EP Empire Petroleum Corporation

FORM 4 [ ] Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).	UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES	OMB APPROVAL OMB Number: 3235-0287 Estimated average burden hours per response... 0.5
	Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * Pritchard Thomas W.	2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol EMPIRE PETROLEUM CORP [ EP ]	5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director                    _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below)    _____ Other (specify below) Chief Executive Officer
(Last)          (First)          (Middle) 2200 S. UTICA PLACE, SUITE 150	3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YYYY) 1/4/2023
(Street) TULSA, OK 74114 (City)        (State)        (Zip)	4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YYYY)	6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) _X _ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Trans. Date	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	3. Trans. Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
			Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price
Common Stock	1/4/2023		X		312918	A	$1.32	601968	D
Common Stock	1/4/2023		X		31472	A	$1.40	633440	D

Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivate Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Trans. Date	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	4. Trans. Code (Instr. 8)		5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)		8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)	10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
				Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares
Common Stock Optioin (Right to Buy)	$1.32 (1)	1/4/2023		M			354100	4/3/2019 (2)	4/2/2029	Common Stock	354100 (3)	$0	0	D
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$1.40 (1)	1/4/2023		M			35900	12/31/2020	4/2/2029	Common Stock	35900 (4)	$0	464100 (1)	D

Explanation of Responses:
(1)	As adjusted to give effect to Empire's 1-for-4 reverse common stock split which became effective on March 7, 2022 ("Reverse Stock Split").
(2)	The option vested in three installments as follows: 312,500 on April 3, 2019; 156,250 on April 3, 2020; and 156,250 on April 3, 2021 (as adjusted for the Reverse Stock Split).
(3)	Of the 354,100 shares, 41,182 were surrendered to Empire in connection with a cashless exercise.
(4)	Of the 35,900 shares, 4,428 were surrendered to Empire in connection with a cashless exercise.

Reporting Owners
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Pritchard Thomas W. 2200 S. UTICA PLACE SUITE 150 TULSA, OK 74114	X		Chief Executive Officer

Signatures
/s/ Thomas W. Pritchard		1/6/2023
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
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