Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership (Form 4)

FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b). Check this box to indicate that a transaction was made pursuant to a contract, instruction or written plan that is intended to satisfy the affirmative defense conditions of Rule 10b5-1(c). See Instruction 10.

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * Mulacek Phil E 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 __X__ 10% Owner _____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) (Last) (First) (Middle) 25025 I 45 NORTH, SUITE 420 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 04/15/2026 (Street) THE WOODLANDS, TX 77380 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction 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 04/15/2026 M 2,089,100(1) A $2.99 9,401,581 D Common Stock 04/15/2026 M 67,148(1) A $2.99 919,812 I By Petroleum Independent & Exploration LLC Common Stock 04/15/2026 M 51,692(1) A $2.99 592,318 I By Big Red Revocable Trust Common Stock 04/15/2026 M 45,378(1) A $2.99 578,746 I By Five Sterling LP Common Stock 04/15/2026 M 620(1) A $2.99 44,023 I By spouse

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction 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 (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (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

Subscription Rights (right to buy)

$2.99(2)

04/15/2026

M

7,312,481(3)

02/02/2026

03/18/2026

Common Stock

2,089,100(3)

$ 0

$ 0

D

Subscription Rights (right to buy)

$2.99(2)

04/15/2026

M

852,664(3)

02/02/2026

03/18/2026

Common Stock

67,148(3)

$ 0

$ 0

I

By Petroleum Independent & Exploration LLC

Subscription Rights (right to buy)

$2.99(2)

04/15/2026

M

540,626(3)

02/02/2026

03/18/2026

Common Stock

51,692(3)

$ 0

$ 0

I

By Big Red Revocable Trust

Subscription Rights (right to buy)

$2.99(2)

04/15/2026

M

533,368(3)

02/02/2026

03/18/2026

Common Stock

45,378(3)

$ 0

$ 0

I

By Five Sterling LP

Subscription Rights (right to buy)

$2.99(2)

04/15/2026

M

43,403(3)

02/02/2026

03/18/2026

Common Stock

620(3)

$ 0

$ 0

I

By spouse

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Mulacek Phil E 25025 I 45 NORTH SUITE 420 THE WOODLANDS, TX 77380	X	X

Signatures

/s/ Phil E. Mulacek		04/28/2026
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	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).
(1)	Represents shares of the Issuer's common stock purchased by the reporting person following the exercise of subscription rights, including over-subscription rights, pursuant to the Issuer's rights offering to holders of common stock, as described in the Issuer's prospectus supplement dated February 2, 2026, as supplemented by the Issuer's prospectus supplement dated February 25, 2026 (the "Rights Offering").
(2)	Represents the exercise price of $2.99 per whole share of common stock in the Rights Offering.
(3)	Each holder of common stock of record as of February 2, 2026 received one right for each share of common stock, and each right carried with it a basic subscription right, which entitled the holder to purchase 0.095 of a share of common stock, and an over-subscription right, which entitled holders that exercised their basic subscription rights in full to subscribe for additional shares of common stock that were not purchased by other stockholders pursuant to their basic subscription rights, subject to proration. Includes any shares purchased pursuant to the exercise of over-subscription rights in connection with the Rights' Offering.

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