Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5)

Registration No. 333– 141867

 

 

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED APRIL 11, 2007

 

PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

(To Prospectus Dated April 4, 2007)

 

 

 

$            

 

Apache Corporation

 

     % Notes due 2013

 

 

 

 

We are offering $      principal amount of     % notes due 2013. Interest on the notes will be paid semi-annually in arrears on April    and October    of each year, beginning on October   , 2007. The notes will mature on April   , 2013. We may redeem some or all of the notes at any time or from time to time at the redemption price calculated as described in this prospectus supplement under “Description of Notes — Optional Redemption.” The notes do not have the benefit of any sinking fund.

 

The notes will be our general unsecured senior obligations and will rank equally with all of our other unsecured senior indebtedness from time to time outstanding. The notes will be issued only in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. The notes will not be listed on any securities exchange.

 

Investing in the notes involves risks. See “Risk Factors” on page S-3 of this prospectus supplement.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

The underwriters expect to deliver the notes in book-entry form only through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company for the accounts of its participants, including Clearstream Banking, société anonyme, and Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V., against payment in New York, New York on or about April   , 2007.

 

 

 

 

Joint Book-Running Managers

 

 

 

 

 

Co-Managers

 

 

April   , 2007

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. We have not, and the underwriters have not, authorized anyone to provide you with different information. We are not, and the underwriters are not, making an offer to sell the notes in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume that the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus is accurate as of the date on the front of this prospectus supplement only. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date.

 

In this prospectus supplement, unless the context indicates otherwise, the terms “Apache,” “we,” “us,” “Company” and “our” refer to Apache Corporation and its subsidiaries.

 

Our name, logo and other trademarks mentioned in this prospectus supplement are the property of their respective owners.

 

 

This prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus contain statements that constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, or the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or the Exchange Act.

 

These statements relate to future events or our future financial performance, which involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward looking statements by terminology such as “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “predict,” “potential,” “plans,” “believe” or the negative of these terms or similar terminology.

 

These statements are only predictions. Actual events or results may differ materially because of market conditions in our markets or other factors. Moreover, we do not, nor does any other person, assume responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of those statements. Unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws, we disclaim any intention or obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this prospectus supplement. All of the forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by reference to the factors discussed under “Risk Factors” in our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006 and under “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition” in our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006

(incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus) and similar sections in any subsequent filings that we incorporate by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, which describe risks and factors that could cause results to differ materially from those projected in those forward-looking statements.

 

Those risk factors may not be exhaustive. We operate in a continually changing business environment, and new risk factors emerge from time to time. We cannot predict these new risk factors, nor can we assess the impact, if any, of these new risk factors on our businesses or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statements. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as a prediction of actual results.

 

On December 1, 2006, we received comments from the SEC staff on our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2005 and our quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2006. We responded to the comments by letter dated December 15, 2006. We do not believe that the comments, or our responses thereto, materially affect the disclosures in our existing Exchange Act reports. We have asked the SEC staff to concur that we may include any additional or revised disclosure resulting from the comment process only in future filings with the SEC, without amending our previously filed reports. However, as of the date hereof, we have received no reply to our response letter, and there can be no assurance that we will not be required to amend our 2005 Form 10-K and June 30, 2006 Form 10-Q, or other filed reports, to address the SEC staff comments or that there may not be additional comments in light of our responses.

 

The comments on our 2005 10-K included requests that we: quantify and clarify how we have accounted for expected insurance recoveries; provide detail for other liabilities in excess of 5% of total current liabilities on the December 31, 2005 balance sheet; with regard to asset retirement obligations, explain the decrease in liabilities incurred in 2005 compared to 2004 in Note 4 to the financial statements; and revise our presentation of asset retirement obligation costs and capitalized interest in Note 14 to the financial statements. The SEC staff also made engineering-related comments on our 2005 Form 10-K, including requests that we: disclose any material acreage expiry over the next three years for gross and net undeveloped and developed acreage; and explain to the staff and clarify in our disclosure certain of the procedures followed in connection with the independent petroleum engineers’ review of estimated proved reserves and future net cash flows. The comment on our June 30, 2006 Form 10-Q consisted of a request that we add disclosure of our policy regarding the estimated annual effective tax rates used in the preparation of our interim financial statements and the effect of a tax rate change on our deferred tax liabilities.

 

An investment in the notes is subject to numerous risks, including those described under Item 1A, Risk Factors, of our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. Before making an investment decision, you should carefully consider these risks, as well as other information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. These risks could materially affect our ability to meet obligations under the notes. You could lose all or part of your investment in and expected return on the notes.

 

The net proceeds from this offering are expected to be approximately $       , after deducting the underwriting discounts and our estimated offering expenses. Apache intends to use the net proceeds from the sale of the notes to repay a portion of our outstanding commercial paper, which was in part incurred to finance our recent transaction with Anadarko, as described in our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006 and our current report on Form 8-K filed on March 30, 2007. This repayment will reduce the principal amount of our outstanding commercial paper to approximately $       . As of April 9, 2007, we had approximately $1.5 billion in principal amount of commercial paper outstanding bearing interest at an average weighted rate of 5.39 percent per annum.

 

The following table sets forth our cash and cash equivalents and our capitalization as of December 31, 2006 on an actual basis and on an as adjusted basis to give effect to (i) the sale of the notes offered hereby and the application of those net proceeds as described under “Use of Proceeds” and (ii) the issuance on January 26, 2007, of $1.5 billion aggregate principal amount (approximately $1.493 billion net of discounts) of notes. (See Note 5, “Debt — Subsequent Debt,” to the consolidated financial statements in our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006.) You should read this table in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the related notes incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.

 

 

 

 

Apache will issue the notes under the senior indenture dated as of February 15, 1996, as supplemented on November 5, 1996, between us and The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A. (as successor-in-interest to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., formerly known as The Chase Manhattan Bank), as trustee. The following description and the description of our debt securities in the accompanying prospectus is a summary of the material provisions of the notes and the senior indenture. These descriptions do not restate the senior indenture in its entirety. We urge you to read the senior indenture because it, and not this description, defines your rights as holders of the notes. We have filed a copy of the senior indenture as an exhibit to the registration statement, which includes the accompanying prospectus.

 

This description of the notes in this prospectus supplement, to the extent it is inconsistent, replaces the description of the general provisions of the debt securities and the senior indenture in the accompanying prospectus. The notes are “senior debt securities” as that term is used in the accompanying prospectus.

 

With certain exceptions and pursuant to certain requirements set forth in the senior indenture, we may discharge our obligations under the senior indenture with respect to each series of notes as described under “Description of Apache Corporation Debt Securities — Discharge, Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance” beginning on page 20 in the accompanying prospectus.

 

Principal, Maturity and Interest

 

The notes will be senior unsecured obligations of Apache.

 

Apache is offering $           principal amount of     % notes due 2013. The notes will mature on April   , 2013.

 

We may issue and sell additional notes of this series in the future without the consent of the holders of the notes. Any such additional notes, together with the outstanding notes, will constitute a single series of notes under the senior indenture.

 

Interest on the notes will accrue at the rate of     % per year. Interest on the notes will be paid semi-annually in arrears on April   and October   of each year, beginning on October   , 2007. We will make each interest payment to the person in whose name the notes are registered at the close of business on the immediately preceding           or          , as the case may be, whether or not that date is a business day. “Business day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which banking institutions in The City of New York are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to close.

 

Interest on the notes will accrue from April   , 2007, or from the most recent interest payment date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, and will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year comprised of twelve 30-day months.

 

If any interest payment date, maturity date or redemption date of the notes falls on a day that is not a business day, the related payment will be made on the next business day and, unless we default on the payment, no interest will accrue for the period from and after the interest payment date, maturity date or redemption date.

 

We do not intend to list the notes on any securities exchange.

 

The notes will be issued in book-entry form without coupons only in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

 

If a change in control, as defined in the accompanying prospectus, occurs, each holder of notes may elect to require us to repurchase the holder’s notes. If a holder makes this election, we must purchase the holder’s notes for their principal amount plus accrued interest to the purchase date. See “Description of Apache Corporation Debt Securities — We are Obligated to Purchase Debt Securities upon a Change in Control” beginning on page 20 in the accompanying prospectus.

Optional Redemption

 

The notes may be redeemed in whole at any time or in part from time to time, at our option, at a redemption price equal to the greater of:

 

 

• the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on the notes to be redeemed (not including any portion of such payments of interest accrued to the date of redemption) discounted to the date of redemption on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the applicable treasury rate plus          basis points;

 

plus, in each case, accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount of the notes being redeemed to the redemption date.

 

“Treasury rate” means, with respect to any redemption date:

 

• the yield, under the heading which represents the average for the immediately preceding week, appearing in the most recently published statistical release designated “H.15(519)” or any successor publication which is published weekly by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and which establishes yields on actively traded U.S. Treasury securities adjusted to constant maturity under the caption “Treasury Constant Maturities,” for the maturity corresponding to the comparable treasury issue (if no maturity is within three months before or after the remaining life (as defined below), yields for the two published maturities most closely corresponding to the comparable treasury issue will be determined and the treasury rate will be interpolated or extrapolated from such yields on a straight line basis, rounding to the nearest month); or

 

• if such release (or any successor release) is not published during the week preceding the calculation date or does not contain such yields, the rate per annum equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity of the comparable treasury issue, calculated using a price for the comparable treasury issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the comparable treasury price for such redemption date.

 

The treasury rate will be calculated on the third business day next preceding the date fixed for redemption (the “calculation date”).

 

“Comparable treasury issue” means the U.S. Treasury security selected by an independent investment banker as having a maturity comparable to the remaining term (“remaining life”) of the notes to be redeemed that would be utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the remaining term of such notes.

 

“Comparable treasury price” means, with respect to any redemption date, (1) the average of five reference treasury dealer quotations for such redemption date, after excluding the highest and lowest reference treasury dealer quotations, or (2) if the independent investment banker obtains fewer than four such reference treasury dealer quotations, the average of all such quotations.

 

“Independent investment banker” means either Citigroup Global Markets Inc. or UBS Securities LLC, or their respective successors, as specified by us, or, if those firms are unwilling or unable to select the comparable treasury issue, an independent investment banking institution of national standing appointed by us.

 

“Reference treasury dealer” means each of (1) Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and UBS Securities LLC and their respective successors, provided, however, that if either of the foregoing shall cease to be a primary U.S. government securities dealer in the United States (a “primary treasury dealer”), we will substitute therefor another primary treasury dealer and (2) any three other primary treasury dealers selected by us after consultation with the independent investment banker.

 

“Reference treasury dealer quotations” means, with respect to each reference treasury dealer and any redemption date, the average, as determined by the independent investment banker, of the bid and asked prices

for the comparable treasury issue (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to the independent investment banker at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the calculation date.

 

We will mail a notice of redemption to each holder of notes to be redeemed by first-class mail at least 30 and not more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for redemption. Unless we default on payment of the redemption price, interest will cease to accrue on the notes or portions thereof called for redemption. If fewer than all of the notes are to be redeemed, the trustee will select, not more than 60 days prior to the redemption date, the particular notes or portions thereof for redemption from the outstanding notes not previously called by such method as the trustee deems fair and appropriate.

 

Book-Entry; Delivery and Form

 

The notes will be issued in the form of one or more global notes, or the Global Notes, registered in the name of The Depository Trust Company or its nominee, as described below and under “Description of Apache Corporation Debt Securities — Global Securities” beginning on page 16 and “Book-Entry Securities” beginning on page 45, both in the accompanying prospectus. The Global Notes will be deposited upon issuance with The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York, or the Depositary, and registered in the name of a nominee of the Depositary in the form of a global certificate. All interests in the Global Notes will be subject to the operations and procedures of the Depositary, Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V., or Euroclear, and Clearstream Banking, société anonyme, or Clearstream, Luxembourg. Beneficial interests in the Global Notes must be held in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

 

The Depositary has advised us that pursuant to procedures established by it (i) upon the issuance of the Global Notes, the Depositary or its custodian will credit, on its internal system, the principal amount at maturity of the individual beneficial interests represented by such Global Notes to the respective accounts of persons who have accounts with such Depositary and (ii) ownership of beneficial interests in the Global Notes will be shown on, and the transfer of such ownership will be effected only through, records maintained by the Depositary or its nominee (with respect to interests of participants) and the records of participants (with respect to interests of persons other than participants). Ownership of beneficial interests in the Global Notes will be limited to persons who have accounts with the Depositary, or participants, or persons who hold interests through participants. Holders may hold their interests in the Global Notes directly through the Depositary if they are participants in such system, or indirectly through organizations that are participants in such system.

 

So long as the Depositary, or its nominee, is the registered owner or holder of the notes, the Depositary or such nominee, as the case may be, will be considered the sole owner or holder of the notes represented by such Global Notes for all purposes under the senior indenture governing the notes. No beneficial owner of an interest in the Global Notes will be able to transfer that interest except in accordance with the Depositary’s procedures, in addition to those provided for under the senior indenture with respect to the notes.

 

Payments of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on, the Global Notes will be made to the Depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered owner of the Global Notes. None of Apache, the trustee or any paying agent under the senior indenture governing the notes will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in the Global Notes or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interest.

 

The Depositary has advised us that its present practice is, upon receipt of any payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on the Global Notes, to credit immediately participants’ accounts with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in the principal amount of the Global Notes as shown on the records of the Depositary. Payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in the Global Notes held through such participants will be governed by standing instructions and customary practice, as is now the case with securities held for the accounts of customers registered in the names of nominees for such customers. Such payments will be the responsibility of such participants.

 

Transfers between participants in the Depositary will be effected in the ordinary way through the Depositary’s same-day funds system in accordance with the Depositary’s rules and will be settled in same-day funds. If a holder requires physical delivery of a certificated security for any reason, including to sell notes to persons in states which require physical delivery of the notes, or to pledge such securities, such holder must transfer its interest in a Global Note, in accordance with the normal procedures of the Depositary and with the procedures set forth in the senior indenture governing the notes.

 

The Depositary has advised us that it will take any action permitted to be taken by a holder of notes, including the presentation of notes for exchange as described below, only at the direction of one or more participants to whose account the Depositary’s interests in the Global Notes are credited and only in respect of such portion of the aggregate principal amount of notes as to which such participant or participants has or have given such direction. However, if an event of default under the senior indenture governing the notes has occurred and is continuing, the Depositary will exchange the Global Notes for certificated securities, which it will distribute to its participants.

 

The Depositary has advised us as follows: the Depositary is a limited purpose trust company organized under the laws of the State of New York, a member of the Federal Reserve System, a “clearing corporation” within the meaning of the Uniform Commercial Code and a “Clearing Agency” registered pursuant to the provisions of Section 17A of the Exchange Act. The Depositary was created to hold securities for its participants and facilitate the clearance and settlement of securities transactions between participants through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of its participants, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of certificates. Participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies and clearing corporations and certain other organizations. Indirect access to the Depositary system is available to others such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a participant, either directly or indirectly, or indirect participants.

 

Although the Depositary has agreed to the foregoing procedures in order to facilitate transfers of interests in the Global Notes among participants of the Depositary, it is under no obligation to perform such procedures, and such procedures may be discontinued at any time. Neither we nor the trustee will have any responsibility for the performance by the Depositary or its participants or indirect participants of their respective obligations under the rules and procedures governing their operations.

 

Clearstream, Luxembourg and Euroclear hold interests on behalf of their participating organizations through customers’ securities accounts in Clearstream, Luxembourg’s and Euroclear’s names on the books of their respective depositaries, which hold those interests in customers’ securities accounts in the depositaries’ names on the books of the Depositary. At the present time, Citibank, N.A. acts as U.S. depositary for Clearstream, Luxembourg and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. acts as U.S. depositary for Euroclear (the “U.S. Depositaries”). Except as set forth below, the Global Notes may be transferred, in whole but not in part, only to another nominee of the Depositary or to a successor of the Depositary or its nominee.

 

Clearstream, Luxembourg holds securities for its participating organizations, or Clearstream Participants, and facilitates the clearance and settlement of securities transactions between Clearstream Participants through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of Clearstream Participants, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of certificates. Clearstream, Luxembourg provides to Clearstream Participants, among other things, services for safekeeping, administration, clearance and settlement of internationally traded securities and securities lending and borrowing. Clearstream, Luxembourg interfaces with domestic markets in several countries.

 

Clearstream, Luxembourg is registered as a bank in Luxembourg, and as such is subject to regulation by the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier and the Banque Centrale du Luxembourg, which supervise and oversee the activities of Luxembourg banks. Clearstream Participants are world-wide financial institutions including underwriters, securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies and clearing corporations, and may include the underwriters or their affiliates. Indirect access to Clearstream, Luxembourg is available to other institutions that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a Clearstream Participant. Clearstream, Luxembourg has established an electronic bridge with Euroclear as the operator of

the Euroclear System (the “Euroclear Operator”) in Brussels to facilitate settlement of trades between Clearstream, Luxembourg and the Euroclear Operator.

 

Distributions with respect to either series of notes held beneficially through Clearstream, Luxembourg will be credited to cash accounts of Clearstream Participants in accordance with its rules and procedures, to the extent received by the U.S. Depositary for Clearstream, Luxembourg.

 

Euroclear holds securities and book-entry interests in securities for participating organizations, or Euroclear Participants, and facilitates the clearance and settlement of securities transactions between Euroclear Participants, and between Euroclear Participants and participants of certain other securities intermediaries through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of such participants or other securities intermediaries. Euroclear provides Euroclear Participants, among other things, with safekeeping, administration, clearance and settlement, securities lending and borrowing, and related services. Euroclear Participants are investment banks, securities brokers and dealers, banks, central banks, supranationals, custodians, investment managers, corporations, trust companies and certain other organizations, and may include the underwriters or their affiliates. Non-participants in Euroclear may hold and transfer beneficial interests in a Global Note through accounts with a participant in the Euroclear System or any other securities intermediary that holds a book-entry interest in a Global Note through one or more securities intermediaries standing between such other securities intermediary and Euroclear.

 

Securities clearance accounts and cash accounts with the Euroclear Operator are governed by the Terms and Conditions Governing Use of Euroclear and the related Operating Procedures of the Euroclear System, and applicable Belgian law (collectively, the “Terms and Conditions”). The Terms and Conditions govern transfers of securities and cash within Euroclear, withdrawals of securities and cash from Euroclear and receipts of payments with respect to securities in Euroclear. All securities in Euroclear are held on a fungible basis without attribution of specific certificates to specific securities clearance accounts. The Euroclear Operator acts under the Terms and Conditions only on behalf of Euroclear Participants, and has no record of or relationship with persons holding through Euroclear Participants.

 

Distributions of the notes held beneficially through Euroclear will be credited to the cash accounts of Euroclear Participants in accordance with the Terms and Conditions, to the extent received by the U.S. Depositary for Euroclear.

 

Transfers between Euroclear Participants and Clearstream Participants will be effected in the ordinary way in accordance with their respective rules and operating procedures.

 

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

 

Due to time zone differences, the securities accounts of a Euroclear Participant or Clearstream Participant purchasing an interest in a Global Note from a Direct Participant in the Depositary will be credited, and any such crediting will be reported to the relevant Euroclear Participant or Clearstream Participant, during the securities settlement processing day (which must be a business day for Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg) immediately following the settlement date of the Depositary. Cash received in Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg as a result of sales of interests in a Global Note by or through a Euroclear Participant or Clearstream Participant to a Direct Participant in the Depositary will be received with value on the settlement date of the Depositary but will be available in the relevant Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg cash

account only as of the business day for Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg following the Depositary’s settlement date.

 

The information in this section concerning the Depositary, Euroclear and Clearstream, Luxembourg and their book-entry systems has been obtained from sources that we believe to be reliable, but we take no responsibility for the accuracy of that information.

 

Although Euroclear and Clearstream, Luxembourg have agreed to the foregoing procedures to facilitate transfers of interests in the Global Notes among Euroclear Participants and Clearstream Participants, they are under no obligation to perform or to continue to perform such procedures, and such procedures may be discontinued at any time. None of us, any of the underwriters or the trustee will have any responsibility for the performance by Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg or their respective Participants of their respective obligations under the rules and procedures governing their operations.

 

The following describes the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of the ownership and disposition of the notes by holders who purchase notes at their original issuance. This discussion is not a complete discussion of all the potential tax consequences that may be relevant to you. This discussion is based upon the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, its legislative history, existing and proposed regulations thereunder, published rulings and court decisions, all as in effect on the date of this document, and all of which are subject to change, possibly on a retroactive basis. For purposes of this discussion, you are a “U.S. holder” if you are a beneficial owner of notes and you are a “United States person” for U.S. federal income tax purposes or a “non-U.S. holder” if you are a beneficial owner of notes who is an individual, corporation, trust or estate that is not a “United States person” for U.S. federal income tax purposes. A “United States person” is:

 

 

If a partnership or other entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds the notes, the tax treatment of a partner will generally depend on the status of the partner and on the activities of the partnership. We urge partners of partnerships holding notes to consult their tax advisors.

 

This discussion only applies to holders who hold the notes as capital assets. The tax treatment of holders of the notes may vary depending upon their particular situations. Certain holders, including insurance companies, tax exempt organizations, financial institutions, investors in pass-through entities, expatriates, taxpayers subject to the alternative minimum tax, broker-dealers and persons holding the notes as part of a “straddle,” “hedge” or “conversion transaction,” may be subject to special rules not discussed below. This discussion does not address any estate, gift, foreign, state or local taxes. We urge you to consult your own tax advisors regarding the particular U.S. federal income tax consequences to you of holding and disposing of notes, any tax consequences that may arise under the laws of any relevant foreign, state, local, or other taxing jurisdiction or under any applicable tax treaty, as well as possible effects of changes in federal or other tax laws.

 

U.S. Holders

 

The following is a summary of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences that will apply to you if you are a U.S. holder of the notes.

 

Payments of Interest.  Payments of stated interest on a note will generally be taxable to you as ordinary income at the time received or accrued, depending on your method of accounting for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

Sale, Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of the Notes.  Upon a sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of a note, you generally will recognize gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount received upon the sale or other disposition (less any amount attributable to accrued interest which will be taxable as ordinary income, if not previously taken into gross income) and your adjusted tax basis in the note at that time.

 

Gain or loss realized on the sale or other disposition of a note generally will be capital gain or loss, and will be long-term capital gain or loss if, at the time of sale or other disposition, the note has been held for more than one year. Under current law, long-term capital gains of certain non-corporate holders are generally taxed at lower rates than items of ordinary income. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to limitations.

 

Backup Withholding and Information Reporting.  In general, information reporting will apply to certain payments of principal and interest on the notes and to the proceeds from the sale or other disposition of a note paid to you unless you are an exempt recipient. Additionally, a backup withholding tax (currently at a rate of 28%) will apply to such payments if you fail to provide a correct taxpayer identification number or certification of exempt status or fail to report full dividend and interest income or otherwise fail to comply with applicable requirements of the backup withholding rules.

 

If backup withholding applies to you, you may use the amounts withheld as a refund or credit against your U.S. federal income tax liability, as long as you timely provide certain information to the Internal Revenue Service or IRS.

 

Non-U.S. Holders

 

The following is a summary of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences that will apply to you if you are a non-U.S. holder of the notes.

 

Payments of Interest.  Payments of interest on the notes that is not effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States to a non-U.S. holder will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax and withholding of U.S. federal income tax will not be required on that payment if you:

 

 

If you do not satisfy the preceding requirements, your interest on a note would generally be subject to a 30% U.S. withholding tax unless you provide a properly executed IRS Form W-8BEN (or applicable substitute form) claiming an exemption from, or reduction of, withholding under the benefits of a tax treaty.

 

If you are engaged in a trade or business in the United States, and if interest on a note is effectively connected with the conduct of that trade or business and, if an applicable tax treaty applies, is attributable to a permanent establishment you maintain in the United States, you will be exempt from U.S. withholding tax if specific certification requirements are met but will be subject to regular U.S. federal income tax on the interest in the same manner as if you were a United States person. You can generally meet the certification requirements if you provide to us, our payment agent or the person who would otherwise be required to

withhold U.S. tax, a properly completed and executed IRS Form W-8ECI or applicable substitute form. If you are eligible for the benefits of a tax treaty between the United States and your country of residence, any “effectively connected” income or gain will be subject to U.S. federal income tax only if it is also attributable to a permanent establishment you maintain in the United States. In addition to regular U.S. federal income tax, if you are a foreign corporation, you may be subject to a U.S. branch profits tax at a 30% rate, although an applicable tax treaty may provide for a lower rate.

 

Gain on Disposition.  You generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on any gain realized on a sale, redemption, exchange or other taxable disposition of a note unless:

 

 

A non-U.S. holder described in the first bullet point above generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the net gain derived from the sale in the same manner as a United States person, and in addition, a non-U.S. holder that is a foreign corporation may be subject to a branch profits tax at a 30% rate or a lower rate if so specified by an applicable income tax treaty. A non-U.S. holder described in the second bullet point above will be subject to a flat 30% U.S. federal income tax on the gain derived from the sale, which may be offset by certain U.S. source capital losses.

 

Information reporting and backup withholding.  Payments to you of interest on a note, and amounts withheld from such payments, if any, generally will be required to be reported to the IRS and to you. U.S. backup withholding tax generally will not apply to payments of interest on the notes by us or our paying agent to you if you certify as to your non-U.S. status under penalties of perjury or otherwise establish an exemption, provided that neither we nor our paying agent has actual knowledge or reason to know that you are a United States person or that the conditions of any other exemptions are not in fact satisfied.

 

The payment of the proceeds of the disposition of notes (including redemption or retirement) to or through the United States office of a United States or foreign broker will be subject to information reporting and backup withholding unless you properly certify under penalties of perjury as to your non-U.S. status and specific other conditions are met or you otherwise establish an exemption. The proceeds of a disposition effected outside the United States by you of notes to or through a foreign office of a broker generally will not be subject to backup withholding or information reporting. However, if that broker is a United States person, a controlled foreign corporation for U.S. tax purposes, a foreign person that derives 50% or more of its gross income for certain periods from the conduct of a trade or business in the United States, or a foreign partnership that is engaged in the conduct of a trade or business in the United States or that has one or more partners that are United States persons who in the aggregate hold more than 50% of the income or capital interests in the partnership, information reporting requirements will apply unless that broker has documentary evidence in its files of your non-U.S. status and has no actual knowledge to the contrary or unless you otherwise establish an exemption.

 

We urge you to consult your own tax advisor regarding the application of information reporting and backup withholding to your particular situation, the availability of an exemption therefrom, and the procedure for obtaining such an exemption, if available. Any amounts withheld from a payment to you under the backup withholding rules will be allowed as a credit against your U.S. federal income tax liability and may entitle you to a refund, provided you furnish the required information in a timely manner to the IRS.

 

Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and UBS Securities LLC are acting as joint book-running managers of the offering and are acting as representatives of the underwriters named below.

 

Subject to the terms and conditions stated in the underwriting agreement dated the date of this prospectus supplement, each underwriter named below has agreed to purchase, severally and not jointly, and we have agreed to sell to that underwriter, the principal amount of notes set forth opposite the underwriter’s name.

 

The underwriting agreement provides that the obligations of the underwriters to purchase the notes included in this offering are subject to approval of legal matters by counsel and to other conditions. The underwriters are obligated to purchase all the notes if they purchase any of the notes.

 

The underwriters propose to offer some of the notes directly to the public at the public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus supplement and some of the notes to dealers at the public offering price less a concession not to exceed     % of the principal amount of the notes. The underwriters may allow, and dealers may reallow, a concession not to exceed     % of the principal amount of the notes on sales to other dealers. After the initial offering of the notes to the public, the representatives may change the public offering price and other selling terms of the notes.

 

The following table shows the underwriting discounts and commissions that we are to pay to the underwriters in connection with this offering (expressed as a percentage of the principal amount of the notes).

 

In connection with the offering, the representatives, on behalf of the underwriters, may purchase and sell notes in the open market. These transactions may include over-allotment, syndicate covering transactions and stabilizing transactions. Over-allotment involves syndicate sales of notes in excess of the principal amount of notes to be purchased by the underwriters in the offering, which creates a syndicate short position. Syndicate covering transactions involve purchases of the notes in the open market after the distribution has been completed in order to cover syndicate short positions. Stabilizing transactions consist of certain bids or purchases of notes made for the purpose of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the notes while the offering is in progress.

 

The underwriters also may impose a penalty bid. Penalty bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a syndicate member when the representatives, in covering syndicate short positions or making stabilizing purchases, repurchase notes originally sold by that syndicate member.

 

Any of these activities may have the effect of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the notes. They may also cause the price of the notes to be higher than the price that otherwise would exist in the open market in the absence of these transactions. The underwriters may conduct these transactions in the over-the-counter market or otherwise. If the underwriters commence any of these transactions, they may discontinue them at any time.

We estimate that our total expenses for this offering will be $          .

 

The underwriters have performed investment banking, corporate banking and advisory services for us from time to time for which they have received customary fees and expenses. The underwriters may, from time to time, engage in transactions with and perform services for us in the ordinary course of their business.

 

We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, or to contribute to payments the underwriters may be required to make because of any of those liabilities.

 

Selling Restrictions

 

European Economic Area

 

In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area which has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a “Relevant Member State”), each underwriter has represented and agreed that with effect from and including the date on which the Prospectus Directive is implemented in that Relevant Member State (the “Relevant Implementation Date”) it has not made and will not make an offer of notes which are the subject of the offering contemplated by this prospectus supplement to the public in the Relevant Member State other than:

 

 

 

 

 

provided that no such offer of notes shall require us or any underwriter to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive.

 

For the purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer of notes to the public” in relation to any notes in any Relevant Member State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the notes to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe the notes, as the same may be varied in that Member State by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in that Member State and the expression “Prospectus Directive” means Directive 2003/71/EC and includes any relevant implementing measure in each Relevant Member State.

 

United Kingdom

 

Each underwriter has represented and agreed that:

 

(a) it has only communicated or caused to be communicated and will only communicate or cause to be communicated an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (“FSMA”)) received by it in connection with the issue or sale of the notes in circumstances in which Section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply to us; and

 

(b) it has complied and will comply with all applicable provisions of the FSMA with respect to anything done by it in relation to the notes in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom.

 

Certain legal matters in connection with the offering of the notes will be passed upon for us by Andrews Kurth LLP. Certain legal matters will be passed upon for the underwriters by Sidley Austin LLP.

 

The consolidated financial statements of Apache Corporation appearing in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006 and our management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2006 included therein, have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their reports thereon included therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements and management’s assessment have been incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such reports given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

The information appearing in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006, regarding our total proved reserves was prepared by Apache and reviewed by Ryder Scott Company Petroleum Engineers, as stated in their letter reports, and is incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement in reliance upon the authority of said firm as experts in such matters.

PROSPECTUS

 

 

 

APACHE CORPORATION

 

APACHE FINANCE AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

 

APACHE FINANCE CANADA CORPORATION

 

APACHE FINANCE CANADA II CORPORATION

 

 

 

The descriptions of the securities contained in this prospectus, together with the applicable prospectus supplements, summarize all the material terms and provisions of the various types of securities that Apache, Apache Australia, Apache Canada and/or Apache Canada II may offer. The particular terms of the securities offered by any prospectus supplement will be described in that prospectus supplement. If indicated in an applicable prospectus supplement, the terms of the securities may differ from the terms summarized below. An applicable prospectus supplement will also contain information, where applicable, about material U.S. federal income tax considerations relating to the securities, and the securities exchange, if any, on which the securities will be listed.

 

Apache may sell from time to time, in one or more offerings:

 

• common stock and related rights;

 

• preferred stock;

 

• depositary shares;

 

• common stock purchase contracts;

 

• common stock purchase units;

 

• senior debt securities; and/or

 

• subordinated debt securities.

 

Each of Apache Australia, Apache Canada and Apache Canada II may from time to time offer its senior or subordinated debt securities. Each of these securities may be guaranteed by us as described below.

 

In this prospectus, “securities” collectively refers to the securities described above.

 

Our board of directors has currently limited our authority to issue securities to an aggregate amount of $2,000,000,000. Without additional authorization, therefore, the total of (a) the principal amount of debt securities (senior or subordinated), (b) the aggregate offering price of the common stock, (c) the liquidation value of the shares of preferred stock and (d) the aggregate offering price of the common stock purchase contracts and common stock purchase units, in each case, issued under this registration statement shall not exceed $2,000,000,000 in the aggregate. If any of the registrants issues securities at a discount from their original stated principal or liquidation amount, then, for purposes of calculating the total dollar amount of all securities issued under this prospectus, we will treat the initial offering price of the securities as the total original principal or liquidation amount of the securities.

 

Apache’s common stock is listed for trading on the New York Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq Global Select Market and the Chicago Stock Exchange under the symbol “APA.”

 

We may sell securities to or through underwriters, dealers or agents. For additional information on the method of sale, you should refer to the section entitled “Plan of Distribution.” The names of any underwriters, dealers or agents involved in the sale of any securities and the specific manner in which they may be offered will be set forth in the prospectus supplement covering the sale of those securities.

 

This prospectus may not be used to sell securities unless it is accompanied by a prospectus supplement.

 

Investing in these securities involves certain risks. For a discussion of the factors you should carefully consider before deciding to purchase these securities, please read “Risk Factors” in our most recently-filed Annual Report on Form 10-K and our most recently-filed Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, as well as those that may be included in the applicable prospectus supplement and other information included and incorporated by reference in this prospectus. Also, please read “Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” beginning on page ii of this prospectus.

 

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

 

The date of this prospectus is April 4, 2007

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

You should rely only on the information provided in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement, or documents to which we otherwise refer you. We have not authorized anyone else to provide you with different information. We are not making an offer of any securities in any jurisdiction where the offer is not permitted. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or any document incorporated by reference is accurate as of any date other than the date of the document in which such information is contained or such other date referred to in such document, regardless of the time of any sale or issuance of a security.

 

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, utilizing a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf process, we may sell different types of securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we sell securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering and the securities offered by us in that offering. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information in this prospectus. You should read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with additional information described under the headings “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation by Reference.”

 

This prospectus contains summaries of certain provisions contained in some of the documents described herein, but reference is made to the actual documents for complete information. All of the summaries are qualified in their entirety by reference to the actual documents. Copies of some of the documents referred to herein have been filed or will be filed or incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and you may obtain copies of those documents as described below in the section entitled “Where You Can Find More Information.”

 

In this prospectus, references to “Apache,” “we,” “us” and “our” mean Apache Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries, unless otherwise noted. References to “Apache Australia” mean Apache Finance Australia Pty Ltd. References to “Apache Canada” mean Apache Finance Canada Corporation and references to “Apache Canada II” mean Apache Finance Canada II Corporation.

 

 

This prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus contain statements that constitute “forward looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

 

These statements relate to future events or our future financial performance, which involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by any forward looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward looking statements by terminology such as “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “predict,” “potential,” “plan,” “believe” or the negative of these terms or similar terminology.

 

These statements are only predictions. Actual events or results may differ materially because of market conditions in our markets or other factors. Moreover, we do not, nor does any other person, assume responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of those statements. Unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws, we disclaim any intention or obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this prospectus. All of the forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by reference to the factors discussed under the captions “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition” in our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006 (incorporated by reference in this prospectus) and similar sections in our subsequent filings that we incorporated by reference in this prospectus, which describe risks and factors that could cause results to differ materially from those projected in those forward-looking statements.

 

Those risk factors may not be exhaustive. We operate in a continually changing business environment, and new risk factors emerge from time to time. We cannot predict these new risk factors, nor can we assess the impact, if any, of these new risk factors on our businesses or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statements. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as a prediction of actual results.

 

Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 are not applicable to any of the issuers other than Apache.

 

 

We have filed a registration statement on Form S-3 with the SEC under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, that registers the securities offered by this prospectus. The registration statement, including the attached exhibits, contains additional relevant information about us. The rules and regulations of the SEC allow us to omit from this prospectus some information included in the registration statement.

 

We file annual, quarterly, and special reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act. You may read and copy any materials we file with the SEC at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the operation of the Public Reference Room. The SEC maintains an Internet website at http://www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers, including us, that file electronically with the SEC. General information about us, including our annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports, is available free of charge through our website at http://www.apachecorp.com as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file them with, or furnish them to, the SEC. Information on our website is not incorporated into this prospectus or our other securities filings and is not a part of these filings.

 

Our common stock has been listed and traded on the New York Stock Exchange since 1969, the Nasdaq Global Select Market since 2004 and the Chicago Stock Exchange since 1960. Accordingly, you may inspect the information we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission at the New York Stock Exchange, 20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005, the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., 1735 K Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20006, and at the Chicago Stock Exchange, One Financial Place, 440 S. LaSalle Street, Chicago, Illinois 60605-1070. For more information on obtaining copies of our public filings at the New York Stock Exchange, you should call (212) 656-5060.

 

 

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” information into this document. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to another document filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus, and information that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede the previously filed information. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings made by us with the SEC pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, other than any portions of the respective filings that were furnished, pursuant to Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of Current Reports on Form 8-K (including exhibits related thereto) or other applicable SEC rules, rather than filed, prior to the termination of the offerings under this prospectus:

 

 

Each of these documents is available from the SEC’s web site and public reference rooms described above. Through our website, http://www.apachecorp.com, you can access electronic copies of documents we file with the SEC, including our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K and any amendments to those reports. Information on our website is not incorporated by reference in this prospectus. Access to those electronic filings is available as soon as practical after filing with the SEC. You may also request a copy of those filings, excluding exhibits, at no cost by writing or telephoning Cheri L. Peper, Corporate Secretary, at our principal executive office, which is:

 

Apache Corporation

2000 Post Oak Boulevard, Suite 100

Houston, Texas 77056-4400

(713) 296-6000

 

There are no separate financial statements of Apache Australia, Apache Canada or Apache Canada II in this prospectus. We do not believe these financial statements would be helpful because:

 

 

You should rely only on the information incorporated by reference or provided in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement. The information on our web site is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus. Neither Apache, Apache Australia, Apache Canada nor Apache Canada II has authorized anyone to provide you with different information.

 

Neither Apache nor Apache Australia, Apache Canada or Apache Canada II is making an offer of the securities covered by this prospectus in any state where the offer is not permitted.

 

Apache Corporation, a Delaware corporation formed in 1954, is an independent energy company that explores for, develops and produces natural gas, crude oil and natural gas liquids. In North America, our exploration and production interests are focused in the Gulf of Mexico, the Gulf Coast, East Texas, the Permian Basin, the Anadarko Basin and the Western Sedimentary Basin of Canada. Outside of North America we have exploration and production interests onshore Egypt, offshore Western Australia, offshore the United Kingdom in the North Sea (North Sea), and onshore Argentina.

 

We hold interests in many of our U.S., Canadian, and other international properties through operating subsidiaries, such as Apache Canada Ltd., DEK Energy Company (DEKALB), Apache Energy Limited (AEL), Apache International, Inc., and Apache Overseas, Inc. Properties referred to in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement, or in any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus may be held by those subsidiaries. We treat all operations as one line of business.

 

Apache Australia is a proprietary company with limited liability organized in March 2003 under the laws of the Australian Capital Territory, Australia. Apache Australia is our indirect wholly-owned subsidiary, and Apache Australia issues debt securities guaranteed by us. Apache Australia was established to facilitate financing of and investment in our Australian operations and entities.

 

The principal place of business of Apache Australia is 256 St. George’s Terrace, Level 3, Perth, Western Australia 6000; telephone 61-8-9422-7222.

 

Apache Canada is an unlimited liability company organized in August 1999 under the laws of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. Apache Canada is our indirect wholly-owned subsidiary and issues debt securities guaranteed by us. Apache Canada was established to facilitate financing of and investment in our Canadian operations and entities.

 

The principal place of business of Apache Canada is 700 — 9th Ave. SW, Suite 1000, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2P 3V4; telephone 403-261-1200.

 

Apache Canada II is an unlimited liability company organized in March 2003 under the laws of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. Apache Canada II is our indirect wholly-owned subsidiary, and issues debt securities guaranteed by us. Apache Canada II was established to facilitate financing of and investment in our Canadian operations and entities.

 

The principal place of business of Apache Canada II is 700 — 9th Ave. SW, Suite 1000, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2P 3V4; telephone 403-261-1200.

 

Unless otherwise indicated in an accompanying prospectus supplement, we, Apache Australia, Apache Canada and Apache Canada II expect to use the net proceeds from the sale of our securities and Apache Australia, Apache Canada and Apache Canada II debt securities, as the case may be, for general corporate purposes, which may include, among other things:

 

 

 

The precise amount and timing of the application of such proceeds will depend upon our funding requirements and the availability and cost of other funds. We currently have no plans for specific use of the net proceeds. We will specify the principal purposes for which the net proceeds will be used in a prospectus supplement at the time of sale.

 

The following descriptions of our common stock and preferred stock, together with the additional information included in any applicable prospectus supplement, summarize the material terms and provisions of these types of securities. For the complete terms of our common stock and preferred stock, please refer to our charter, bylaws and stockholder rights plan that are incorporated by reference into the registration statement that includes this prospectus. The terms of these securities may also be affected by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

 

Under our charter, our authorized capital stock currently consists of 430,000,000 shares of common stock, $.625 par value per share, and 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, no par value. We will describe the specific terms of any common stock or preferred stock we may offer in a prospectus supplement. If indicated in a prospectus supplement, the terms of any common stock or preferred stock offered under that prospectus supplement may differ from the terms described below.

 

Common Stock

 

As of March 13, 2007, we had approximately 331,097,333 shares of common stock issued and outstanding and approximately 14 million shares of common stock reserved for issuance pursuant to various employee benefit plans (including treasury shares authorized for issuance under those plans). Our board of directors has also authorized an additional 15,000,000 shares under an Omnibus Equity Compensation Plan that requires the approval of our shareholders at the annual meeting of shareholders to be held on May 2, 2007. If the plan is approved, several of our existing plans will be terminated for purposes of issuing new grants of options or shares, and approximately 2 million shares of common stock authorized for issuance under those plans will be added to the shares available for the Omnibus Equity Compensation Plan. Each outstanding share of common stock currently includes one preferred share purchase right issued under our stockholder rights plan, which is summarized below. All outstanding shares of common stock are, and any shares of common stock sold pursuant to this prospectus will be, duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

 

Voting

 

For all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders, each holder of common stock is entitled to one vote for each share registered in his or her name on our books. Our common stock does not have cumulative voting rights. As a result, subject to the voting rights of Series B preferred stockholders described below and any future holders of our preferred stock, persons who hold more than 50 percent of the outstanding common stock entitled to elect members of the board of directors can elect all of the directors who are up for election in a particular year.

 

Dividends

 

If our board of directors declares a dividend, holders of common stock will receive payments from our funds that are legally available to pay dividends. This dividend right, however, is subject to any preferential dividend rights we have granted to Series B preferred stockholders or may grant to future holders of preferred stock.

 

Liquidation

 

If we dissolve, the holders of common stock will be entitled to share ratably in all the assets that remain after we pay our liabilities and any amounts we may owe to the persons who hold our preferred stock.

 

Other Rights and Restrictions

 

Holders of common stock do not have preemptive rights, and they have no right to convert their common stock into any other securities. Our common stock is not subject to redemption by us. Our charter and bylaws do not restrict the ability of a holder of common stock to transfer his or her shares of common stock.

 

Delaware law provides that, if we make a distribution to our stockholders other than a distribution of our capital stock either when we are insolvent or when we would be rendered insolvent, then our stockholders would be required to pay back to us the amount of the distribution we made to them, or the portion of the distribution that causes us to become insolvent, as the case may be.

 

Listing

 

Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq Global Select Market and the Chicago Stock Exchange under the symbol “APA.”

 

Transfer Agent and Registrar

 

The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Wells Fargo Minnesota, National Association.

 

Preferred Stock

 

General

 

We have 5,000,000 shares of no par preferred stock authorized, of which 25,000 shares have been designated as Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock and 100,000 shares have been designated as 5.68 % Series B Cumulative Preferred Stock. The remaining shares of preferred stock are undesignated.

 

Our charter authorizes our board of directors to issue preferred stock in one or more series and to determine the voting rights and dividend rights, dividend rates, liquidation preferences, conversion rights, redemption rights, including sinking fund provisions and redemption prices, and other terms and rights of each series of preferred stock.

 

Series A

 

The shares of Series A preferred stock are authorized for issuance pursuant to rights that trade with our outstanding common stock and are reserved for issuance upon the exercise of the rights discussed below under the caption “— Stockholder Rights Plan.”

 

Series B

 

As of March 30, 2007, we had issued and outstanding 100,000 shares of Series B preferred stock in the form of one million depositary shares, each representing one-tenth (1/10th) of a share of Series B preferred stock. The Series B preferred stock has no stated maturity, is not subject to a sinking fund and is not convertible into our common stock or any other securities. We have the option to redeem the Series B preferred stock at $1,000 per share on or after August 25, 2008. Holders of the depositary shares are entitled to receive cumulative cash dividends at an annual rate of $5.68 per depositary share (based on $56.80 for each share of Series B preferred stock) when, as and if declared by Apache’s board of directors.

 

The Series B preferred stock has a liquidation preference of $1,000 per share, which is equivalent to $100 per depositary share, plus accrued and unpaid dividends.

 

The Series B preferred stock ranks prior and superior to our common stock and Series A preferred stock as to payment of dividends and distribution of assets upon our dissolution, liquidation or winding up.

 

If dividends are not paid on the Series B preferred stock, cash payments on our common stock and any of our other capital stock that ranks junior to the Series B preferred stock as to dividends are prohibited and payments on any of our other capital stock that ranks equal to the Series B preferred stock as to dividends are restricted.

 

Shares of Series B preferred stock generally do not have voting rights. If, however, we fail to pay the equivalent of six quarterly dividends payable on the Series B preferred stock or another class or series of preferred stock that ranks equally with the Series B preferred stock, then we will increase the size of our board of directors by two members. The holders of the Series B preferred stock and any other class or series of preferred stock ranking equally with the Series B preferred stock voting as a single class together with any other class of preferred stock ranking equally will then have the right to vote for the two additional directors. This voting right would continue until we have paid all past dividends on all preferred stock.

 

Without the vote of at least 80 percent of the outstanding shares of Series B preferred stock, we may not amend any provision in our charter so as to adversely affect the powers, preferences, privileges or rights of the Series B preferred stock.

 

Without the approval of the holders, voting together as a single class, of 80 percent of all the shares of Series B preferred stock then outstanding and all shares of any other series of our preferred stock ranking equally as to dividends or upon liquidation we will not:

 

 

provided that no such vote will be required for us to take any of these actions to issue, authorize or increase the authorized amount of, or issue or authorize any obligation or security convertible into or evidencing a right to purchase, any stock ranking equally with or junior to the Series B preferred stock.

 

Without the approval of the holders of at least a majority of the shares of Series B preferred stock then outstanding, we will not become a party to any merger, conversion, consolidation or compulsory share exchange unless the terms of that transaction do not provide for a change in the terms of the Series B preferred stock and the Series B preferred stock ranks equally with or prior to any capital stock of the surviving corporation as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up other than prior-ranking Apache stock previously authorized with the consent of holders of the Series B preferred stock.

 

Undesignated Preferred Stock

 

This summary of the undesignated preferred stock discusses terms and conditions that may apply to preferred stock offered under this prospectus. The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the particular terms of each series of preferred stock actually offered. If indicated in the prospectus supplement, the terms of any series may differ from the terms described below.

 

The following description, together with any applicable prospectus supplement, summarizes all the material terms and provisions of any preferred stock being offered by this prospectus. It does not restate the terms and provisions in their entirety. We urge you to read our charter and any applicable certificate of designation that may be on file because they, and not this description, define the rights of any holders of preferred stock. We have filed our charter as an exhibit to the registration statement which includes this prospectus. We will incorporate by reference as an exhibit to the registration statement the form of any certificate of designation before the issuance of any series of preferred stock.

 

The prospectus supplement for any preferred stock that we actually offer pursuant to this prospectus may include some or all of the following terms:

 

 

Subject to our charter and to any limitations imposed by any then-outstanding preferred stock, we may issue additional series of preferred stock, at any time or from time to time, with such powers, preferences, rights and qualifications, limitations or restrictions as the board of directors determines, and without further action of the stockholders, including holders of our then outstanding preferred stock, if any.

 

Stockholder Rights Plan

 

In 1995, our board of directors adopted a stockholder rights plan to replace the former plan adopted in 1986. The plans was to have expired in January 1996, but we amended the plan to extend the term to January 2016, to reset the rights trading with each share of our common stock to one right per share, and to eliminate adjustments in the number of rights per share for future capitalization events, such as stock splits. Under our stockholder rights plan, each of our common stockholders received a dividend of one “preferred stock purchase right” for each outstanding shares of common stock that the stockholder owned. We refer to these preferred stock purchase rights as the “rights.” Unless the rights have been previously redeemed, all shares of our common stock are issued with rights. The rights trade automatically with our shares of common stock and become exercisable only under the circumstances described below.

 

Since the purpose of the rights is to encourage potential acquirors to negotiate with our board of directors before attempting a takeover bid and to provide our board of directors with leverage in negotiating on behalf of our stockholders the terms of any proposed takeover, the rights may have anti-takeover effects. They should not interfere, however, with any merger or other business combination approved by our board of directors.

 

The following description is a summary of all the material terms of our stockholder rights plan. It does not restate these terms in their entirety. We urge you to read our stockholder rights plan because it, and not this description, defines the terms and provisions of our plan. Our stockholder rights plan is incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the registration statement that includes this prospectus. You may obtain a copy at no charge by writing to us at the address listed under the caption “Where You Can Find More Information.”

 

Exercise of Rights

 

Until a right is exercised, the holder of a right will not have any rights as a stockholder. When the rights become exercisable, holders of the rights will be able to purchase from us 1/10,000th of a share of our Series A preferred stock, at a purchase price of $100, subject to adjustment, per 1/10,000th of a share.

 

In general, the rights will become exercisable upon the earlier of:

 

 

Flip in Event

 

If a person or group becomes the beneficial owner of 20 percent or more of our common stock, each right will then entitle its holder to receive, upon exercise, a number of shares of our common stock that is equal to the exercise price of the right divided by one-half of the market price of our common stock on the date of the occurrence of this event. We refer to this occurrence as a “flip in event.” A flip in event does not occur if there is an offer for all of our outstanding shares of common stock that our board of directors determines is fair to our stockholders and in our best interests.

 

Flip Over Event

 

If, at any time after a person or group becomes the beneficial owner of 20 percent or more of our common stock, we are acquired in a merger or other transaction in which we do not survive or in which our common stock is changed or exchanged or 50 percent or more of our assets or earning power is sold or transferred, then each holder of a right will be entitled to receive, upon exercise, a number of shares of common stock of the acquiring company in the transaction equal to the exercise price of the right divided by one-half of the market price of the acquiring company’s common stock on the date of the occurrence of this event. This exercise right will not occur if the merger or other transaction follows an offer for all of our outstanding shares of common stock that our board of directors determines is fair to our stockholders and in our best interests.

 

Exchange of Rights

 

At any time after a flip in event but prior to a person or group becoming a beneficial owner of more than 50 percent of the shares of outstanding common stock, our board of directors may exchange the rights by providing to the holder one share of our common stock or 1/10,000th of a share of our Series A preferred stock for each of the holder’s rights.

 

Redemption of Rights

 

At any time before a flip in event, we may redeem the rights at a price of $.01 per right. The rights will expire on the close of business on January 31, 2016, subject to earlier expiration or termination as described in our stockholder rights plan.

 

Unless and until the rights become exercisable, they will be transferred with and only with the shares of our common stock.

 

Anti-Takeover Effect of Provisions of Apache’s Charter and Bylaws and Delaware Law

 

Our charter and bylaws include provisions, summarized below, that may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a takeover of Apache. Please refer to our charter and bylaws that are incorporated by reference into the registration statement that includes this prospectus. You may obtain copies at no charge by writing to us at the address listed under the caption “Where You Can Find More Information.”

 

The provisions of Delaware law described below also may have an anti-takeover effect.

 

Apache’s Bylaws

 

Our board of directors is divided into three classes, with directors serving staggered three-year terms.

 

Apache’s Charter

 

Article Nine provides that our board of directors is divided into three classes, with directors serving staggered three-year terms.

 

Article Twelve stipulates that the affirmative vote of 80 percent of our voting shares is required to adopt any agreement for the merger or consolidation with or into any other corporation which is the beneficial owner of more than 5 percent of our voting shares. Article Twelve further provides that such 80 percent approval is necessary to authorize any sale or lease of assets between us and any beneficial holder of 5 percent or more of our voting shares.

 

Article Fourteen contains a “fair price” provision that requires any tender offer made by a beneficial owner of more than 5 percent of our outstanding voting stock in connection with any:

 

 

must provide at least as favorable terms to each holder of common stock other than the stockholder making the tender offer.

 

Article Fifteen contains an “anti-greenmail” mechanism which prohibits us from acquiring any voting stock from the beneficial owner of more than 5 percent of our outstanding voting stock, except for acquisitions pursuant to a tender offer to all holders of voting stock on the same price, terms and conditions, acquisitions in compliance with Rule 10b-18 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and acquisitions at a price not exceeding the market value per share.

 

Article Sixteen prohibits the stockholders from acting by written consent in lieu of a meeting.

 

The affirmative vote of 80 percent of the voting shares is required to amend or adopt any provision inconsistent with Articles Nine, Twelve, Fourteen and Sixteen.

 

Business Combinations with Interested Stockholders Under Delaware Law

 

Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law prevents a publicly held corporation from engaging in a “business combination” with an “interested stockholder” for a period of three years after the date of the transaction in which the person became an interested stockholder, unless:

 

 

 

As defined in Section 203, an “interested stockholder” is generally a person owning 15 percent or more of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation. As defined in Section 203, a “business combination” includes mergers, consolidations, stock and assets sales and other transactions with the interested stockholder.

 

The provisions of Section 203 may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change of control of Apache.

 

The following description, together with any applicable prospectus supplement, summarizes all the material terms and provisions of the depositary shares that we may offer under this prospectus and the related deposit agreements and depositary receipts. Specific deposit agreements and depositary receipts will contain additional important terms and provisions. The forms of the applicable deposit agreement and depositary receipt will be incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the registration statement that includes this prospectus before we issue any depositary shares.

 

This summary of depositary agreements, depositary shares and depositary receipts relates to terms and conditions applicable to these types of securities generally. The particular terms of any series of depositary shares will be summarized in the applicable prospectus supplement. If indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, the terms of any series may differ from the terms summarized below.

 

General

 

We may elect to offer fractional shares of preferred stock rather than full shares of preferred stock. If so, we will issue “depositary receipts” for these “depositary shares.” Each depositary share will represent a fraction of a share of a particular series of preferred stock. Each holder of a depositary share will be entitled, in proportion to the fraction of preferred stock represented by that depositary share, to all the rights, preferences and privileges of the preferred stock, including dividend, voting, redemption, conversion and liquidation rights, if any, and all the limitations of the preferred stock. We will enter into a deposit agreement with a depositary, which will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

In order to issue depositary shares, we will issue preferred stock and immediately deposit these shares with the depositary. The depositary will then issue and deliver depositary receipts to the persons who purchase depositary shares. Each whole depositary share issued by the depositary may represent a fraction of a share of preferred stock held by the depositary. The depositary will issue depositary receipts in a form that reflects whole depositary shares, and each depositary receipt may evidence any number of whole depositary shares.

 

Pending the preparation of definitive engraved depositary receipts, if any, a depositary may, upon our written order, issue temporary depositary receipts, which will temporarily entitle the holders to all the rights pertaining to the definitive depositary receipts. We will bear the costs and expenses of promptly preparing definitive depositary receipts and of exchanging the temporary depositary receipts for such definitive depositary receipts.

 

Dividends and Other Distributions

 

The depositary will distribute all cash and non-cash distributions it receives with respect to the underlying preferred stock to the record holders of depositary shares in proportion to the number of depositary shares they hold, subject to any obligations of the record holders to file proofs, certificates and other information and to pay any taxes or other governmental charges. In the case of any non-cash distribution, we may determine that

the distribution cannot be made proportionately or the depositary may determine that it may not be feasible to make the distribution. If so, the depositary may, with our approval, adopt a method it deems equitable and practicable to effect the distribution, including the sale, public or private, of the securities or other non-cash property it receives in the distribution at a place and on terms it deems proper. The amounts distributed by the depositary will be reduced by any amount required to be withheld by us or the depositary on account of taxes.

 

Redemption of Depositary Shares

 

If the shares of preferred stock that underlie the depositary shares are redeemable and we redeem the preferred stock, the depositary will redeem the depositary shares from the proceeds it receives from the redemption of the preferred stock it holds. The depositary will redeem the number of depositary shares that represent the amount of underlying preferred stock that we have redeemed. The redemption price for depositary shares will be in proportion to the redemption price per share that we paid for the underlying preferred stock. If we redeem less than all of the depositary shares, the depositary will select which depositary shares to redeem by lot, or some substantially equivalent method.

 

After a redemption date is fixed, the depositary shares to be redeemed no longer will be considered outstanding. The rights of the holders of the depositary shares will cease, except for the rights to receive money or other property upon redemption. In order to redeem their depositary shares, holders must surrender their depositary receipts to the depositary.

 

Voting the Preferred Stock

 

When the depositary receives notice about any meeting at which the holders of preferred stock are entitled to vote, the depositary will mail the information contained in the notice to the record holders of depositary shares related to that preferred stock. Each record holder of depositary shares on the record date, which will be the same date as the record date for the preferred stock, will be entitled to instruct the depositary on how to vote the shares of preferred stock represented by that holder’s depositary shares. The depositary will endeavor, to the extent practicable, to vote the preferred stock represented by the depositary shares in accordance with these instructions. If the depositary does not receive instructions from the holders of the depositary shares, the depositary will abstain from voting the preferred stock that underlies those depositary shares.

 

Withdrawal of Preferred Stock

 

If a holder of depositary receipts surrenders those depositary receipts at the corporate office (as defined in the deposit agreement) of the depositary, or any other office as the depositary may designate, and pays any taxes, charges or fees, that holder is entitled to delivery at the corporate office of certificates evidencing the number of shares of preferred stock, but only in whole shares, and any money and other property represented by those depositary receipts. If the depositary receipts we deliver evidence a number of depositary shares in excess of the number of whole shares of preferred stock to be withdrawn, the depositary will deliver to us at the same time a new depositary receipt evidencing that excess number of depositary shares. We do not expect that there will be any public trading market for the shares of preferred stock except those represented by the depositary shares.

 

Amendment and Termination of the Deposit Agreement

 

We and the depositary can agree, at any time, to amend the form of depositary receipt and any provisions of the deposit agreement. If, however, an amendment has a material adverse effect on the rights of the holders of related depositary shares, the holders of at least a majority of the depositary shares then outstanding must first approve the amendment. Every holder of a depositary receipt at the time an amendment becomes effective will be bound by the amended deposit agreement. Subject to any conditions in the deposit agreement or applicable law, no amendment, however, can impair the right of any holder of a depositary share to receive shares of the related preferred stock, or any money or other property represented by the depositary shares, when they surrender their depositary receipts.

 

Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, the deposit agreement may be terminated by us or by the depositary if there has been a final distribution in respect of the preferred stock in connection with any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of Apache and that distribution has been distributed to the holders of depositary receipts.

 

Charges of Depositary

 

We will pay all transfer and other taxes and the government charges that relate solely to the depositary arrangements. We will also pay the charges of each depositary, including charges in connection with the initial deposit of the related series of preferred stock, the initial issuance of the depositary shares, and all withdrawals of shares of the related series of preferred stock. Holders of depositary shares, however, will be required to pay transfer and other taxes and government charges, as provided in the deposit agreement.

 

Resignation and Removal of Depositary

 

The depositary may submit notice of resignation at any time or we may remove the depositary at any time. However, no resignation or removal will take effect until we appoint a successor depositary, which must occur within 60 days after delivery of the notice of resignation or removal. The successor depositary must be a bank or trust company that has its principal office in the United States and has a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000.

 

Miscellaneous

 

If we are required to furnish any information to the holders of the preferred stock underlying any depositary shares, the depositary, as the holder of the underlying preferred stock, will forward to the holders of depositary shares any report or information it receives from us.

 

Neither the depositary nor we will be liable if its ability to perform its obligations under the deposit agreement is prevented or delayed by law or any circumstance beyond its control. Each of Apache and the depositary will be obligated to use its best judgment and to act in good faith in performing its duties under the deposit agreement. Each of Apache and the depositary will be liable only for gross negligence and willful misconduct in performing its duties under the deposit agreement. They will not be obligated to appear in, prosecute or defend any legal proceeding with respect to any depositary receipts, depositary shares or preferred stock unless they receive what they, in their sole discretion, determine to be a satisfactory indemnity from one or more holders of the depositary shares. We and the depositary will evaluate any proposed indemnity in order to determine whether the financial protection afforded by the indemnity is sufficient to reduce each party’s risk to a satisfactory and customary level. We and the depositary may rely on the advice of legal counsel or accountants of their choice. They may also rely on information provided by persons they believe, in good faith, to be competent, and on documents they believe, in good faith, to be genuine.

 

The applicable prospectus supplement will identify the depositary’s corporate trust office. Unless the prospectus supplement indicates otherwise, the depositary will act as transfer agent and registrar for depositary receipts, and if we redeem shares of preferred stock, the depositary will act as redemption agent for the corresponding depositary receipts.

 

Title

 

We, each depositary and any agent of Apache or the applicable depositary may treat the registered owner of any depositary share as the absolute owner of the depositary shares for all purposes, including making payment, regardless of whether any payment in respect of the depositary share is overdue and regardless of any notice to the contrary. See “Book-Entry Securities” below.

 

The following description, together with any applicable prospectus supplement, summarizes all the material terms and provisions of the debt securities that we may offer under this prospectus and the related trust indentures. We will issue the senior debt securities under a senior indenture, dated as of February 15, 1996, as supplemented on November 5, 1996, between us and The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A. (as successor-in-interest to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., formerly known as The Chase Manhattan Bank), as trustee. We will issue the subordinated debt securities under a subordinated indenture to be executed in the future by us and The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., as trustee. The senior indenture and the subordinated indenture are together referred to in this section as the “indentures.” The senior debt securities and the subordinated debt securities are together referred to in this section as the “debt securities.” The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., or any successor, in its capacity as trustee under either or both of the indentures, is referred to as the “trustee” for purposes of this section. The indentures contain and the debt securities, when issued, will contain additional important terms and provisions. The indentures are, and prior to their issuance the debt securities will be, filed as exhibits to the registration statement that includes this prospectus.

 

This summary of the indentures and the debt securities relates to terms and conditions applicable to the debt securities generally. The applicable prospectus supplement will set forth the particular terms of any series of debt securities that we may offer. If indicated in the prospectus supplement, the terms of any series may differ from the terms summarized below.

 

Neither indenture limits the amount of debt securities we may issue under it, and each provides that additional debt securities of any series may be issued up to the aggregate principal amount that we authorize from time to time. We also may issue debt securities pursuant to the indentures in transactions exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933. Those debt securities will not be considered in determining the aggregate amount of securities issued under this prospectus.

 

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will issue the debt securities in denominations of $1,000 or integral multiples of $1,000.

 

Other than as described below under “The Senior Indenture Limits Our Ability to Incur Liens,” “The Senior Indenture Limits Our Ability to Engage in Sale/Leaseback Transactions” and “We Are Obligated to Purchase Debt Securities upon a Change in Control,” and as may be described in the applicable prospectus supplement, the indentures do not limit our ability to incur indebtedness or afford holders of debt securities protection in the event of a decline in our credit quality or if we are involved in a takeover, recapitalization or highly leveraged or similar transaction. Nothing in the indentures or the debt securities will in any way limit the amount of indebtedness or securities that we or our subsidiaries, as defined in the indentures, may incur or issue.

 

General

 

The prospectus supplement relating to the particular series of debt securities being offered will specify whether they are senior or subordinated debt securities and the amounts, prices and terms of those debt securities. These terms may include:

 

 

 

We are not obligated to issue all debt securities of any one series at the same time and, unless we specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, a series of debt securities may be reopened for additional issuances of debt securities of that series or to establish additional terms of that series. The debt securities of any one series may not bear interest at the same rate or mature on the same date.

 

If any of the debt securities are sold for foreign currencies or foreign currency units or if the principal of, or any premium or interest on, any series of debt securities is payable in foreign currencies or foreign currency units, we will describe the restrictions, elections, tax consequences, specific terms and other information with respect to those debt securities and such foreign currencies or foreign currency units in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

The terms, if any, on which the debt securities of any series are convertible into or exchangeable for shares of common stock, shares of preferred stock or other securities, whether or not issued by us, property or cash, or a combination of any of the foregoing, will be set out in the accompanying prospectus supplement. Such terms may include provisions for conversion or exchange, either mandatory, at the option of the holder, or at our option, in which the securities, property or cash to be received by the holders of the debt securities would be calculated according to the factors and at such time as described in the accompanying prospectus supplement.

 

Ranking

 

Senior Debt Securities

 

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, our obligation to pay the principal of, and any premium and interest on, the senior debt securities will be unsecured and will rank equally with all of our other unsecured unsubordinated indebtedness.

 

Subordinated Debt Securities

 

Our obligation to pay the principal of, and any premium and interest on, any subordinated debt securities will be unsecured and will rank subordinate and junior in right of payment to all of our senior indebtedness to the extent provided in the subordinated indenture and the terms of those subordinated debt securities, as described below and in any applicable prospectus supplement, which may make deletions from, or modifications or additions to, the subordination terms described below.

 

Upon any payment or distribution of our assets or securities to creditors upon any liquidation, dissolution, winding-up, reorganization, or any bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar proceedings in connection with any insolvency or bankruptcy proceeding of Apache, the holders of senior indebtedness will first be entitled to receive payment in full of the senior indebtedness before the holders of subordinated debt securities will be entitled to receive any payment or distribution in respect of the subordinated debt securities.

 

No payments on account of principal or any premium or interest in respect of the subordinated debt securities may be made if there has occurred and is continuing a default in any payment with respect to senior indebtedness or an event of default with respect to any senior indebtedness resulting in the acceleration of its maturity, or if any judicial proceeding is pending with respect to any default.

 

“Indebtedness,” for purposes of the subordinated indenture, means:

 

 

“Senior indebtedness,” for purposes of the subordinated indenture, means all indebtedness, whether outstanding on the date of execution of the subordinated indenture or thereafter created, assumed or incurred, except our obligations under the subordinated debt securities, indebtedness ranking equally with the subordinated debt securities or indebtedness ranking junior to the subordinated debt securities.

 

“Indebtedness ranking equally with the subordinated debt securities,” for purposes of the subordinated indenture, means indebtedness, whether outstanding on the date of execution of the subordinated indenture or thereafter created, assumed or incurred, to the extent the indebtedness specifically by its terms ranks equally with and not prior to the subordinated debt securities in the right of payment upon the happening of the dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization of Apache. The securing of any indebtedness otherwise constituting indebtedness ranking equally with the subordinated debt securities will not prevent the indebtedness from constituting indebtedness ranking equally with the subordinated debt securities.

 

“Indebtedness ranking junior to the subordinated debt securities,” for purposes of the subordinated indenture, means any indebtedness, whether outstanding on the date of execution of the subordinated indenture or thereafter created, assumed or incurred, to the extent the indebtedness by its terms ranks junior to and not equally with or prior to

 

 

Dividends and other distributions to us from our various subsidiaries may be subject to statutory, contractual and other restrictions (including, without limitation, exchange controls that may be applicable to foreign subsidiaries). The rights of our creditors to participate in the assets of any subsidiary upon that subsidiary’s liquidation or recapitalization will be subject to the prior claims of the subsidiary’s creditors, except to the extent that we may ourselves be a creditor with recognized claims against the subsidiary.

 

Interest Rates and Discounts

 

The debt securities will earn interest at a fixed or floating rate or rates for the period or periods of time specified in the applicable prospectus supplement. Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the debt securities will bear interest on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months.

 

We may sell debt securities at a substantial discount below their stated principal amount, bearing no interest or interest at a rate that at the time of issuance is below market rates. We will describe the federal income tax consequences and the special considerations that apply to any series in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

Exchange, Registration and Transfer

 

Registered securities of any series that are not global securities will be exchangeable for other registered securities of the same series and of like aggregate principal amount and tenor in different authorized denominations. In addition, if debt securities of any series are issuable as both registered securities and bearer securities, the holder may choose, upon written request, and subject to the terms of the applicable indenture, to exchange bearer securities and the appropriate related coupons of that series into registered securities of the same series of any authorized denominations and of like aggregate principal amount and tenor. Bearer securities with attached coupons surrendered in exchange for registered securities between a regular record date or a special record date and the relevant date for interest payment shall be surrendered without the coupon relating to the interest payment date. Interest will not be payable with respect to the registered security issued in exchange for that bearer security. That interest will be payable only to the holder of the coupon

when due in accordance with the terms of the indenture. Bearer securities will not be issued in exchange for registered securities.

 

You may present registered securities for registration of transfer, together with a duly executed form of transfer, at the office of the security registrar or at the office of any transfer agent designated by us for that purpose with respect to any series of debt securities and referred to in the applicable prospectus supplement. This may be done without service charge but upon payment of any taxes and other governmental charges as described in the applicable indenture. The security registrar or the transfer agent will effect the transfer or exchange upon being satisfied with the documents of title and identity of the person making the request. We have appointed the trustee as security registrar for each indenture. If a prospectus supplement refers to any transfer agents initially designated by us with respect to any series of debt securities in addition to the security registrar, we may at any time rescind the designation of any of those transfer agents or approve a change in the location through which any of those transfer agents acts. If, however, debt securities of a series are issuable solely as registered securities, we will be required to maintain a transfer agent in each place of payment for that series, and if debt securities of a series are issuable as bearer securities, we will be required to maintain a transfer agent in a place of payment for that series located outside of the United States in addition to the security registrar. We may at any time designate additional transfer agents with respect to any series of debt securities.

 

In the event of any redemption, we will not be required to:

 

 

Payment and Paying Agents

 

Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, payment of principal of, and any premium and interest on, bearer securities will be payable in accordance with any applicable laws and regulations, at the offices of those paying agents outside the United States that we may designate at various times. We will make interest payments on bearer securities and the attached coupons on any interest payment date only against surrender of the coupon relating to that interest payment date. No payment with respect to any bearer security will be made at any of our offices or agencies in the United States or by check mailed to any U.S. address or by transfer to an account maintained with a bank located in the United States. If, however, but only if, payment in U.S. dollars of the full amount of principal of, and any premium and interest on, bearer securities denominated and payable in U.S. dollars at all offices or agencies outside the United States is illegal or effectively precluded by exchange controls or other similar restrictions, then those payments will be made at the office of our paying agent in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York.

 

Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, payment of principal of, and any premium and interest on, registered securities will be made at the office of the paying agent or paying agents that we designate at various times. At our option, however, we may make interest payments by check mailed to the address, as it appears in the security register, of the person entitled to the payments. Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will make payment of any installment of interest on registered securities to the person in whose name that registered security is registered at the close of business on the regular record date for such interest.

 

Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the Corporate Trust Office of the trustee in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, will be designated:

 

 

 

We will name any paying agents outside the United States and any other paying agents in the United States initially designated by us for the debt securities in the applicable prospectus supplement. We may at any time designate additional paying agents or rescind the designation of any paying agent or approve a change in the office through which any paying agent acts. If, however, debt securities of a series are issuable solely as registered securities, we will be required to maintain a paying agent in each place of payment for that series. If debt securities of a series are issuable as bearer securities, we will be required to maintain:

 

 

If, however, the debt securities of that series are listed on the London Stock Exchange, the Luxembourg Stock Exchange or any other stock exchange located outside the United States, and if the stock exchange requires it, we will maintain a paying agent in London or Luxembourg or any other required city located outside the United States for those debt securities.

 

All monies we pay to a paying agent for the payment of principal of, and any premium or interest on, any debt security or coupon that remains unclaimed at the end of two years after becoming due and payable will be repaid to us. After that time, the holder of the debt security or coupon will look only to us for payments out of those repaid amounts.

 

Global Securities

 

The debt securities of a series may be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more global certificates that we will deposit with a depository identified in the applicable prospectus supplement. Global securities may be issued in either registered or bearer form and in either temporary or permanent form. Unless and until it is exchanged in whole or in part for the individual debt securities it represents, a global security may not be transferred except as a whole:

 

 

To the extent not described below and under the heading “Book-Entry Securities,” we will describe the terms of the depository arrangement with respect to a series of debt securities in the applicable prospectus supplement. We anticipate that the following provisions will generally apply to depository arrangements.

 

As long as the depository for a global security, or its nominee, is the registered owner of that global security, the depository or nominee will be considered the sole owner or holder of the debt securities represented by the global security for all purposes under the applicable indenture. Except as provided under “Book-Entry Securities” or in any applicable prospectus supplement, owners of beneficial interests in a global security:

 

 

The laws of some states require that some purchasers of securities take physical delivery of securities in definitive form. These laws may impair your ability to transfer beneficial interests in a global security.

 

Payments of principal of, and any premium and interest on, individual debt securities represented by a global security registered in the name of a depository or its nominee will be made to the depository or its nominee as the registered owner of the global security representing such debt securities. Neither we, the trustee, any paying agent nor the registrar for the debt securities will be responsible for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made by the depository or any participants on account of beneficial interests of the global security.

 

For a description of the depository arrangements for global securities held by The Depository Trust Company, see “Book-Entry Securities.”

 

The Senior Indenture Limits Our Ability to Incur Liens

 

Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the senior indenture provides that neither we nor any of our subsidiaries may issue, assume or guarantee any notes, bonds, debentures or other similar evidences of indebtedness for money borrowed that are secured by a mortgage, lien, pledge, security interest or other encumbrance — defined in the senior indenture as “liens” — upon any of our property unless we provide that any and all senior debt securities then outstanding shall be secured by a lien equally and ratably with any and all other obligations by the lien. The restrictions on liens will not, however, apply to:

 

 

Notwithstanding the limitations on liens described above, we and any one or more of our subsidiaries may issue, assume or guarantee the following indebtedness secured by liens on assets without regard to the limitations described above: indebtedness in any aggregate principal amount that, together with the aggregate outstanding principal amount of all our other indebtedness and indebtedness of any of our subsidiaries so secured (excluding indebtedness secured by the permitted liens described above), and the aggregate amount of sale/leaseback transaction obligations that would otherwise be subject to the limitations on sale/leaseback

transactions described below, does not at the time such indebtedness is incurred exceed 10 percent of our consolidated net worth as shown on our most recent audited consolidated balance sheet.

 

In addition, the following types of transactions, among others, shall not be deemed to create indebtedness secured by liens:

 

 

The Senior Indenture Limits Our Ability to Engage in Sale/ Leaseback Transactions

 

Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the senior indenture provides that neither we nor any of our subsidiaries will enter into any arrangement with any person, other than us or one of our subsidiaries, to lease any property to ourselves or a subsidiary of ours for more than three years. For the restriction to apply, we or one of our subsidiaries must sell or plan to sell the property to the person leasing it to us or our subsidiary or to another person to which funds have been or are to be advanced on the security of the leased property. The limitation does not apply where:

 

 

Each Indenture Includes Events of Default

 

Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, any one of the following events will constitute an “event of default” under each indenture with respect to the debt securities of any series issued under that indenture:

 

 

 

Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, either of the following two events will also constitute an “event of default” under the senior indenture with respect to any senior debt securities:

 

 

If an event of default with respect to the debt securities of any series, other than an event of default described in the item above pertaining to events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization, occurs and is continuing, either the trustee or the holders of at least 25 percent in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series may declare the principal amount of the debt securities of that series to be due and payable immediately. At any time after a declaration of acceleration has been made, but before a judgment or decree for payment of money due has been obtained by the trustee, and subject to applicable law and other provisions of the applicable indenture, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of that series may, under some circumstances, rescind and annul such acceleration. If an event of default occurs pertaining to events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization, the principal amount and accrued interest — or a lesser amount as provided for in the debt securities of that series — shall be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act by the trustee or any holder.

 

Within 90 days after the occurrence of any default under an indenture with respect to the debt securities of any series issued under that indenture, the trustee must transmit notice of the default to the holders of the debt securities of that series unless the default has been cured or waived. The trustee may withhold the notice, however, except in the case of a payment default, if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors or responsible officers of the trustee has in good faith determined that the withholding of the notice is in the interest of the holders of debt securities of that series.

 

If an event of default occurs and is continuing with respect to the debt securities of any series, the trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the holders of debt securities of that series by all appropriate judicial proceedings.

 

Subject to the duty of the trustee during any default to act with the required standard of care, the trustee is under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under an indenture at the request or direction of any of the holders of debt securities issued under that indenture, unless the holders offer the trustee reasonable indemnity. Subject to indemnifying the trustee, and subject to applicable law and other provisions of each indenture, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of a series issued under that indenture may direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the trustee, with respect to the debt securities of that series.

 

We Are Obligated to Purchase Debt Securities Upon a Change in Control

 

If a change in control, as defined in each indenture, occurs, we must mail within 15 days a written notice regarding the change in control to the trustee and to every holder of the debt securities of each series issued under that indenture. The notice must also be published at least once in an authorized newspaper, as defined in each indenture, and must state:

 

 

After we give this notice we will be obligated, at the election of each holder, to purchase the applicable debt securities. Under each indenture, a change in control is deemed to have occurred when:

 

 

We will not purchase any debt securities if there has occurred and is continuing an event of default under either indenture, other than default in payment of the purchase price payable for the debt securities upon change in control. In connection with any purchase of debt securities after a change in control, we will comply with all federal and state securities laws, including, specifically, Rule 13e-4, if applicable, under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and any related Schedule 13E-4 required to be submitted under that rule.

 

Discharge, Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance

 

We may discharge our obligations to holders of any series of debt securities that have not already been delivered to the trustee for cancellation and that:

 

 

To discharge the obligations with respect to a series of debt securities, we must deposit with the trustee, in trust, an amount of funds in U.S. dollars or in the foreign currency in which those debt securities are payable sufficient to pay the entire amount of principal of, and any premium or interest on, those debt securities to the date of the deposit if those debt securities have become due and payable or to the maturity of the debt securities, as the case may be.

 

Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, we may elect

 

 

In the case of discharge of our obligations or legal defeasance we will still retain some obligations in respect of the debt securities, including our obligations:

 

 

After a covenant defeasance, any omission to comply with the obligations or covenants that have been defeased shall not constitute a default or an event of default with respect to the debt securities.

 

To elect either legal defeasance or covenant defeasance we must deposit with the trustee, in trust, an amount, in U.S. dollars or in the foreign currency in which the relevant debt securities are payable at stated maturity, or in government obligations, as defined below, or both, applicable to such debt securities which through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in accordance with their terms will provide money in an amount sufficient to pay the principal of and any premium and interest on those debt securities on their scheduled due dates.

 

In addition, we can only elect legal defeasance or covenant defeasance if, among other things:

 

 

Each of the indentures deems a foreign currency to be any currency, currency unit or composite currency issued by the government of one or more countries other than the United States or by any recognized confederation or association of governments.

 

Each of the indentures defines government obligations as securities which are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer or issuers and are:

 

 

Government obligations also include a depositary receipt issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any government obligation described above or a specific payment of interest on or principal of or any other amount with respect to any government obligation held by that custodian for the account of the holder of such depositary receipt, as long as, except as required by law, that custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of the depositary receipt from any amount received by the custodian with respect to the government obligation or the specific payment of interest on or principal of or any other amount with respect to the government obligation evidenced by the depositary receipt.

 

Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, if, after we have deposited funds and/or government obligations to effect legal defeasance or covenant defeasance with respect to debt securities of any series, either:

 

 

Each indenture defines a “conversion event” as the cessation of use of:

 

 

Unless otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus supplement, all payments of principal of, and any premium and interest on, any debt security that are payable in a foreign currency that ceases to be used by the government or confederation of issuance shall be made in U.S. dollars.

 

If we effect a covenant defeasance with respect to any debt securities and the debt securities are declared due and payable because of the occurrence of any event of default other than an event of default with respect to which there has been covenant defeasance, the amount in the foreign currency in which the debt securities are payable, and government obligations on deposit with the trustee, will be sufficient to pay amounts due on the debt securities at the time of the stated maturity but may not be sufficient to pay amounts due on the debt securities at the time of the acceleration resulting from the event of default. We would remain liable, however, for payment of the amounts due at the time of acceleration.

 

The applicable prospectus supplement may further describe the provisions, if any, permitting defeasance or covenant defeasance, including any modifications to the provisions described above, with respect to the debt securities of or within a particular series.

 

Under each indenture, we are required to furnish to the trustee annually a statement as to our performance of our obligations under the indenture and as to any default in such performance. We are also required to deliver to the trustee, within five days after occurrence thereof, written notice of any event of default or event that after notice or lapse of time or both would constitute an event of default.

 

Modification and Waiver

 

We and the trustee may, without the consent of holders, modify provisions of each indenture for specified purposes, including, among other things, curing ambiguities and maintaining the qualification of the applicable indenture under the Trust Indenture Act. We and the trustee may modify other provisions of each indenture with the consent of the holders of not less than two-thirds, in the case of the senior indenture, or a majority, in the case of the subordinate indenture, in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of each series issued under that indenture affected by the modification, except that the provisions of the indentures, however, may not be modified without the consent of the holder of each debt security affected thereby if the modification would:

 

 

The holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of debt securities of any series issued under one of the indentures may, on behalf of the holders of all debt securities of that series, waive our compliance with specified restrictive provisions of that indenture. The holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of debt securities of any series issued under one of the indentures may, on behalf of all holders of debt securities of that series, waive any past default and its consequences under that indenture with respect to the debt securities of that series, except:

 

 

Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets

 

We may, without the consent of the holders of the debt securities, consolidate or merge with or into, or convey, transfer or lease our properties and assets as an entirety, or substantially as an entirety to, any person that is a corporation or limited liability company organized and validly existing under the laws of any domestic jurisdiction. We may also permit any of those persons to consolidate with or merge into us or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to us, as long as:

 

 

We may issue stock purchase contracts, representing contracts entitling or obligating holders to purchase from or sell to us, and us to sell to or purchase from the holders, a specified number of shares of common stock at a future date or dates. The price per share of common stock may be fixed at the time the contracts are issued or may be determined by reference to a specific formula set forth in the contracts. The common stock purchase contracts may be issued separately or as a part of units, which are referred to in this prospectus as “common stock purchase units,” consisting of a common stock purchase contract and, as security for the holder’s obligations to purchase the common stock under the contracts, the following:

 

 

The common stock purchase contracts may require us to make periodic payments to the holders of the common stock purchase units or vice versa, and such payments may be unsecured or prefunded on some basis. The common stock purchase contracts may require holders to secure their obligations thereunder in a specified manner, and in some circumstances we may deliver newly issued prepaid common stock purchase contracts, which are referred to as “prepaid securities,” upon release to a holder of any collateral securing such holder’s obligations under the original contract.

 

The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the terms of any common stock purchase contracts or units and, if applicable, prepaid securities. The description in the prospectus supplement will not purport to be complete and will be qualified in its entirety by reference to the contracts, the collateral arrangements and depositary arrangements, if applicable, relating to such contracts or units and, if applicable, the prepaid securities and the document pursuant to which such prepaid securities will be issued.

 

The following description, together with any applicable prospectus supplement, summarizes all the material terms and provisions of the debt securities that Apache Australia, Apache Canada and/or Apache Canada II, each of which we refer to in this section as the “applicable issuer,” and the guarantee we may offer under this prospectus and the related trust indentures.

 

The applicable issuer will issue senior debt securities, and we will issue our guarantee, under a senior indenture to be executed in the future by us, as guarantor, the applicable issuer and The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., as trustee. The senior indentures are together referred to in this section as the “senior indentures.” The senior debt securities of Apache Australia, Apache Canada and Apache Canada II are together referred to in this section as the “senior debt securities.”

 

The applicable issuer will issue the subordinated debt securities, and we will issue our guarantee, under a subordinated indenture to be executed in the future by us, as guarantor, the applicable issuer and The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., as trustee. The subordinated indentures are together referred to in this section as the “subordinated indentures.” The subordinated debt securities of Apache Australia, Apache Canada and Apache Canada II are together referred to in this section as the “subordinated debt securities.”

 

The senior indentures and the subordinated indentures are together referred to in this section as the “indentures,” and the senior debt securities and the subordinated debt securities are together referred to in this section as the “debt securities.” The indentures contain and the debt securities, when issued, will contain additional important terms and provisions. The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., or any successor, in its capacity as trustee under any or all of the indentures, is referred to as the “trustee” for purposes of this section. A form of each indenture is, and prior to their issuance, the debt securities will be, filed as an exhibit to the registration statement that includes this prospectus.

 

This summary of the indentures and the debt securities relates to terms and conditions applicable to the debt securities generally. The particular terms of any series of debt securities will be summarized in the applicable prospectus supplement. If indicated in the prospectus supplement, the terms of any series may differ from the terms summarized below.

 

None of the indentures limits the amount of debt securities the applicable issuer may issue under it, and each provides that additional debt securities of any series may be issued up to the aggregate principal amount that we and the applicable issuer authorize from time to time. Debt securities may also be issued pursuant to the indentures in transactions exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. Those debt securities will not be considered in determining the aggregate amount of securities issued under this prospectus.

 

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, the debt securities will be issued in denominations of $1,000 or integral multiples of $1,000.

 

Other than as described below under “The Senior Indentures Limit Our and the Applicable Issuer’s Ability to Incur Liens,” “The Senior Indentures Limit Our and the Applicable Issuer’s Ability to Engage in Sale/Leaseback Transactions” and “The Applicable Issuer is Obligated to Purchase Debt Securities upon a Change in Control,” and as may be described in the applicable prospectus supplement, the indentures do not limit our ability to incur indebtedness or afford holders of debt securities protection in the event of a decline in our credit quality or if we are involved in a takeover, recapitalization or highly leveraged or similar transaction. Nothing in the indentures or the debt securities will in any way limit the amount of indebtedness

or securities that we, the applicable issuer or our other subsidiaries, as defined in the indentures, may incur or issue.

 

General

 

The prospectus supplement relating to the particular series of debt securities being offered will specify the applicable issuer and whether they are senior or subordinated debt securities and the amounts, prices and terms of those debt securities. These terms may include:

 

 

 

The applicable issuer is not obligated to issue all debt securities of any one series at the same time and, unless the applicable issuer specifies otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, a series of debt securities may be reopened for additional issuances of debt securities of that series or to establish additional terms of that series. The debt securities of any one series may not bear interest at the same rate or mature on the same date.

 

If any of the debt securities are sold for foreign currencies or foreign currency units or if the principal of, or any premium or interest on, any series of debt securities is payable in foreign currencies or foreign currency units, we will describe the restrictions, elections, tax consequences, specific terms and other information with respect to those debt securities and such foreign currencies or foreign currency units in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

Guarantees

 

We will irrevocably and unconditionally guarantee to each holder of a debt security issued by the applicable issuer and authenticated and delivered by the trustee the due and punctual payment of the principal of, and any premium and interest on, the debt security, when and as it becomes due and payable, whether at maturity, upon acceleration, by call for redemption, repayment or otherwise in accordance with the terms of the debt securities and of the applicable indenture. We will

 

 

Conversion and Exchange

 

The terms, if any, on which the debt securities of any series are convertible into or exchangeable for shares of common stock, shares of preferred stock or other securities, whether or not issued by us or the applicable issuer, property or cash, or a combination of any of the foregoing, will be set out in the accompanying prospectus supplement. Such terms may include provisions for conversion or exchange, either mandatory, at the option of the holder, or at our option or the option of the applicable issuer, in which the securities, property or cash to be received by the holders of the debt securities would be calculated according to the factors and at such time as described in the accompanying prospectus supplement.

 

Ranking

 

Senior Debt Securities

 

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, the applicable issuer’s obligation to pay the principal of, and any premium and interest on, its senior debt securities will be unsecured and will rank equally with all of the applicable issuer’s other unsecured unsubordinated indebtedness.

 

Subordinated Debt Securities

 

The applicable issuer’s obligation to pay the principal of, and any premium and interest on any subordinated debt securities will be unsecured and will rank subordinate and junior in right of payment to all of that issuer’s senior indebtedness to the extent provided in the subordinated indenture and the terms of those subordinated debt securities, as described below and in any applicable prospectus supplement, which may make deletions from, or modifications or additions to, the subordination terms described below.

 

Upon any payment or distribution of the applicable issuer’s assets or securities to creditors upon any liquidation, dissolution, winding-up, reorganization, or any bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar proceedings in connection with any insolvency or bankruptcy proceeding of the applicable issuer, the holders of senior indebtedness of the applicable issuer will first be entitled to receive payment in full of the senior indebtedness before the holders of subordinated debt securities will be entitled to receive any payment or distribution in respect of the subordinated debt securities.

 

No payments on account of principal or any premium or interest in respect of the subordinated debt securities may be made if there has occurred and is continuing a default in any payment with respect to senior indebtedness or an event of default with respect to any senior indebtedness resulting in the acceleration of its maturity, or if any judicial proceeding is pending with respect to any default.

 

“Indebtedness” of the applicable issuer, for purposes of each subordinated indenture, means:

 

 

provided, however, that such term shall not include any amounts included as deferred credits on the financial statements of Apache and computed in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

 

“Senior indebtedness” of the applicable issuer, for purposes of each subordinated indenture, means all indebtedness, whether outstanding on the date of execution of the subordinated indenture or thereafter created, assumed or incurred, except the applicable issuer’s obligation under the subordinated debt securities, indebtedness ranking equally with the subordinated debt securities or indebtedness ranking junior to the subordinated debt securities.

 

“Indebtedness ranking equally with the subordinated debt securities” of the applicable issuer, for purposes of each subordinated indenture, means indebtedness, whether outstanding on the date of execution of the subordinated indenture or thereafter created, assumed or incurred, to the extent the indebtedness specifically by its terms ranks equally with and not prior to the subordinated debt securities in the right of payment upon the happening of the dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization of the applicable issuer. The securing of any indebtedness otherwise constituting indebtedness ranking equally with the subordinated debt

securities will not prevent the indebtedness from constituting indebtedness ranking equally with the subordinated debt securities.

 

“Indebtedness ranking junior to the subordinated debt securities” of the applicable issuer, for purposes of each subordinated indenture, means any indebtedness, whether outstanding on the date of execution of the subordinated indenture or thereafter created, assumed or incurred, to the extent the indebtedness by its terms ranks junior to and not equally with or prior to

 

 

in right of payment upon the happening of the dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization of the applicable issuer. The securing of any indebtedness otherwise constituting indebtedness ranking junior to the subordinated debt securities will not prevent the indebtedness from constituting indebtedness ranking junior to the subordinated debt securities.

 

Guarantees

 

Unless we provide otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement,

 

 

Dividends and other distributions to us from our various subsidiaries may be subject to statutory, contractual and other restrictions (including, without limitation, exchange controls that may be applicable to foreign subsidiaries). The rights of our creditors to participate in the assets of any subsidiary upon that subsidiary’s liquidation or recapitalization will be subject to the prior claims of the subsidiary’s creditors, except to the extent that we may ourselves be a creditor with recognized claims against the subsidiary.

 

The claims of holders under the guarantees will be effectively subordinated to the claims of creditors of our subsidiaries other than, in the case of the debt securities, the applicable issuer. The indentures do not restrict the amount of indebtedness that we, the applicable issuers or our other subsidiaries may incur.

 

Our guarantee of the subordinated debt securities of each series will, to the extent set forth in the applicable subordinated indenture, be subordinate in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all of the Apache senior indebtedness with respect to such series. Upon any payment or distribution of our assets or securities to creditors upon any dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization, or any bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar proceeding in connection with any insolvency or bankruptcy proceedings of Apache, all amounts due upon all Apache senior indebtedness with respect to the subordinated debt securities of any series of the applicable issuer will first be paid in full, or payment thereof provided for in money in accordance with its terms, before the holders of the subordinated debt securities of such series are entitled to receive or retain any payment from us on account of principal of, or any premium or interest on, or any additional amounts with respect to, the subordinated debt securities of such series, and to that end the holders of such Apache senior indebtedness shall be entitled to receive, for application to the payment thereof, any payment or distribution by us of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, including any such payment or distribution which may be payable or deliverable by us by reason of the payment of any of our other indebtedness being subordinated to the payment of the subordinated debt securities of such series, which may be payable or deliverable by us in respect of the subordinated debt securities of such series upon

any such dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization or in any such bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar proceeding.

 

Because of such subordination, in the event of our liquidation or insolvency, holders of Apache senior indebtedness with respect to the subordinated debt securities of any series of the applicable issuer and holders of other obligations of ours that are not subordinated to such senior indebtedness may recover more, ratably, than the holders of the subordinated debt securities of such series of the applicable issuer.

 

No payments on account of principal or any premium or interest in respect of the subordinated debt securities of the applicable issuer may be made by Apache if there has occurred and is continuing a default in any payment with respect to Apache senior indebtedness or an event of default with respect to any Apache senior indebtedness resulting in the acceleration of its maturity, or if any judicial proceeding is pending with respect to any default.

 

“Apache indebtedness,” for purposes of the subordinated indenture of the applicable issuer, has the same meaning as “indebtedness” for purposes of the Apache subordinated indenture, as described above under “Description of Apache Corporation Debt Securities — Ranking — Subordinated Debt Securities.”

 

“Apache senior indebtedness” means, with respect to the subordinated debt securities of any particular series of the applicable issuer, all Apache indebtedness, whether outstanding on the date of execution of the applicable subordinated indenture or thereafter created, assumed or incurred, except Apache’s obligations under the guarantee in respect of the subordinated debt securities, Apache indebtedness ranking equally with the Apache guarantee of the subordinated debt securities or Apache indebtedness ranking junior to the Apache guarantee of the subordinated debt securities.

 

“Apache indebtedness ranking equally with the Apache guarantee of the subordinated debt securities” means, with respect to the subordinated debt securities of any particular series of the applicable issuer, Apache indebtedness, whether outstanding on the date of execution of the applicable subordinated indenture or thereafter created, assumed or incurred, to the extent the Apache indebtedness specifically by its terms ranks equally with and not prior to the Apache guarantee of the subordinated debt securities in the right of payment upon the happening of the dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization of Apache. The securing of any indebtedness otherwise constituting indebtedness ranking equally with the Apache guarantee of the subordinated debt securities will not prevent the indebtedness from constituting indebtedness ranking equally with the Apache guarantee of the subordinated debt securities.

 

“Apache indebtedness ranking junior to the Apache guarantee of the subordinated debt securities” means, with respect to the subordinated debt securities of any particular series of the applicable issuer, any Apache indebtedness, whether outstanding on the date of execution of the applicable subordinated indenture or thereafter created, assumed or incurred, to the extent the indebtedness by its terms ranks junior to and not equally with or prior to

 

 

in right of payment upon the happening of the dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization of Apache. The securing of any indebtedness otherwise constituting indebtedness ranking junior to the Apache guarantee of the subordinated debt securities will not prevent the indebtedness from constituting indebtedness ranking junior to the Apache guarantee of the subordinated debt securities.

 

Interest Rates and Discounts

 

The debt securities will earn interest at a fixed or floating rate or rates for the period or periods of time specified in the applicable prospectus supplement. Unless we and the applicable issuer specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the debt securities will bear interest on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months.

 

The applicable issuer may sell debt securities at a substantial discount below their stated principal amount, bearing no interest or interest at a rate that at the time of issuance is below market rates. We will describe the federal income tax consequences and the special considerations that apply to any series in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

Exchange, Registration and Transfer

 

Registered securities of any series that are not global securities will be exchangeable for other registered securities of the same series and of like aggregate principal amount and tenor in different authorized denominations. In addition, if debt securities of any series are issuable as both registered securities and bearer securities, the holder may choose, upon written request, and subject to the terms of the applicable indenture, to exchange bearer securities and the appropriate related coupons of that series into registered securities of the same series of any authorized denominations and of like aggregate principal amount and tenor. Bearer securities with attached coupons surrendered in exchange for registered securities between a regular record date or a special record date and the relevant date for interest payment shall be surrendered without the coupon relating to the interest payment date. Interest will not be payable with respect to the registered security issued in exchange for that bearer security. That interest will be payable only to the holder of the coupon when due in accordance with the terms of the applicable indenture. Bearer securities will not be issued in exchange for registered securities.

 

You may present registered securities for registration of transfer, together with a duly executed form of transfer, at the office of the security registrar or at the office of any transfer agent designated by the applicable issuer for that purpose with respect to any series of debt securities and referred to in the applicable prospectus supplement. This may be done without service charge but upon payment of any taxes and other governmental charges as described in the applicable indenture. The security registrar or the transfer agent will effect the transfer or exchange upon being satisfied with the documents of title and identity of the person making the request. The applicable issuer has appointed the trustee as security registrar for each indenture. If a prospectus supplement refers to any transfer agents initially designated by the applicable issuer with respect to any series of debt securities in addition to the security registrar, the applicable issuer may at any time rescind the designation of any of those transfer agents or approve a change in the location through which any of those transfer agents acts. If, however, debt securities of a series are issuable solely as registered securities, the applicable issuer will be required to maintain a transfer agent in each place of payment for that series, and if debt securities of a series are issuable as bearer securities, the applicable issuer will be required to maintain a transfer agent in a place of payment for that series located outside of the United States in addition to the security registrar. The applicable issuer may at any time designate additional transfer agents with respect to any series of debt securities.

 

In the event of any redemption, the applicable issuer will not be required to:

 

 

Payment and Paying Agents

 

Unless the applicable issuer specifies otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, payment of principal of, and any premium and interest on, bearer securities will be payable in accordance with any applicable laws and regulations, at the offices of those paying agents outside the United States that we or the applicable issuer may designate at various times. The applicable issuer will make interest payments on bearer securities and the attached coupons on any interest payment date only against surrender of the coupon relating to that interest payment date. No payment with respect to any bearer security will be made at any of our or the applicable issuer’s offices or agencies in the United States or by check mailed to any U.S. address or by transfer to an account maintained with a bank located in the United States. If, however, but only if, payment

in U.S. dollars of the full amount of principal of, and any premium and interest on, bearer securities denominated and payable in U.S. dollars at all offices or agencies outside the United States is illegal or effectively precluded by exchange controls or other similar restrictions, then those payments will be made at the office of our and the applicable issuer’s paying agent in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York.

 

Unless we or the applicable issuer specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, payment of principal of, and any premium and interest on, registered securities will be made at the office of the paying agent or paying agents that we designate at various times. At the applicable issuer’s option, however, it may make interest payments by check mailed to the address, as it appears in the security register, of the person entitled to the payments. Unless we and the applicable issuer specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the applicable issuer will make payment of any installment of interest on registered securities to the person in whose name that registered security is registered at the close of business on the regular record date for such interest.

 

Unless we and the applicable issuer specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the Corporate Trust Office of the trustee in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, will be designated:

 

 

The applicable issuer will name any paying agents outside the United States and any other paying agents in the United States initially designated by us for the debt securities in the applicable prospectus supplement. The applicable issuer may at any time designate additional paying agents or rescind the designation of any paying agent or approve a change in the office through which any paying agent acts. If, however, debt securities of a series are issuable solely as registered securities, the applicable issuer will be required to maintain a paying agent in each place of payment for that series. If debt securities of a series are issuable as bearer securities, the applicable issuer will be required to maintain:

 

 

If, however, the debt securities of that series are listed on the London Stock Exchange, the Luxembourg Stock Exchange or any other stock exchange located outside the United States, and if the stock exchange requires it, the applicable issuer will maintain a paying agent in London or Luxembourg or any other required city located outside the United States for those debt securities.

 

All monies the applicable issuer pays to a paying agent for the payment of principal of, and any premium or interest on, any debt security or coupon that remains unclaimed at the end of two years after becoming due and payable will be repaid to the applicable issuer or the guarantor, as the case may be. After that time, the holder of the debt security or coupon will look only to the applicable issuer or the guarantor, as the case may be, for payments out of those repaid amounts.

 

Global Securities

 

The debt securities of a series may be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more global certificates that the applicable issuer will deposit with a depository identified in the applicable prospectus supplement. Global securities may be issued in either registered or bearer form and in either temporary or

permanent form. Unless and until it is exchanged in whole or in part for the individual debt securities it represents, a global security may not be transferred except as a whole:

 

 

To the extent not described below and under the heading “Book-Entry Securities,” the applicable issuer will describe the terms of the depository arrangement with respect to a series of debt securities in the applicable prospectus supplement. The applicable issuer anticipates that the following provisions will generally apply to depository arrangements.

 

As long as the depository for a global security, or its nominee, is the registered owner of that global security, the depository or nominee will be considered the sole owner or holder of the debt securities represented by the global security for all purposes under the applicable indenture. Except as provided under “Book-Entry Securities” or in any applicable prospectus supplement, owners of beneficial interests in a global security:

 

 

The laws of some states require that some purchasers of securities take physical delivery of securities in definitive form. These laws may impair your ability to transfer beneficial interests in a global security.

 

Payments of principal of, and any premium and interest on, individual debt securities represented by a global security registered in the name of a depository or its nominee will be made to the depository or its nominee as the registered owner of the global security representing such debt securities. Neither the applicable issuer, the trustee, any paying agent nor the registrar for the debt securities will be responsible for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made by the depository or any participants on account of beneficial interests of the global security.

 

For a description of the depository arrangements for global securities held by The Depository Trust Company, see “Book-Entry Securities.”

 

The Senior Indentures Limit Our and the Applicable Issuer’s Ability to Incur Liens

 

Unless the applicable issuer specifies otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the senior indentures provide that none of us, the applicable issuer or any of our other subsidiaries may issue, assume or guarantee any notes, bonds, debentures or other similar evidences of indebtedness for money borrowed that are secured by a mortgage, lien, pledge, security interest or other encumbrance — defined in each senior indenture as “liens” — upon any of its property unless we provide that any and all senior debt securities then outstanding shall be secured by a lien equally and ratably with any and all other obligations secured by the lien. The restrictions on liens will not, however, apply to:

 

 

 

Notwithstanding the limitations on liens described above, we and any one or more or our subsidiaries may issue, assume or guarantee the following indebtedness secured by liens on assets without regard to the limitations described above: indebtedness in any aggregate principal amount that, together with the aggregate outstanding principal amount of all our other indebtedness and indebtedness of any of our subsidiaries so secured (excluding indebtedness secured by the permitted liens described above), and the aggregate amount of sale/leaseback transaction obligations that would otherwise be subject to the limitations on sale/leaseback transactions described below, does not at the time such indebtedness is incurred exceed 10 percent of our consolidated net worth as shown on our most recent audited consolidated balance sheet.

 

In addition, the following types of transactions, among others, shall not be deemed to create indebtedness secured by liens:

 

 

The Senior Indentures Limit Our and the Applicable Issuer’s Ability to Engage in Sale/Leaseback Transactions

 

Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the senior indentures provide that neither we, the applicable issuer nor any of our other subsidiaries will enter into any arrangement with any person, other than us or one of our subsidiaries, to lease any property to ourselves or a subsidiary of ours for more than three years. For the restriction to apply, we or one of our subsidiaries must sell or plan to sell the

property to the person leasing it to us or our subsidiary or to another person to which funds have been or are to be advanced on the security of the leased property. The limitation does not apply where:

 

 

Each Indenture Includes Events of Default

 

Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, any one of the following events will constitute an “event of default” under each indenture with respect to the debt securities of any series issued under that indenture:

 

 

Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, either of the following two events will also constitute an event of default under the applicable senior indenture with respect to any senior debt securities of the applicable issuer:

 

 

 

If an event of default with respect to the debt securities of any series, other than an event of default described in the item above pertaining to events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization, occurs and is continuing, either the trustee or the holders of at least 25 percent in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series may declare the principal amount of the debt securities of that series to be due and payable immediately. At any time after a declaration of acceleration has been made, but before a judgment or decree for payment of money due has been obtained by the trustee, and subject to applicable law and other provisions of the applicable indenture, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of that series may, under some circumstances, rescind and annul such acceleration. If an event of default occurs pertaining to events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization, the principal amount and accrued interest — or a lesser amount as provided for in the debt securities of that series — shall be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act by the trustee or any holder.

 

Within 90 days after the occurrence of any default under an indenture with respect to the debt securities of any series issued under that indenture, the trustee must transmit notice of the default to the holders of the debt securities of that series unless the default has been cured or waived. The trustee may withhold the notice, however, except in the case of a payment default, if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors or responsible officers of the trustee has in good faith determined that the withholding of the notice is in the interest of the holders of debt securities of that series.

 

If an event of default occurs and is continuing with respect to the debt securities of any series, the trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the holders of debt securities of that series by all appropriate judicial proceedings.

 

Subject to the duty of the trustee during any default to act with the required standard of care, the trustee is under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under an indenture at the request or direction of any of the holders of debt securities issued under that indenture, unless the holders offer the trustee reasonable indemnity. Subject to indemnifying the trustee, and subject to applicable law and other provisions of each indenture, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of a series issued under that indenture may direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the trustee, with respect to the debt securities of that series.

 

The Applicable Issuer is Obligated to Purchase Debt Securities Upon a Change in Control

 

If a change in control, as defined in each indenture, occurs, the applicable issuer must mail within 15 days a written notice regarding the change in control to the trustee and to every holder of the debt securities of each series issued under that indenture. The notice must also be published at least once in an authorized newspaper, as defined in each indenture, and must state:

 

 

 

After giving this notice the applicable issuer will be obligated, at the election of each holder, to purchase the applicable debt securities. Under each indenture, a change in control is deemed to have occurred when:

 

 

The applicable issuer will not purchase any debt securities if there has occurred and is continuing an event of default under either indenture, other than default in payment of the purchase price payable for the debt securities upon change in control. In connection with any purchase of debt securities after a change in control, we will comply with all federal and state securities laws, including, specifically, Rule 13e-4, if applicable, under the Exchange Act, and any related Schedule 13E-4 required to be submitted under that rule.

 

Discharge, Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance

 

We or the applicable issuer may discharge our obligations to holders of any series of debt securities that have not already been delivered to the trustee for cancellation and that:

 

 

To discharge the obligations with respect to a series of debt securities, we or the applicable issuer must deposit with the trustee, in trust, an amount of funds in U.S. dollars or in the foreign currency in which those debt securities are payable sufficient to pay the entire amount of principal of, and any premium or interest and any additional amounts on, those debt securities to the date of the deposit if those debt securities have become due and payable or to the maturity of the debt securities, as the case may be.

 

Unless we or the applicable issuer specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, we or the applicable issuer may elect

 

 

In the case of legal defeasance we and the applicable issuer will still retain some obligations in respect of the debt securities, including our obligations:

 

 

After a covenant defeasance, any omission to comply with the obligations or covenants that have been defeased shall not constitute a default or an event of default with respect to the debt securities.

 

To elect either legal defeasance or covenant defeasance we or the applicable issuer must deposit with the trustee, in trust, an amount, in U.S. dollars or in the foreign currency in which the relevant debt securities are payable at stated maturity, or in government obligations, as defined below, or both, applicable to such debt securities which through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in accordance with their terms will provide money in an amount sufficient to pay the principal of and any premium and interest on those debt securities on their scheduled due dates.

 

In addition, we or the applicable issuer can only elect legal defeasance or covenant defeasance if, among other things:

 

 

Each of the indentures deems a foreign currency to be any currency, currency unit or composite currency issued by the government of one or more countries other than the United States or by any recognized confederation or association of governments.

 

Each of the indentures defines government obligations as securities which are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer or issuers and are:

 

 

Government obligations also include a depositary receipt issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any government obligation described above or a specific payment of interest on or principal of or any other amount with respect to any government obligation held by that custodian for the account of the holder of such depositary receipt, as long as, except as required by law, that custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of the depositary receipt from any amount received by the custodian with respect to the government obligation or the specific payment of interest on or principal of or any other amount with respect to the government obligation evidenced by the depositary receipt.

 

Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, if, after we or the applicable issuer have deposited funds and/or government obligations to effect legal defeasance or covenant defeasance with respect to debt securities of any series, either:

 

 

the indebtedness represented by that debt security shall be deemed to have been, and will be, fully discharged and satisfied through the payment of the principal of, and any premium and interest on, that debt security as that debt security becomes due out of the proceeds yielded by converting the amount or other properties so deposited in respect of that debt security into the currency in which that debt security becomes payable as a result of the election or conversion event based on:

 

 

Each indenture defines a “conversion event” as the cessation of use of:

 

 

Unless otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus supplement, all payments of principal of, and any premium and interest on, any debt security that are payable in a foreign currency that ceases to be used by the government or confederation of issuance shall be made in U.S. dollars.

 

If we or the applicable issuer effect a covenant defeasance with respect to any debt securities and the debt securities are declared due and payable because of the occurrence of any event of default other than an event of default with respect to which there has been covenant defeasance, the amount in the foreign currency in which the debt securities are payable, and government obligations on deposit with the trustee, will be sufficient to pay amounts due on the debt securities at the time of the stated maturity but may not be sufficient to pay amounts due on the debt securities at the time of the acceleration resulting from the event of default. We and the applicable issuer would remain liable, however, for payment of the amounts due at the time of acceleration.

 

The applicable prospectus supplement may further describe the provisions, if any, permitting defeasance or covenant defeasance, including any modifications to the provisions described above, with respect to the debt securities of or within a particular series.

 

Under each indenture, we and the applicable issuer are required to furnish to the trustee annually a statement as to our performance of our obligations under such indenture and as to any default in such

performance. We are also required to deliver to the trustee, within five days after occurrence thereof, written notice of any event of default or event that after notice or lapse of time or both would constitute an event of default.

 

Modification and Waiver

 

We, the applicable issuer and the trustee may, without the consent of holders, modify provisions of each indenture for specified purposes, including, among other things, curing ambiguities and maintaining the qualification of the applicable indenture under the Trust Indenture Act. We, the applicable issuer and the trustee may modify other provisions of each indenture with the consent of the holders of not less than two-thirds in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of each series issued under the indenture affected by the modification. The provisions of the indenture, however, may not be modified without the consent of the holder of each debt security affected thereby if the modification would:

 

 

Assumption of the Obligations under the Debt Securities by Apache

 

Under each indenture, we may, at our option, assume the applicable issuer’s obligations under the debt securities if:

 

 

If we assume the applicable issuer’s obligations, as described above, we will be substituted for the applicable issuer for all purposes regarding the debt securities so assumed as if we had been the original issuer of the securities.

 

Assignment to Another Subsidiary

 

Under each indenture, the applicable issuer may assign its obligations under any series of debt securities to any of our other subsidiaries and the new subsidiary will be treated, for all purposes, as the applicable issuer’s successor with respect to the series of debt securities assigned, provided that the conditions described under “Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets” below are satisfied.

 

Payment of Additional Amounts

 

Unless we and the applicable issuer specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the applicable issuer must make all payments of, or in respect of, principal of and any premium and interest on the debt securities without withholding or deduction for any taxes imposed or levied by or on behalf of any Australian or Canadian taxing authorities, as the case may be. If the taxing authorities nonetheless require the applicable issuer to withhold taxes, the applicable issuer must pay as additional interest an amount that will result, after deducting the taxes, in the payment to the holder of the debt securities of the amount that would have been paid if no withholding was required. Except as otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, the applicable issuer is not required to pay this additional interest for or on account of:

 

 

 

The issuer also does not have to pay additional interest with respect to any payment of the principal of or any premium or interest on the debt security to any holder that is a fiduciary or partnership or other than the sole beneficial owner of the payment to the extent the payment would be required by the laws of Australia or Canada, as applicable, to be included in the income for tax purposes of a beneficiary or settlor with respect to a fiduciary or a member of the partnership or a beneficial owner who would not have been entitled to the additional interest if it held the debt security.

 

Any amounts paid by us, as guarantor, under the applicable indenture must be paid without withholding or deduction for any taxes imposed or levied by or on behalf of any U.S. taxing authority. If a U.S. taxing authority nonetheless requires us to withhold taxes, we must pay an additional amount so that the net amount paid to the holder, after deducting the taxes, is not less than the amount then due and payable on the debt securities. We are not required to pay this additional amount to any holder of a debt security who is:

 

 

Where this prospectus mentions, in any context, the payment of principal of, or any premium or interest on, or in respect of, the debt securities of any series or the net proceeds received on the sale or exchange of the debt securities, this amount shall be deemed to include the payment of additional amounts provided for in the applicable indenture to the extent that the additional amounts are, were or would be payable under such applicable indenture.

 

Redemption for Taxation Reasons

 

Unless we and the applicable issuer specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, if Australian or Canadian taxing authorities, as the case may be, change or amend their laws, regulations or published tax rulings or the official administration, application or interpretation of their laws, regulations or published tax rulings either generally or in relation to the debt securities, and the applicable issuer determines that:

 

 

 

If

 

 

then

 

 

then the applicable issuer or its successor may redeem all, but not less than all, of the debt securities of any series in respect of which any additional amounts would be so payable at any time, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ written notice as provided in the indenture, at a redemption price equal to 100 percent of the principal amount of the debt securities plus accrued interest to the date fixed for redemption, unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, except that any debt securities that are discounted debt securities may be redeemed at the price specified in the debt securities’ terms. No notice of redemption may be given earlier than 60 days before the earliest date on which a successor must pay any additional amounts if a payment was due in respect of the debt securities. Also, at the time any redemption notice is given, the successor’s obligation to pay any additional amounts must remain in effect.

 

Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets

 

We may, without the consent of the holders of the debt securities, consolidate or merge with or into, or convey, transfer or lease our properties and assets as an entirety, or substantially as an entirety, to any person that is a corporation or limited liability company organized and validly existing under the laws of any

domestic jurisdiction. We may also permit any of those persons to consolidate with or merge into us or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to us, as long as:

 

 

The applicable issuer may, without the consent of the holders of the debt securities, consolidate or merge into, or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any person that is a corporation, partnership, joint-stock company or limited liability company or permit any such person to consolidate with or merge into or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to us or the applicable issuer, as long as the person assumes the applicable issuer’s obligations on the debt securities and under the indenture, and immediately after the transaction, no event of default, and no event which, after notice or lapse of time or both, would become an event of default, under the indenture has occurred.

 

Also, the successor person to us or the applicable issuer must expressly agree in a supplemental indenture:

 

 

 

If we, the applicable issuer or the successor person deliver an opinion of an independent counsel or a tax consultant of recognized standing that the holder will not recognize income, gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a result of the transaction, a holder will have this right to indemnification only if and when gain for U.S. federal income tax purposes is actually recognized by the holder.

 

Service of Process

 

Under each applicable indenture, each of Apache Australia, Apache Canada and Apache Canada II will irrevocably appoint CT Corporation System, 111 8th Avenue, New York, New York 10011, as its agent for service of process in any suit, action or proceeding with respect to the indenture, the debt securities or the guarantees issued thereunder and for actions brought under the federal or state securities laws brought in any federal or state court located in New York City, and submitted to jurisdiction in New York.

 

Since a substantial portion of each of Apache Australia’s, Apache Canada’s and Apache Canada II’s assets are outside the United States, any judgment obtained in the United States against Apache Australia, Apache Canada or Apache Canada II or, including judgments with respect to the payment of principal or interest on the securities, may not be collectible in the United States.

 

Governing Law

 

Each indenture, the debt securities and the guarantees are governed by and construed under the laws of the State of New York, without regard to the principles of conflicts of laws, except as may otherwise be required by mandatory provisions of law. All matters governing the authorization and execution of the indenture and the debt securities by Apache Australia, Apache Canada and Apache Canada II will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Australian Capital Territory, Australia and Nova Scotia, Canada, respectively.

 

Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, we, Apache Australia, Apache Canada or Apache Canada II, as the case may be, will issue to investors securities, other than Apache common stock, in the form of one or more book-entry certificates registered in the name of a depository or a nominee of a depository. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, the depository will be The Depository Trust Company, also referred to as DTC. We have been informed by DTC that its nominee will be Cede & Co. Accordingly, Cede is expected to be the initial registered holder of all securities that are issued in book-entry form.

 

No person that acquires a beneficial interest in securities issued in book-entry form will be entitled to receive a certificate representing those securities, except as set forth in this prospectus or in the applicable prospectus supplement. Unless and until definitive securities are issued under the limited circumstances described below, all references to actions by holders or beneficial owners of securities issued in book-entry form will refer to actions taken by DTC upon instructions from its participants, and all references to payments and notices to holders or beneficial owners will refer to payments and notices to DTC or Cede, as the registered holder of such securities.

 

DTC has informed us that it is:

 

 

DTC has also informed us that it was created to:

 

 

Participants have accounts with DTC and include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations. Indirect access to the DTC system also is available to indirect participants such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a participant, either directly or indirectly.

 

Persons that are not participants or indirect participants but desire to buy, sell or otherwise transfer ownership of or interests in securities may do so only through participants and indirect participants. Under the book-entry system, beneficial owners may experience some delay in receiving payments, as payments will be forwarded by our agent to Cede, as nominee for DTC. DTC will forward these payments to its participants, which thereafter will forward them to indirect participants or beneficial owners. Beneficial owners will not be recognized by the applicable registrar, transfer agent, trustee or depositary as registered holders of the securities entitled to the benefits of the certificate, the indenture or any deposit agreement. Beneficial owners

that are not participants will be permitted to exercise their rights as an owner only indirectly through participants and, if applicable, indirect participants.

 

Under the current rules and regulations affecting DTC, DTC will be required to make book-entry transfers of securities among participants and to receive and transmit payments to participants. Participants and indirect participants with which beneficial owners of securities have accounts are also required by these rules to make book-entry transfers and receive and transmit such payments on behalf of their respective account holders.

 

Because DTC can act only on behalf of participants, who in turn act only on behalf of other participants or indirect participants, and on behalf of banks, trust companies and other persons approved by it, the ability of a beneficial owner of securities issued in book-entry form to pledge those securities to persons or entities that do not participate in the DTC system may be limited due to the unavailability of physical certificates for the securities.

 

DTC has advised us that it will take any action permitted to be taken by a registered holder of any securities under the certificate, the indenture or any deposit agreement only at the direction of one or more participants to whose accounts with DTC the securities are credited.

 

According to DTC, the information with respect to DTC has been provided to its participants and other members of the financial community for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a representation, warranty, or contract modification of any kind.

 

Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, a book-entry security will be exchangeable for definitive securities registered in the names of persons other than DTC or its nominee only if:

 

 

Any book-entry security that is exchangeable in accordance with the preceding sentence will be exchangeable for securities registered in such names as DTC directs.

 

If one of the events described in the immediately preceding paragraph occurs, DTC is generally required to notify all participants of the availability through DTC of definitive securities. Upon surrender by DTC of the book-entry security representing the securities and delivery of instructions for re-registration, the registrar, transfer agent, trustee or depositary, as the case may be, will reissue the securities as definitive securities. After reissuance of the securities, such persons will recognize the beneficial owners of such definitive securities as registered holders of securities.

 

Except as described above:

 

 

None of us, the trustee, any registrar and transfer agent or any depositary, or any agent of any of them, will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of DTC’s or any participant’s records relating to, or for payments made on account of, beneficial interests in a book-entry security.

 

We may sell our securities through agents, underwriters or dealers, or directly to purchasers.

 

We may designate agents to solicit offers to purchase our securities.

 

 

We may use one or more underwriters in the offer or sale of our securities.

 

 

We may use a dealer to sell our securities.

 

 

We may directly solicit offers to purchase our securities, and we may directly sell our securities to institutional or other investors. We will describe the terms of our direct sales in our prospectus supplement.

 

We may indemnify agents, underwriters and dealers against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

 

We may authorize our agents and underwriters to solicit offers by certain institutions to purchase our securities at the public offering price under delayed delivery contracts.

 

 

Any underwriter to whom securities are sold by us for public offering and sale may make a market in such securities, but such underwriters will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. The applicable prospectus supplement will identify any underwriters, dealers or agents and will describe their compensation. We, Apache Australia, Apache Canada or Apache Canada II may have agreements with the underwriters, dealers and agents to indemnify them against some civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. Underwriters, dealers and agents may engage in transactions with or perform services for us or our subsidiaries in the ordinary course of their businesses.

 

Other than our common stock, and unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, each class or series of securities offered by this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement will be a new issue of securities with no established trading market. The securities may or may not be listed on a national securities exchange or a foreign securities exchange, except for the common stock which is currently listed and traded on the NYSE, the Nasdaq Global Select Market and the Chicago Stock Exchange. We cannot give you any assurance as to the liquidity of or the trading markets for any securities.

 

An investment in us by an employee benefit plan is subject to additional considerations to the extent that the investments by these plans are subject to the fiduciary responsibility and prohibited transaction provisions of ERISA, and restrictions imposed by Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code. For these purposes, the term “employee benefit plan” includes, but is not limited to, certain qualified pension, profit-sharing and stock bonus plans, Keogh plans, simplified employee pension plans and individual retirement annuities or accounts (IRAs) established or maintained by an employer or employee organization. Incident to making an investment in us, among other things, consideration should be given by an employee benefit plan to:

 

 

In addition, the person with investment discretion with respect to the assets of an employee benefit plan or other arrangement that is covered by the prohibited transactions restrictions of the Internal Revenue Code, often called a fiduciary, should determine whether an investment in us is authorized by the appropriate governing instrument and is a proper investment for the plan or arrangement.

 

Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code prohibit certain employee benefit plans, and Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code prohibits IRAs and certain other arrangements that are not considered part of an employee benefit plan, from engaging in specified transactions involving “plan assets” with parties that are “parties in interest” under ERISA or “disqualified persons” under the Internal Revenue Code with respect to the plan or other arrangement that is covered by ERISA or the Internal Revenue Code.

 

The U.S. Department of Labor regulations provide guidance with respect to whether the assets of an entity in which employee benefit plans or other arrangements described above acquire equity interests would be deemed “plan assets” under some circumstances. Under these regulations, an entity’s assets would not be considered to be “plan assets” if, among other things:

 

 

Our assets should not be considered “plan assets” under these regulations because the investment in our common stock will satisfy the requirements in the first bullet point above.

 

Plan fiduciaries contemplating a purchase of common stock should consult with their own counsel regarding the consequences of such purchase under ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code in light of possible personal liability for any breach of fiduciary duties and the imposition of serious penalties on persons who engage in prohibited transactions under ERISA or the Internal Revenue Code.

 

The validity of the securities, as to matters of United States law and other customary legal matters relating to the offering the securities issued by us, will be passed upon for us by Andrews Kurth LLP, Houston, Texas. If the securities are being distributed through underwriters or agents, the validity of the securities will be passed upon for the underwriters or agents by counsel identified in the related prospectus supplement.

 

The validity of the securities issued by (a) Apache Canada and Apache Canada II and particular matters concerning the laws of Canada and Nova Scotia will be passed upon by Bennett Jones LLP, Calgary, Alberta, Canada and McInnes Cooper, Nova Scotia, Canada, respectively and (b) Apache Australia and particular matters concerning the laws of Australia and Australian Capital Territory will be passed upon by Allens Arthur Robinson, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

 

The consolidated financial statements of Apache Corporation appearing in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006 and our management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2006 included therein, have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their reports thereon included therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements and management’s assessment are incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such reports given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

The information incorporated by reference into this prospectus regarding our total proved reserves was prepared by Apache and reviewed by Ryder Scott Company Petroleum Engineers, as stated in their letter reports, and is incorporated by reference in reliance upon the authority of said firm as experts in such matters.

 

 

 

$                 

 

Apache Corporation

 

     % Notes due 2013

 

 

PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

 

April   , 2007

 

 

 

Joint Book-Running Managers

 

Citigroup

 

UBS Investment Bank

 

 

 

Co-Managers

 

ABN AMRO Incorporated

Barclays Capital

Calyon Securities (USA)

HSBC

SOCIETE GENERALE

Wells Fargo Securities