates
are party with respect to the Partnership.
22. The Common Units conform in all
material respects as to legal matters to the description thereof set forth
under the captions Cash Distributions and Tax Considerations in the
Prospectus.
23. The form of certificates for the
Units conforms in all material respects to the requirements of the Partnership
Agreement.
24. The Registration Statement and
all post-effective amendments, if any, have become effective under the
Securities Act and, to such counsels knowledge, no stop order proceedings with
respect thereto are pending or threatened under the Securities Act; and any
required filing of the Prospectus and any supplement thereto pursuant to Rule 424
under the Securities Act has been made in the manner and within the time period
required by such Rule 424.
25. Each of the Partnership
Agreement, the Operating Partnership Agreements and the Val Verde Partnership
Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the parties
thereto and is a valid and legally binding agreement of the parties thereto,
enforceable against the parties thereto in accordance with its terms, except as
the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, fraudulent transfer,
insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors
rights generally and general principles of equity and to the extent that rights
to indemnity and contribution under the Partnership Agreement, the Operating
Partnership Agreements and the Val Verde Partnership Agreement may be limited
by federal or state securities laws or the public policy underlying such laws.
26. Neither the offer, sale or
delivery of the Units by the Partnership, the execution, delivery or performance
of the Underwriting Agreement, nor performance by the Partnership of its
obligations under the Underwriting Agreement constitutes or will constitute a
breach of, or a default under, any license, agreement, indenture, mortgage,
deed of trust, bank loan, credit agreement or other evidence of indebtedness,
any lease, contract or other agreement or instrument to which any of the TEPPCO
Entities or any of their subsidiaries is a party or by that any of them or any
of their respective properties is bound or affected, in each case which has
been filed with or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, or
will result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance
under the terms thereof upon any property or assets of any of the TEPPCO
Entities, nor will any such action result in any violation of (a) the
partnership agreement, member agreement or other organization documents of any
of the TEPPCO Entities or any of their subsidiaries, as the case may be, (b) any
statutory law, regulation, rule or ruling (assuming compliance with all
applicable state securities and blue sky laws), (c) any judgment,
injunction, order or decree of any court, governmental
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agency or arbitrator that is known to such
counsel as applicable to any of the TEPPCO Entities, any of their subsidiaries
or any of their respective properties, or (d) any provision of any
license, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, bank loan, credit agreement or
other evidence of indebtedness, or any lease, contract or other agreement or
instrument to which any of the TEPPCO Entities or any of their subsidiaries is
a party or by which any of them or their respective properties may be bound or
affected, which in each case is either (i) filed or incorporated by
reference as exhibits to the Partnerships most recently filed Annual Report on
Form 10-K, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter
ended March 31, 2005, or Current Report on Form 8-K of the
Partnership filed with the Commission after December 31, 2004 or (ii) is
identified in a certificate (a copy of which has been furnished to the
Underwriters or the Underwriters counsel) from an authorized officer of the
General Partner as material to the business, operations or properties of the
Partnership and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
27. To such counsels knowledge, no
holder of any interest in or security of the Partnership or any other person
has any right to require registration of Units or any other partnership interest
or other security of the Partnership because of the filing of the Registration
Statement or consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Underwriting
Agreement.
28. No approval, authorization,
consent, waiver, notice or order of or filing with, or other action by, any
court or governmental authority is required to be obtained or made by the
Partnership or General Partner by any material statutory law or regulation
applicable to it as a condition to the execution and delivery by the
Partnership of the Underwriting Agreement, the performance by the Partnership
of its obligations under the Underwriting Agreement or the issuance or sale of
the Units by the Partnership as contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement, the
Prospectus and any supplement thereto, other than registration of the Units
under the Securities Act (except we express no opinion as to any necessary
qualification under the state securities or blue sky laws of the various
jurisdictions in which the Units are being offered by the Underwriters).
29. The Registration Statement and
the Prospectus any supplements or amendments thereto (except as to the
financial statements and other financial and statistical information contained
therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) comply as to form in
all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act
and the Exchange Act and the respective rules thereunder.
30. The documents incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement and Prospectus when they were filed
(or, if an amendment with respect to any such document was filed, when such
amendment was filed) with the Commission, appear on their face to have been
appropriately responsive in all material respects with the requirements of the
Exchange Act (except as to the financial statements and the notes thereto and
schedules and other financial data contained or incorporated by reference
therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion).
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31. Neither the TEPPCO Entities nor
any of their subsidiaries is, or will be upon consummation of the transactions
contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement, an investment company, or a promoter
or principal underwriter for, a registered investment company, as such
terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or a public
utility company or a holding company, or a subsidiary company of a holding
company, or an affiliate of a holding company or of a subsidiary company
of a holding company, as such terms are defined in the Public Utility Holding
Company Act of 1935, as amended; none of the Partnership and the TEPPCO
Entities is subject to regulation under the Public Utility Holding Company Act
of 1935, as amended.
32. (32) To such counsels knowledge,
there are no affiliate transactions, off-balance sheet transactions, contracts,
licenses, agreements, leases or documents of a character that are required to
be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or to be summarized or
described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus (or any amendment or
supplement thereto) that have not been so filed, summarized or described.
33. The Units are duly authorized
for listing, subject only to official notice of issuance, on the New York Stock
Exchange.
Such counsel shall state that although it has
not undertaken, except as otherwise indicated in such counsels opinion, to
determine independently, and is not passing upon and does not assume any
responsibility for, the accuracy, completeness or fairness of any of the
statements in the Registration Statement (except as and to the extent stated in
paragraphs 22 and 29 above) or any documents incorporated
therein, such counsel has participated in the preparation of the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, including review and discussion of the contents
thereof (including review and discussion of the contents of all documents
incorporated by reference therein) with officers and representatives of the
General Partner, representatives of the independent public accountants of the
Partnership and representatives of and counsel for the Underwriters, and based
upon this participation, no information has come to such counsels attention
that has caused such counsel to believe that the Registration Statement
(including the documents incorporated by reference therein at the time the
Registration Statement became effective and as of the signing of this
Underwriting Agreement), or the Prospectus, as of its date and as of the
applicable time of purchase, 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 or that any amendment or
supplement to the Prospectus, as of its respective date, and as of the
applicable time of purchase, as the case may be, contained any untrue statement
of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading (such counsel need not express any opinion with
respect to the financial statements and the notes thereto and the schedules and
other financial data included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus
or any documents incorporated by reference therein).
B-7
EXHIBIT B
Form of
Opinions of James C. Ruth, General Counsel to the General Partner
1. Jonah has been duly formed and
is validly existing in good standing as a general partnership under the Wyoming
Uniform Partnership Act. All of the
general partner interests of Jonah are duly authorized and are beneficially
owned by TEPPCO GP and TEPPCO Midstream free and clear of any security
interest, lien, encumbrance, right to purchase or other claim, except as
disclosed in the Prospectus or as provided in the agreement of partnership of
Jonah or pursuant to the Wyoming Uniform Partnership Act (A) in respect of which a financing
statement under the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) has been filed in
the State of Wyoming naming TEPPCO GP or TEPPCO Midstream as debtor is on file
in the offices of the Secretary of State of the State of Wyoming or (B) otherwise
known to such counsel.
2. To
such counsels knowledge, there are no actions, suits, claims, investigations
or proceedings pending or threatened or contemplated to which any of the TEPPCO
Entities or any of their subsidiaries is subject or of which any of their
respective properties is subject at law or in equity or before or, by any
Federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory commission, board,
body, authority or agency which are required to be described in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement
thereto) but are not so described.
3. To
such counsels knowledge, none of the TEPPCO Entities nor any of their
subsidiaries is in violation of its partnership agreement, member agreement or
other organizational documents, or is in breach of, or in default under (nor
has any event occurred which with notice, lapse of time, or both would result
in any breach of, or constitute a default under), any license, indenture,
mortgage, deed of trust, bank loan or credit agreement or other evidence of
indebtedness, or any lease, contract or other agreement or instrument to which
any of the TEPPCO Entities or any of their subsidiaries is a party or by which
any of them or their respective properties may be bound or affected or under
any Federal, state, local or foreign law, regulation or rule or any
decree, judgment or order applicable to any of the TEPPCO Entities or any of
their subsidiaries, except where such violation, breach or default would not,
individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
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EXHIBIT C
Form of Comfort Letter
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EXHIBIT D
[Form of
Lock-Up Agreement]
[Letterhead
of officer, director or major unitholder of
General Partner]
TEPPCO Partners, L.P.
Public Offering of Common Units
May , 2005
Citigroup Global
Markets Inc.
UBS Securities LLC
As Representatives
of the several Underwriters,
c/o Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
388 Greenwich Street
New York, New York 10013
c/o UBS Securities
LLC
229 Park Avenue
New York, New York
10171-0026
Ladies and
Gentlemen:
This letter is
being delivered to you in connection with the proposed Underwriting Agreement
(the Underwriting Agreement),
between TEPPCO Partners L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the Partnership), Texas Eastern Products
Pipeline Company, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the General Partner), and each of you as
representatives of a group of Underwriters named therein, relating to an
underwritten public offering of common units, each representing a limited
partner interest in the Partnership (Common
Units).
In order to induce
you and the other Underwriters to enter into the Underwriting Agreement, the
undersigned will not, without the prior written consent of Citigroup Global
Markets Inc. and UBS Securities LLC, offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or
otherwise dispose of, or enter into any transaction which is designed to, or
might reasonably be expected to, result in the disposition (whether by actual
disposition or effective economic disposition due to cash settlement or
otherwise) by the undersigned or any affiliate of the undersigned or any person
in privity with the undersigned or any affiliate of the undersigned), directly
or indirectly, in the filing of a registration statement with the Securities
and Exchange Commission in respect of, or establish or increase a put
equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within
the meaning of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,
and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission
promulgated thereunder with respect to, any Common Units of the Partnership or
any securities convertible into, or exercisable
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or exchangeable for such
Common Units, or publicly announce an intention to effect any such transaction,
for a period of 60 days after the date of the Underwriting Agreement,
other than (i) Common Units disposed of as bona fide gifts and (ii) transfers
to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of each person or the immediate
family; provided that it shall be a condition to any such gift or transfer that
the transferee/donee agrees to be bound by the terms of the lock-up letter
agreement to the same extent as if the transferee/donee were a party hereto.
Immediate family
shall mean the undersigneds children, stepchildren, grandchildren, parents,
stepparents, grandparents, spouse, former spouses, siblings, nieces, nephews,
mother-in-law, father-in-law, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, brother-in-law, or
sister-in-law, including adoptive relationships.
If for any reason
the Underwriting Agreement shall be terminated prior to the Closing Date (as
defined in the Underwriting Agreement), the agreement set forth above shall
likewise be terminated.
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Yours
very truly,
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[Signature of officer, director or major
unitholder]
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[Name and address of officer, director or
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major unitholder]
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F-2
EXHIBIT 5.1
FULBRIGHT &
JAWORSKI L.L.P.
1301 MCKINNEY,
SUITE 5100
HOUSTON, TEXAS
77010-3095
TELEPHONE: (713)
651-5151
FAX: (713)
651-5246
May 9, 2005
TEPPCO Partners, L.P.
2929 Allen Parkway
P.O. Box 2521
Houston, Texas 77252-2521
Dear Sirs:
We have acted as counsel to TEPPCO Partners, L.P., a
Delaware limited partnership (the Partnership), in connection with the
proposed offering by the Partnership of up to 7,015,000 units (including an
option to purchase up to 915,000 units) representing limited partner interests
in the Partnership (the Units). We refer to the registration statement on
Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-110207) (the Registration Statement), filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) by the
Partnership on November 3, 2003, including the base prospectus (the Prospectus)
contained therein, and the prospectus supplement (the Prospectus Supplement)
filed with the Commission on May 6, 2005, relating to the offering of the
Units.
As counsel to the Partnership, we have examined such
corporate records, documents and questions of law as we have deemed necessary
or appropriate for the purposes of this opinion. In such examinations, we have
assumed the genuineness of signatures and the conformity to the originals of
the documents supplied to us as copies. As to various questions of fact
material to this opinion, we have relied upon statements and certificates of
officers and representatives of the Partnership. Without limiting the
foregoing, we have examined the Underwriting Agreement, dated May 5, 2005,
between the Partnership and Citigroup Global Markets Inc., UBS Securities LLC,
Lehman Brothers, Inc., A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc., Sanders Morris Harris,
Inc., Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC, and KeyBanc Capital Markets, as
Underwriters (the Underwriting Agreement).
Based upon the foregoing, and having regard for such
legal considerations as we deem relevant, we are of the opinion that the Units
have been duly authorized by the Partnership for issuance, and the Partnership
has full partnership power and authority to issue, sell and deliver the Units
and, when issued and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters in
accordance with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, the Units will be
validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
The opinions expressed herein are limited exclusively
to the federal laws of the United States of America, the laws of the State of
Texas, and the Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act of the State of Delaware
and the Constitution of the State of Delaware, each as interpreted by the
courts of the State of Delaware, and we are expressing no opinion as to the
effect of the laws of any other jurisdiction.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an
Exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the references to us under Legal
Matters in the Prospectus Supplement.
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Very truly yours,
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/s/ FULBRIGHT & JAWORSKI L.L.P.
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Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.
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EXHIBIT 8.1
Fulbright
& Jaworski L.L.P.
1301
McKinney, Suite 5100
Houston,
TX 77010
Phone:
(713) 651-5151
Fax:
(713) 651-5246
May 9,
2005
TEPPCO
Partners, L.P.
2929
Allen Parkway
P.O.
Box 2521
Houston,
Texas 77252-2521
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
We have acted as special counsel for TEPPCO Partners,
L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the Partnership), in connection with
the proposed offering by the Partnership of up to 7,015,000 units (including an
option to purchase up to 915,000 units) representing limited partner interests
in the Partnership (the Units) pursuant to the Registration Statement on Form
S-3 (Registration No. 333-110207) filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission by the Partnership on November 3, 2003, as supplemented by the Prospectus
Supplement dated May 5, 2005 (as so supplemented, the Registration Statement).
In connection therewith, we
have participated in the preparation of the discussion set forth under the
caption Tax Considerations (the Discussion) in the Registration Statement.
The Discussion, subject to the qualifications, assumptions and limitations
stated therein, constitutes our opinion as to the material United States
federal income tax consequences for purchasers of Units offered by the
Prospectus.
We consent to the reference
to our firm under the caption Tax Considerations in the Prospectus and to the
filing of this confirmation and consent as an Exhibit to the Registration
Statement.
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Very truly yours,
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/s/ FULBRIGHT & JAWORSKI L.L.P.
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Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.
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