Prairie Operating (PROP) S-3/AShelf registration (amended)

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 22, 2024

Registration No. 333-282730

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

Amendment No. 1

to

FORM S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Under

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after this registration statement becomes effective.

If the only securities being registered on this form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. ☐

If any of the securities being registered on this form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box: ☒

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐

If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☐

If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐

The Registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This registration statements contains three prospectuses:

The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.

Subject to completion, dated November 22, 2024

PROSPECTUS

Prairie Operating Co.

$250,000,000

Common Stock

Preferred Stock

Warrants

Units

Rights

From time to time we may offer and sell shares of our common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Common Stock”), preferred stock, warrants, units and rights. The aggregate initial offering price of all shares of Common Stock sold by us under this prospectus will not exceed $250,000,000.

We may offer and sell these securities from time to time in amounts, at prices and on terms to be determined by market conditions and other factors at the time of our offerings. This prospectus provides you with a general description of these securities and the general manner in which we will offer the securities. Each time securities are offered, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. Any prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus.

Our Common Stock is traded on the Nasdaq Capital Market (the “Nasdaq”) under the symbol “PROP.” On November 21, 2024, the closing price of our Common Stock was $8.21.

You should read carefully this prospectus, the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement before you invest. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 5 of this prospectus for information on certain risks related to the purchase of our securities.

We may sell the securities directly or to or through underwriters or dealers, and also to other purchasers or through agents. The names of any underwriters or agents that are included in a sale of securities to you, and any applicable commissions or discounts, will be stated in any accompanying prospectus supplement. In addition, the underwriters, if any, may over-allot a portion of the securities.

Neither the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) 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                 , 2024.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we have filed with the SEC using a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may offer and sell from time to time the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities that are registered hereunder that may be offered by us. Each time we offer the securities, we will provide you with a prospectus supplement that will describe, among other things, the specific amounts and prices of the securities being offered and the terms of the offering.

Any prospectus supplement may add, update, or change information contained in this prospectus. Any statement that we make in this prospectus will be modified or superseded by any inconsistent statement made by us in any prospectus supplement. The information in this prospectus is accurate as of its date. Additional information, including our financial statements and the notes thereto, is incorporated in this prospectus by reference to our reports filed with the SEC. Therefore, before you invest in our securities, you should carefully read this prospectus and any prospectus supplement relating to the securities offered to you together with the additional information incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement (including the documents described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Documents Incorporated by Reference” in both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement).

You should rely only on the information contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement. We have not authorized any other person to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. Neither we nor anyone acting on our behalf is making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should not assume that the information incorporated by reference or provided in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of those documents.

Unless the context otherwise requires, throughout this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement, the words “we,” “us,” the “registrant,” “the Company,” or “Prairie” refer to Prairie Operating Co.; and the term “securities” refers to the shares of our Common Stock registered hereunder.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We have filed a registration statement with the SEC under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), that registers the offer and sale of the securities covered by this prospectus. The registration statement, including the exhibits attached thereto and incorporated by reference therein, contains additional relevant information about us. In addition, we file annual, quarterly and other reports and other information with the SEC. The SEC maintains a website that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC. Our SEC filings are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

We make available free of charge on or through our website, https://investors.prairieopco.com, our filings with the SEC pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. We make our website content available for information purposes only. Information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus and does not constitute a part of this prospectus.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” the information we have filed with the SEC. This means that we can disclose important information to you without actually including the specific information in this prospectus by referring you to other documents filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is an important part of this prospectus. Information that we later provide to the SEC, and which is deemed to be “filed” with the SEC, will automatically update information previously filed with the SEC, and may update or replace information in this prospectus and information previously filed with the SEC.

We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any filings we make with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (excluding information deemed to be furnished and not filed with the SEC), after the date on which the registration statement was initially filed with the SEC (including all such documents that we may file with the SEC after the date the registration statement was initially filed and prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement) until all offerings under the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part are completed or terminated:

These reports contain important information about us, our financial condition and our results of operations.

You may obtain copies of any of the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus from the SEC through the SEC’s website at the address provided above. You also may request a copy of any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus (including exhibits to those documents specifically incorporated by reference in this prospectus), at no cost, by contacting us at:

Prairie Operating Co.

Attention: Investor Relations

55 Waugh Drive, Suite 400

Houston, Texas 77007

(713) 424-4247

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the documents incorporated by reference herein or therein contain, or may contain, statements that are forward-looking and as such are not historical facts. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding future financial performance, business strategies, expansion plans, future results of operations, estimated revenues, losses, projected costs, prospects, plans and objectives of management. These forward-looking statements are based on our management’s current expectations, estimates, projections and beliefs, as well as a number of assumptions concerning future events, and are not guarantees of performance. Such statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. When used in this prospectus or in the documents incorporated by reference, words such as “may,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “believe,” “estimate,” “continue,” “project” or the negative of such terms or other similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements in this prospectus and in any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus may include, for example, statements about:

Our SEC filings are available publicly on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements. Accordingly, forward-looking statements in this prospectus and in any document incorporated herein by reference should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any subsequent date, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.

All forward-looking statements, expressed or implied, included in this prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. This cautionary statement should also be considered in connection with any subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements that we or persons acting on our behalf may issue.

ABOUT Prairie operating co.

Prairie Operating Co. is an independent oil and gas company focused on the acquisition and development of crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids. Our assets and operations are concentrated in the oil and liquids-rich regions of the Denver-Julesburg (DJ) Basin, with a primary focus on the Niobrara and Codell formations. We are committed to the responsible development of our oil and natural gas resources and are focused on maximizing returns through consistent growth, capital discipline, and sustainable cash flow generation.

Corporate Information

Our principal executive offices are located at 55 Waugh Drive, Suite 400, Houston, Texas 77007, and our telephone number at that location is (713) 424-4247. Our website can be found at https://investors.prairieopco.com. The information contained on our website or that can be accessed through our website is not part of this prospectus and you should not rely on that information when making a decision on whether to invest in our securities.

Implications of a Smaller Reporting Company

We are a “smaller reporting company” as defined under the Securities Act and Exchange Act. We may continue to be a smaller reporting company so long as either (i) the market value of shares of our Common Stock held by non-affiliates is less than $250 million or (ii) our annual revenue was less than $100 million during the most recently completed fiscal year and the market value of shares of our Common Stock held by non-affiliates is less than $700 million. As a smaller reporting company, we may choose to present only the two most recent fiscal years of audited financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and have reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation, and, if we are a smaller reporting company under the requirements of (ii) above, we would not be required to obtain an attestation report on internal control over financial reporting issued by our independent registered public accounting firm.

RISK FACTORS

An investment in our securities involves a significant degree of risk. Before you invest in our securities, you should carefully consider those risk factors included in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, any subsequently filed Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and any subsequently filed Current Reports on Form 8-K, each of which is incorporated herein by reference, and those risk factors that may be included in any applicable prospectus supplement, together with all of the other information included in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the documents we incorporate by reference, in evaluating an investment in our securities. If any of these risks were actually to occur, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially adversely affected. Additional risks not presently known to us or that we currently believe are immaterial may also significantly impair our business operations and financial condition. Please read “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”

USE OF PROCEEDS

Unless otherwise specified in an accompanying prospectus supplement, we will use the net proceeds we receive from the sale of the securities covered by this prospectus for general corporate purposes, which may include, among other things, investments in our subsidiaries, investment in existing or future projects, repurchasing or redeeming our securities, paying or refinancing all or a portion of our indebtedness at the time, and funding acquisitions, capital expenditures, and working capital.

The actual application of the net proceeds from the sale of any particular offering of securities using this prospectus will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to such offering.

CERTAIN INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS

Information regarding material U.S. federal income tax consequences to persons investing in the securities offered by this prospectus will be set forth in an applicable prospectus supplement. You are urged to consult your own tax advisors prior to any acquisition of our securities.

DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

The following summary of the capital stock and our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation (“Charter”) and amended and restated bylaws (“Bylaws”) does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to our Charter and Bylaws, copies of which are included as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. You should also be aware that the summary below does not give full effect to the provisions of statutory or common law that may affect your rights as a stockholder.

Our authorized capital stock consists of 500,000,000 shares of Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share, of which 22,925,161 shares were issued and outstanding as of November 22, 2024, and 50,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.01 par value per share, of which 14,456.68 shares of Series D convertible preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Series D Preferred Stock”), were issued and outstanding as of November 22, 2024.

The number of authorized shares of Common Stock or preferred stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding plus the number reserved for issuance upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of outstanding securities) by the affirmative vote of the majority of the voting power of the outstanding shares of stock of the Company entitled to vote generally on the election of directors, voting as a single class, irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”) (or any successor provision thereto), and no vote of the holders of either Common Stock or preferred stock voting separately as a class or series shall be required therefor.

Description of Common Stock

Except as provided by law or in a preferred stock designation, holders of Common Stock are entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders, will have the exclusive right to vote for the election of directors and do not have cumulative voting rights. The Company does not have a classified board, as all directors are elected annually. Except as otherwise required by law, holders of Common Stock are not entitled to vote on any amendment to our Charter (including any certificate of designations relating to any series of preferred stock) that relates solely to the terms of any outstanding series of preferred stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to our Charter (including any certificate of designations relating to any series of preferred stock) or pursuant to the DGCL. Subject to prior rights and preferences that may be applicable to any outstanding shares or series of preferred stock, holders of Common Stock are entitled to receive ratably in proportion to the shares of Common Stock held by them such dividends (payable in cash, stock or otherwise), if any, as may be declared from time to time by our board of directors out of funds legally available for dividend payments. All outstanding shares of Common Stock are fully paid, and non-assessable, and all shares of Common Stock registered by this prospectus will be, when sold, validly issued, fully paid, and non-assessable. The holders of Common Stock have no preferences or rights of conversion, exchange, preemption, or other subscription rights. There are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to the Common Stock. In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, or winding-up of our affairs, holders of Common Stock will be entitled to share ratably in our assets in proportion to the shares of Common Stock held by them that are remaining after payment or provision for payment of all of our debts and obligations and after distribution in full of preferential amounts to be distributed to holders of outstanding shares of preferred stock, if any.

Registration Rights Agreements

In connection with the Standby Equity Purchase Agreement, the Company entered into a registration rights agreement with YA II PN, LTD., a Cayman Islands exempt limited partnership (“YA”) pursuant to which the Company agreed to file a registration statement registering the resale of 4,198,343 shares of Common Stock, consisting of (i) up to 100,000 shares of Common Stock issued to YA as consideration for its irrevocable commitment to purchase up to $40.0 million of Common Stock, at the time and in the amount as determined by the Company, under the Standby Equity Purchase Agreement and (ii) up to 4,098,343 shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to the Standby Equity Purchase Agreement, including upon the conversion of the convertible promissory note by YA on September 30, 2024 in the original principal amount of $15.0 million as part of the $40.0 million commitment.

On September 30, 2024, the Company entered into a registration rights agreement with investors pursuant to which the Company agreed to file a registration statement registering the resale of 1,827,040 shares of Common Stock and the shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of warrants to purchase up to 1,141,552 shares of Common Stock issued by the Company to the investors.

On August 14, 2023, the Company entered into a registration rights agreement with an investor, pursuant to which the Company agreed to file with the SEC a registration statement registering the resale of the shares of Common Stock underlying Series E Preferred Stock and warrants issued in connection therewith (the “Series E Registration Statement”), and the Company agreed to use its best efforts to have the Series E Registration Statement declared effective as promptly as possible after the filing thereof and within the timeframes specified in the Series E Registration Statement.

On May 3, 2023, the Company entered into a registration rights agreement with investors pursuant to which the Company agreed to file with the SEC a registration statement registering the resale of shares of Common Stock underlying Series D Preferred Stock and warrants issued in connection therewith (the “PIPE Resale Registration Statement” and together with the Series E Registration Statement, the “2023 Registration Statement”), and the Company agreed to use its best efforts to have the PIPE Resale Registration Statement declared effective as promptly as possible within the timeframes specified in the PIPE Resale Registration Statement. On December 6, 2023, the SEC declared the 2023 Registration Statement effective.

Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaws

Among other things, our Charter and Bylaws:

Forum Selection

Our Charter and Bylaws provide that unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware does not have jurisdiction, the Superior Court of the State of Delaware, or, if the Superior Court of the State of Delaware does not have jurisdiction, the United States District Court for the District of Delaware) will, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, is the sole and exclusive forum for:

Our Charter and Bylaws further provide that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the federal district courts of the United States of America will be the sole and exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action under the Securities Act. The provisions in our Charter and Bylaws do not apply to complaints asserting a cause of action under the Exchange Act. A stockholder may not waive compliance with the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder.

Our Charter and Bylaws also provide that any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our capital stock will be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to this forum selection provisions. However, it is possible that a court could find our forum selection provisions to be inapplicable or unenforceable.

Limitation of Liability and Indemnification Matters

Our Charter limits the liability of our directors for monetary damages for breach of their fiduciary duty as directors, except for liability that cannot be eliminated under the DGCL. Delaware law provides that directors of a company will not be personally liable for monetary damages for breach of their fiduciary duty as directors, except for liabilities:

Any amendment, repeal, or modification of these provisions will be prospective only and would not affect any limitation on liability of a director for acts or omissions that occurred prior to any such amendment, repeal, or modification.

Our Charter and Bylaws also provide that we will indemnify our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law. Our Charter and Bylaws also permit us to purchase insurance on behalf of any officer, director, employee, or other agent for any liability arising out of that person’s actions as our officer, director, employee, or agent, regardless of whether Delaware law would permit indemnification. We have obtained directors’ and officers’ insurance to cover our directors, officers, and some of our employees for certain liabilities. We have entered into indemnification agreements with each of our current directors and officers and intend to enter into indemnification agreements with each of our future directors and officers. These agreements require us to indemnify these individuals to the fullest extent permitted under Delaware law against liability that may arise by reason of their service to us, and to advance expenses incurred as a result of any proceeding against them as to which they could be indemnified. We believe that the limitation of liability provision in our Charter and the indemnification agreements facilitate our ability to continue to attract and retain qualified individuals to serve as directors and officers.

Anti-Takeover Effects of Certain Provisions of our Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, Amended and Restated Bylaws and the DGCL

Certain provisions of our Charter and Bylaws, which are summarized in the following paragraphs, may have the effect of discouraging potential acquisition proposals or making a tender offer or delaying or preventing a change in control, including changes a stockholder might consider favorable. Such provisions may also prevent or frustrate attempts by our stockholders to replace or remove our management. In particular, our Charter, our Bylaws and Delaware law, as applicable, among other things:

These provisions are expected to discourage certain types of coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids and to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of us to first negotiate with our board of directors. These provisions may delay or prevent someone from acquiring or merging with us, which may cause the market price of our Common Stock to decline.

Stockholders Agreement

The Company, Bristol Capital Advisors, LLC (“Bristol Capital Advisors”), Paul L. Kessler, Gary C. Hanna and Edward Kovalik entered into a Stockholders Agreement, dated as of May 3, 2023 (the “Stockholders Agreement”), pursuant to which the parties agreed to use reasonable best efforts, including taking certain necessary actions, to cause the board of directors to cause certain nominees to be elected to serve as a director on the board of directors under the following conditions: (i) one nominee designated by Bristol Capital Advisors and Paul L. Kessler, collectively, so long as Bristol Capital Advisors, Paul L. Kessler and their respective affiliates collectively beneficially own at least 50% of the number of shares of Common Stock collectively beneficially owned by such parties on of May 3, 2023; (ii) four nominees designated by Gary C. Hanna and Edward Kovalik (the “Prairie Members”) so long as the Prairie Members and their affiliates collectively beneficially own at least 50% of the number of shares of Common Stock collectively beneficially owned by such parties on of May 3, 2023; (iii) three nominees designated by the Prairie Members so long as the Prairie Members and their affiliates collectively beneficially own at least 40% (but less than 50%) of the number of shares of Common Stock collectively beneficially owned by such parties on of May 3, 2023; (iv) two nominees designated by the Prairie Members so long as the Prairie Members and their affiliates collectively beneficially own at least 30% (but less than 40%) of the number of shares of Common Stock collectively beneficially owned by such parties on of May 3, 2023; (v) one nominee designated by the Prairie Members so long as the Prairie Members and their affiliates collectively beneficially own at least 20% (but less than 30%) of the number of shares of Common Stock collectively beneficially owned by such parties on of May 3, 2023; and (vi) in the event of a vacancy on the board of directors, a replacement director designated by the party that designated the vacating director, provided that such upon such replacement, the total number of directors designated by such party does not exceed the total number of directors such party is entitled to designate pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement. The Stockholders Agreement was terminated effective November 15, 2024.

Advance Notice Bylaws. Our Bylaws contain an advance notice procedure for stockholder proposals to be brought before any meeting of stockholders, including proposed nominations of persons for election to our board of directors. Stockholders at any meeting will only be able to consider proposals or nominations specified in the notice of meeting or brought before the meeting by or at the direction of our board of directors or by a stockholder who was a stockholder of record on the record date for the meeting, who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who has given our corporate secretary timely written notice, in proper form, of the stockholder’s intention to bring that business before the meeting. Although our Bylaws do not give our board of directors the power to approve or disapprove stockholder nominations of candidates or proposals regarding other business to be conducted at a special or annual meeting, our Bylaws may have the effect of precluding the conduct of certain business at a meeting if the proper procedures are not followed, or may discourage or deter a potential acquirer from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect its own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to obtain control of us.

Interested Stockholder Transactions. We may become subject to Section 203 of the DGCL, which, subject to certain exceptions, prohibits “business combinations” between a publicly-held Delaware corporation and an “interested stockholder,” which is generally defined as a stockholder who becomes a beneficial owner of 15% or more of a Delaware corporation’s voting stock for a three-year period following the date that such stockholder became an interested stockholder.

Transfer Agent and Registrar

The transfer agent and registrar for our Common Stock is Vstock Transfer, LLC. The transfer agent’s telephone number and address are (212) 828-8436 and 18 Lafayette Place, Woodmere, New York 11598.

Listing

Our Common Stock is listed on the Nasdaq under the symbol “PROP.”

Description of Preferred Stock

Our Charter authorizes the board of directors, subject to any limitations prescribed by law, without further stockholder approval, to establish and to issue from time to time one or more series of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share, covering up to an aggregate of 50,000,000 shares of preferred stock. The specific terms and conditions of the series of the preferred stock will be described in a supplement to this prospectus. Each series of preferred stock will cover the number of shares and will have the powers, preferences, privileges, rights, qualifications, limitations and restrictions determined by the board of directors, which may include, among others, dividend rights, liquidation preferences, voting rights, whether subject to retirement or sinking funds, conversion rights, preemptive rights and redemption rights. Except as provided by law or in a preferred stock designation, the holders of preferred stock are not entitled to vote at or receive notice of any meeting of stockholders.

Description of Warrants

Set forth below is a description of the general terms and conditions of the warrants that may be offered under this prospectus. The specific terms and conditions of the warrants will be described in a supplement to this prospectus. Any prospectus supplement may add, change, update, or supersede the terms and conditions of the warrants as described in this prospectus. To the extent the information contained in the prospectus supplement differs from the summary set forth below, you should rely on the information in the prospectus supplement. The summary below and in the prospectus supplement do not contain all of the information that you may find useful or that may be important to you. You should refer to the provisions of the warrant agreement and warrant certificate because those documents, and not the summaries, define your rights as a holder of the warrants.

General

We may issue warrants for the purchase of our Common Stock or preferred stock. Warrants may be issued independently or together with any of our Common Stock, preferred stock, or rights offered by a prospectus supplement, and may be attached to or separate from those offered securities. Any series of warrants may be issued under a separate warrant agreement to be entered into between us and a bank or trust company, as warrant agent, all as further set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to the particular issue of warrants. A copy of the form of any such warrant agreement, including the form of warrant certificate representing the warrants, will be filed with the SEC in connection with the offering of particular warrants.

Terms of Warrants

The prospectus supplement relating to a particular issue of warrants to purchase our Common Stock or preferred stock will describe the terms of those warrants, which may include, without limitation, one or more of the following:

Exercise of Warrants

Each warrant will entitle the holder of the warrant to purchase at the exercise price set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement the number of shares of Common Stock or preferred stock being offered. Holders may exercise warrants at any time up to the close of business on the expiration date set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the expiration date, unexercised warrants will be void. Holders may exercise warrants as described in the prospectus supplement relating to the warrants being offered.

Until a holder exercises the warrants to purchase shares of our Common Stock or preferred stock, the holder will not have any rights as a holder of shares of our Common Stock or preferred stock, as the case may be, by virtue of ownership of the warrants.

Description of Units

Set forth below is a description of the general terms and conditions of the units that may be offered under this prospectus. The specific terms and conditions of the units will be described in a supplement to this prospectus. Any prospectus supplement may add, change, update, or supersede the terms and conditions of the units as described in this prospectus. To the extent the information contained in the prospectus supplement differs from the summary set forth below, you should rely on the information in the prospectus supplement. The summary below and in the prospectus supplement do not contain all of the information that you may find useful or that may be important to you. You should refer to the provisions of the unit agreement because that document, and not the summaries, define your rights as a holder of the units.

We may issue units consisting of one or more shares of Common Stock, shares of preferred stock, warrants, rights, or any combination of such securities under this prospectus. The specific terms and conditions of the units will be described in a supplement to this prospectus which may include, without limitation, one or more of the following:

Description of Rights

Set forth below is a description of the general terms and conditions of the rights that may be offered under this prospectus. The specific terms and conditions of the rights will be described in a supplement to this prospectus. Any prospectus supplement may add, change, update, or supersede the terms and conditions of the rights as described in this prospectus. To the extent the information contained in the prospectus supplement differs from the summary set forth below, you should rely on the information in the prospectus supplement. The summary below and in the prospectus supplement do not contain all of the information that you may find useful or that may be important to you. You should refer to the provisions of the rights agent or subscription agent agreement and rights certificate because those documents, and not the summaries, define your rights as a holder of the rights.

General

We may issue rights to purchase Common Stock, preferred stock, or warrants. The rights may or may not be transferable by the persons purchasing or receiving the rights. In connection with any rights issuance, we may enter into a standby underwriting or other arrangement with one or more underwriters or other persons pursuant to which such underwriters or other persons would purchase any offered securities remaining unsubscribed for after such rights issuance. Rights may be issued independently or together with any of our Common Stock, preferred stock, or warrants offered by a prospectus supplement, and may be attached to or separate from those offered securities. Each series of rights will be issued under a separate rights agent or subscription agent agreement to be entered into between us and a bank or trust company, as rights agent or subscription agent, as applicable, all as further set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to the particular issue of rights. The rights agent or subscription agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the rights and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders of rights certificates or beneficial owners of rights. A copy of the form of rights agent or subscription agent agreement, including the form of rights certificate representing rights, will be filed with the SEC in connection with the offering of particular rights.

Terms of Rights

The prospectus supplement relating to a particular issue of rights to purchase our Common Stock, preferred stock, or warrants will describe the terms of those rights, which may include, without limitation, one or more of the following:

Exercise of Rights

Each right would entitle the holder of the right to purchase at the exercise price set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement the number of shares of Common Stock or preferred stock or warrants being offered. Holders may exercise rights at any time up to the close of business on the expiration date set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the expiration date, unexercised rights will be void. Holders may exercise rights as described in the prospectus supplement relating to the rights being issued. If less than all of the rights issued in any rights offering are exercised, we may offer any unsubscribed securities directly to persons other than our security holders, to or through agents, underwriters, or dealers, or through a combination of such methods, including pursuant to standby arrangements, as described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Until a holder exercises the rights to purchase shares of our Common Stock or preferred stock or warrants, the holder will not have any rights as a holder of shares of our Common Stock or preferred stock or warrants, as the case may be, by virtue of ownership of the rights.

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We may sell the securities offered by this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement pursuant to underwritten public offerings (whether on a firm commitment, “best efforts,” or other basis), at-the-market offerings, negotiated transactions, block trades, or a combination of these methods. We may sell the securities to or through agents, underwriters, or dealers, directly to one or more purchasers (including existing holders of our securities) without using underwriters or agents, any combination of the foregoing methods, or through any other method permitted by applicable law and described in the applicable prospectus supplement. We may distribute the securities from time to time in one or more transactions:

We may designate agents to solicit offers to purchase our securities. We will name any agent involved in offering or selling our securities, and any commissions that we will pay to the agent, in the applicable prospectus supplement. Unless we indicate otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, our agents will act on a “best efforts” basis for the period of their appointment.

Agents could make sales in privately negotiated transactions or any other method permitted by law, including sales deemed to be an “at the market” offering as defined in Rule 415 promulgated under the Securities Act, which includes sales made directly on or through an exchange or sales made to or through a market maker other than on an exchange.

If underwriters are used in the sale on a firm commitment basis, the securities will be acquired by the underwriters for their own account. The underwriters may resell the securities in one or more transactions (including block transactions), at negotiated prices, at a fixed public offering price, or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. We will include the names of the managing underwriter(s), as well as any other underwriters, and the terms of the transaction, including the compensation the underwriters and dealers will receive, in our prospectus supplement. If we use an underwriter, we will execute an underwriting agreement with the underwriter(s) at the time that we reach an agreement for the sale of our securities. The obligations of the underwriters to purchase the securities will be subject to certain conditions contained in the underwriting agreement. Unless otherwise provided in the prospectus supplement, the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all the securities offered if any of the securities are purchased. Any public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or re-allowed or paid to dealers may be changed from time to time. The underwriters will use a prospectus supplement to sell our securities.

To the extent that we make sales through one or more underwriters or agents in at-the-market offerings, we will do so pursuant to the terms of a sales agency financing agreement or other at-the-market offering arrangement between us and the underwriters or agents. If we engage in at-the-market sales pursuant to any such agreement, we will issue and sell securities through one or more underwriters or agents, which may act on an agency basis or on a principal basis. During the term of any such agreement, we may sell securities on a daily basis in exchange transactions or otherwise as we agree with the underwriters or agents. The agreement will provide that any securities sold will be sold at prices related to the then-prevailing market prices for our securities. Therefore, exact figures regarding proceeds that will be raised or commissions to be paid cannot be determined at this time.

If we use a dealer, we, as principal, will sell our securities to the dealer. The dealer will then sell our securities to the public at varying prices that the dealer will determine at the time it sells our securities. We will include the name of the dealer and the terms of our transactions with the dealer in the applicable prospectus supplement. We may directly solicit offers to purchase our securities, and we may directly sell our securities to institutional or other investors. In this case, no underwriters or dealer would be involved. We will describe the terms of our direct sales in the applicable prospectus supplement.

We may authorize underwriters, dealers, or agents to solicit offers from certain types of institutions to purchase securities from us at the public offering price under delayed delivery contracts. These contracts would provide for payment and delivery on a specified date in the future. The applicable prospectus supplement will provide the details of any such arrangement, including the offering price and commissions payable on the solicitations.

Underwriters, dealers, and agents that participate in the distribution of the securities may be underwriters as defined in the Securities Act and any discounts or commissions received by them from us and any profit on their resale of the securities may be treated as underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act. In connection with the sale of the securities offered by this prospectus, underwriters, dealers, and agents may receive compensation from us or from the purchasers of the securities, for whom they may act as agents, in the form of discounts, concessions, or commissions. Any underwriters, dealers, or agents will be identified and their compensation described in the applicable prospectus supplement. We may have agreements with the underwriters, dealers, and agents to indemnify them against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute with respect to payments which the underwriters, dealers, or agents may be required to make. Underwriters, dealers, and agents may engage in transactions with, or perform services for, us or our subsidiaries in the ordinary course of their business.

Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, all securities offered under this prospectus will be a new issue of securities with no established trading market, other than the Common Stock, which is currently listed and traded on the Nasdaq. We may elect to list any other class or series of securities on a national securities exchange or a foreign securities exchange but are not obligated to do so. Any Common Stock sold by this prospectus will be listed for trading on the Nasdaq subject to official notice of issuance. We cannot give you any assurance as to the liquidity of the trading markets for any of the securities, including our Common Stock.

Any underwriter to whom securities are sold by us for public offering and sale may engage in over- allotment transactions, stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids in accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act. Over-allotment transactions involve sales by the underwriters of the securities in excess of the offering size, which creates a syndicate short position. Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum.

Syndicate covering transactions involve purchases of the securities in the open market after the distribution has been completed in order to cover syndicate short positions. Penalty bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a syndicate member when the securities originally sold by the syndicate member are purchased in a stabilizing or syndicate covering transaction to cover syndicate short positions. These activities may cause the price of the securities to be higher than it would otherwise be. The underwriters will not be obligated to engage in any of the aforementioned transactions and may discontinue such transactions at any time without notice.

LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of the issuance of the securities offered in this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., Houston, Texas. If certain legal matters in connection with an offering of the securities made by this prospectus and a related prospectus supplement are passed upon by counsel for the underwriters of such offering, that counsel will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement related to that offering.

EXPERTS

Prairie Operating Co.

The financial statements of Prairie Operating Co. (formerly known as Prairie Operating Co., LLC) as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 and for the year ended December 31, 2023 and for the period from June 7, 2022 (inception) through December 31, 2022 incorporated by reference in this prospectus from the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2023, have been audited by Ham, Langston & Brezina, L.L.P., an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report appearing thereon, and have been incorporated by reference in this prospectus and registration statement in reliance upon the report of such firm given their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

Estimates of the reserves of the Company as of December 31, 2023 incorporated by reference in this prospectus from the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2023, the combined reserves of the Company as of June 30, 2024 and related information included in this prospectus have been prepared based on reports by Cawley, Gillespie & Associates, Inc., an independent Petroleum Reserve Evaluation Firm, and all such information has been so incorporated in reliance on the authority of such experts in such matters. Pursuant to Rule 412 under the Securities Act, the combined and individual reserve reports with respect to the Initial Genesis Assets, the Central Weld Assets and the Genesis Bolt-On Assets, in each case, as of January 31, 2024, incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference into this prospectus are deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus by the combined reserve report as of June 30, 2024. Any statement so modified or superseded will not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus.

Nickel Road Operating LLC

The consolidated financial statements of Nickel Road Operating LLC (“NRO”) as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 and for the years then ended incorporated in this prospectus by reference from the Company’s Amendment to its Current Report on Form 8-K/A, dated March 19, 2024, have been audited by Moss Adams LLP, independent auditors, as stated in their report, which is incorporated by reference. Such consolidated financial statements are incorporated by reference in reliance upon the report of such firm given their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

Estimates of NRO’s reserves as of December 31, 2023 and related information incorporated by reference in this prospectus by reference from the Company’s Amendment to its Current Report on Form 8-K/A, dated March 19, 2024 have been prepared based on reports by Cawley, Gillespie & Associates, Inc., an independent Petroleum Reserve Evaluation Firm, and all such information has been so incorporated in reliance on the authority of such experts in such matters.

The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.

Subject to completion, dated November 22, 2024

PROSPECTUS

Prairie Operating Co.

Up to 2,968,592 Shares of Common Stock

This prospectus relates solely to the resale from time to time of up to an aggregate of 2,968,592 shares of our common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Common Stock”), by the selling stockholders identified in this prospectus and any other selling stockholder that may be identified in any applicable prospectus supplement (the “Selling Stockholders”).

The Common Stock offered for resale under this prospectus include (i) up to 1,141,552 shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of warrants to purchase Common Stock issued to investors (the “Noteholders”), which, subject to vesting as provided in the warrants, will be exercisable at any time until September 30, 2029, at an exercise price of $8.89, as may be adjusted pursuant to the terms of such warrants, in accordance with the terms of a subordinated promissory note (the “Subordinated Note”) entered into on September 30, 2024 by and among the Company and the Noteholders and (ii) 1,827,040 shares of Common Stock issued to an investor (the “Purchaser”) in accordance with the terms of, and transactions contemplated by the Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of September 30, 2024 (the “Purchase Agreement”), by and among the Company and the Purchaser. The registration rights afforded under the Subordinated Note and the Purchase Agreement are offered pursuant to that certain Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of September 30, 2024 (the “Registration Rights Agreement”) by and among the Company, and the Noteholders and the Purchaser (collectively, the “Selling Stockholders”).

Pursuant to this prospectus, the Selling Stockholders are permitted to offer the securities from time to time, if and to the extent as they may determine, through public or private transactions or through other means described in the section of this prospectus entitled “Plan of Distribution” at prevailing market prices, at prices different than prevailing market prices or at privately negotiated prices. The Selling Stockholders may sell shares through agents they select or through underwriters and dealers they select. The Selling Stockholders also may sell their securities directly to investors. If the Selling Stockholders use agents, underwriters or dealers to sell their shares, we will name such agents, underwriters or dealers and describe any applicable commissions or discounts in a supplement to this prospectus if required. This prospectus does not necessarily mean that the Selling Stockholders will offer or sell the shares. We cannot predict when or in what amounts the Selling Stockholders may sell any of the shares offered by this prospectus. We have agreed to bear all expenses incurred in connection with the registration of these securities. The Selling Stockholders will pay or assume underwriting fees, discounts and commissions or similar charges, if any, incurred in the sale of these securities. We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of these securities by the selling securityholders.

Our Common Stock and warrants are traded on the Nasdaq Capital Market (the “Nasdaq”) under the symbol “PROP.” On November 21, 2024, the closing price of our Common Stock was $8.21.

You should read carefully this prospectus, the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement before you invest. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 5 of this prospectus for information on certain risks related to the purchase of our securities.

Neither the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) 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                              , 2024.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we have filed with the SEC using a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, the Selling Stockholders may offer and sell from time to time the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities that are registered hereunder that may be offered by the Selling Stockholders. In connection with an offering of securities hereunder, the Selling Stockholders may provide you with a prospectus supplement that describes, among other things, the specific amounts and prices of the securities being offered and the terms of the offering.

Any prospectus supplement may add, update, or change information contained in this prospectus. Any statement that we make in this prospectus will be modified or superseded by any inconsistent statement made by us in any prospectus supplement. The information in this prospectus is accurate as of its date. Additional information, including our financial statements and the notes thereto, is incorporated in this prospectus by reference to our reports filed with the SEC. Therefore, before you invest in our securities, you should carefully read this prospectus and any prospectus supplement relating to the securities offered to you together with the additional information incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement (including the documents described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Documents Incorporated by Reference” in both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement).

You should rely only on the information contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement. Neither we nor the Selling Stockholders have authorized any other person to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. Neither we, the Selling Stockholders nor anyone acting on our behalf is making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should not assume that the information incorporated by reference or provided in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of those documents.

Unless the context otherwise requires, throughout this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement, the words “we,” “us,” the “registrant,” “the Company,” or “Prairie” refer to Prairie Operating Co. and the term “securities” refers to the shares of our Common Stock registered hereunder.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We have filed a registration statement with the SEC under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), that registers the offer and sale of the securities covered by this prospectus. The registration statement, including the exhibits attached thereto and incorporated by reference therein, contains additional relevant information about us. In addition, we file annual, quarterly and other reports and other information with the SEC. The SEC maintains a website that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC. Our SEC filings are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

We make available free of charge on or through our website, https://investors.prairieopco.com, our filings with the SEC pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. We make our website content available for information purposes only. Information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus and does not constitute a part of this prospectus.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” the information we have filed with the SEC. This means that we can disclose important information to you without actually including the specific information in this prospectus by referring you to other documents filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is an important part of this prospectus. Information that we later provide to the SEC, and which is deemed to be “filed” with the SEC, will automatically update information previously filed with the SEC, and may update or replace information in this prospectus and information previously filed with the SEC.

We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any filings we make with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of Exchange Act (excluding information deemed to be furnished and not filed with the SEC), after the date on which the registration statement was initially filed with the SEC (including all such documents that we may file with the SEC after the date the registration statement was initially filed and prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement) until all offerings under the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part are completed or terminated:

These reports contain important information about us, our financial condition and our results of operations.

You may obtain copies of any of the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus from the SEC through the SEC’s website at the address provided above. You also may request a copy of any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus (including exhibits to those documents specifically incorporated by reference in this prospectus), at no cost, by contacting us at:

Prairie Operating Co.

Attention: Investor Relations

55 Waugh Drive, Suite 400

Houston, Texas 77007

(713) 424-4247

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the documents incorporated by reference herein or therein contain, or may contain, statements that are forward-looking and as such are not historical facts. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding future financial performance, business strategies, expansion plans, future results of operations, estimated revenues, losses, projected costs, prospects, plans and objectives of management. These forward-looking statements are based on our management’s current expectations, estimates, projections and beliefs, as well as a number of assumptions concerning future events, and are not guarantees of performance. Such statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. When used in this prospectus or in the documents incorporated by reference, words such as “may,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “believe,” “estimate,” “continue,” “project” or the negative of such terms or other similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements in this prospectus and in any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus may include, for example, statements about:

Our SEC filings are available publicly on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements. Accordingly, forward-looking statements in this prospectus and in any document incorporated herein by reference should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any subsequent date, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.

All forward-looking statements, expressed or implied, included in this prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. This cautionary statement should also be considered in connection with any subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements that we or persons acting on our behalf may issue.

ABOUT prairie operating co.

Prairie Operating Co. is an independent oil and gas company focused on the acquisition and development of crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids. Our assets and operations are concentrated in the oil and liquids-rich regions of the Denver-Julesburg (DJ) Basin, with a primary focus on the Niobrara and Codell formations. We are committed to the responsible development of our oil and natural gas resources and are focused on maximizing returns through consistent growth, capital discipline, and sustainable cash flow generation.

Corporate Information

Our principal executive offices are located at 55 Waugh Drive, Suite 400, Houston, Texas 77007, and our telephone number at that location is (713) 424-4247. Our website can be found at https://investors.prairieopco.com. The information contained on our website or that can be accessed through our website is not part of this prospectus and you should not rely on that information when making a decision on whether to invest in our securities.

Implications of a Smaller Reporting Company

We are a “smaller reporting company” as defined under the Securities Act and Exchange Act. We may continue to be a smaller reporting company so long as either (i) the market value of shares of our Common Stock held by non-affiliates is less than $250 million or (ii) our annual revenue was less than $100 million during the most recently completed fiscal year and the market value of shares of our Common Stock held by non-affiliates is less than $700 million. As a smaller reporting company, we may choose to present only the two most recent fiscal years of audited financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and have reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation, and, if we are a smaller reporting company under the requirements of (ii) above, we would not be required to obtain an attestation report on internal control over financial reporting issued by our independent registered public accounting firm.

RISK FACTORS

An investment in our securities involves a significant degree of risk. Before you invest in our securities, you should carefully consider those risk factors included in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, any subsequently filed Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and any subsequently filed Current Reports on Form 8-K, each of which is incorporated herein by reference, and those risk factors that may be included in any applicable prospectus supplement, together with all of the other information included in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the documents we incorporate by reference, in evaluating an investment in our securities. If any of these risks were actually to occur, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially adversely affected. Additional risks not presently known to us or that we currently believe are immaterial may also significantly impair our business operations and financial condition. Please read “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”

USE OF PROCEEDS

All of the shares of Common Stock offered by the Selling Stockholders pursuant to this prospectus will be sold by the Selling Stockholders for their respective accounts. We will not receive any of the proceeds from these sales. We will receive proceeds from any exercise of the Warrants for cash.

MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS FOR NON-U.S. HOLDERS

The following is a summary of the material U.S. federal income tax considerations related to the purchase, ownership and disposition of our Common Stock by a non-U.S. holder (as defined below) that holds our Common Stock as a “capital asset” within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) (generally, property held for investment). This summary is based on the provisions of the Code, U.S. Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder, administrative rulings and judicial decisions, all as in effect on the date hereof, and all of which are subject to change or differing interpretations, possibly with retroactive effect. We cannot assure you that a change in law will not significantly alter the tax considerations that we describe in this summary. We have not sought any ruling from the IRS with respect to the statements made and the positions and conclusions described in the following summary, and there can be no assurance that the IRS or a court will agree with such statements, positions and conclusions.

This summary does not address all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that may be relevant to non-U.S. holders in light of their personal circumstances. In addition, this summary does not address the impact of the Medicare surtax on certain net investment income, U.S. federal estate or gift tax laws, any U.S. state or local or non-U.S. tax laws or any tax treaties. This summary also does not address all U.S. federal income tax considerations that may be relevant to particular non-U.S. holders in light of their personal circumstances or that may be relevant to certain categories of investors that may be subject to special rules, such as:

PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS SHOULD CONSULT WITH THEIR OWN TAX ADVISORS WITH RESPECT TO THE APPLICATION OF THE U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX LAWS (INCLUDING ANY POTENTIAL FUTURE CHANGES THERETO) TO THEIR PARTICULAR SITUATION, AS WELL AS ANY TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE PURCHASE, OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF OUR COMMON STOCK ARISING UNDER ANY OTHER TAX LAWS, INCLUDING U.S. FEDERAL ESTATE OR GIFT TAX LAWS OR UNDER THE LAWS OF ANY U.S. STATE OR LOCAL OR NON-U.S. TAXING JURISDICTION, OR UNDER ANY APPLICABLE INCOME TAX TREATY.

Non-U.S. Holder Defined

For purposes of this discussion, a “non-U.S. holder” is a beneficial owner of our Common Stock that is not for U.S. federal income tax purposes a partnership or any of the following:

If a partnership (including an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) holds our Common Stock, the tax treatment of a partner in the partnership generally will depend upon the status of the partner, the activities of the partnership and certain determinations made at the partner level. Accordingly, we urge partners in partnerships (including entities or arrangements treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes) considering the purchase of our Common Stock to consult with their own tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal income tax considerations of the purchase, ownership and disposition of our Common Stock by such partnership.

Distributions

We do not expect to pay any distributions on our Common Stock in the foreseeable future. However, in the event we do make distributions of cash or other property on our Common Stock, such distributions will constitute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent paid from our current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles. To the extent those distributions exceed our current and accumulated earnings and profits, the distributions will be treated as a non-taxable return of capital to the extent of the non-U.S. holder’s tax basis in our Common Stock and thereafter as capital gain from the sale or exchange of such Common Stock. See “—Gain on Sale or Other Taxable Disposition of Common Stock.” Subject to the withholding requirements under FATCA (as defined below) and with respect to effectively connected dividends, each of which is discussed below, any distribution made to a non-U.S. holder on our Common Stock generally will be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at a rate of 30% of the gross amount of the distribution unless an applicable income tax treaty provides for a lower rate. To receive the benefit of a reduced treaty rate, a non-U.S. holder must generally provide the applicable withholding agent with an IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable (or other applicable or successor form) certifying qualification for the reduced rate. A non-U.S. holder that does not timely furnish the required documentation, but that qualifies for a reduced treaty rate, may obtain a refund of any excess amounts withheld by timely filing an appropriate claim for refund with the IRS.

Any portion of a distribution that is treated as a dividend paid to a non-U.S. holder that is effectively connected with a trade or business conducted by the non-U.S. holder in the U.S. (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, are treated as attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the non-U.S. holder in the U.S.) generally will be taxed on a net income basis at the rates and in the manner generally applicable to United States persons (as defined in the Code). Such effectively connected dividends will not be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax if the non-U.S. holder satisfies certain certification requirements by providing the applicable withholding agent with a properly executed IRS Form W-8ECI (or other applicable or successor form) certifying eligibility for exemption. If the non-U.S. holder is a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, it may also be subject to a branch profits tax (at a 30% rate or such lower rate as specified by an applicable income tax treaty) on its effectively connected earnings and profits (as adjusted for certain items), which will include effectively connected dividends.

Gain on Sale or Other Taxable Disposition of Common Stock

Subject to the discussion below under “—Backup Withholding and Information Reporting,” a non-U.S. holder generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income or withholding tax on any gain realized upon the sale or other taxable disposition of our Common Stock unless:

A non-U.S. holder described in the first bullet point above will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at a rate of 30% (or such lower rate as specified by an applicable income tax treaty) on the amount of such gain, which generally may be offset by U.S. source capital losses provided the non-U.S. holder has timely filed U.S. federal income tax returns with respect to such losses.

A non-U.S. holder whose gain is described in the second bullet point above or, subject to the exceptions described in the next paragraph, the third bullet point above, generally will be taxed on a net income basis at the rates and in the manner generally applicable to United States persons. If the non-U.S. holder is a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes whose gain is described in the second bullet point above, then such gain would also be included in its effectively connected earnings and profits (as adjusted for certain items), which may be subject to a branch profits tax (at a 30% rate or such lower rate as specified by an applicable income tax treaty).

Generally, a corporation is a USRPHC if the fair market value of its United States real property interests equals or exceeds 50% of the sum of the fair market value of its worldwide real property interests and its other assets used or held for use in a trade or business. We believe that we currently are, and expect to remain for the foreseeable future, a USRPHC for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, as long as our Common Stock is and continues to be “regularly traded on an established securities market” (within the meaning of the U.S. Treasury regulations), only a non-U.S. holder that actually or constructively owns, or owned at any time during the shorter of the five-year period ending on the date of the disposition or the non-U.S. holder’s holding period for the Common Stock, more than 5% of our Common Stock will be treated as disposing of a United States real property interest and will be taxable on gain realized on the disposition of our Common Stock as a result of our status as a USRPHC. If our Common Stock were not considered to be regularly traded on an established securities market, each non-U.S. holder (regardless of the percentage of stock owned) would be treated as disposing of a United States real property interest and would be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a taxable disposition of our Common Stock (as described in the preceding paragraph), and a 15% withholding tax would apply to the gross proceeds from such disposition.

Non-U.S. holders should consult with their own tax advisors with respect to the application of the foregoing rules to their ownership and disposition of our Common Stock, including regarding potentially applicable income tax treaties that may provide for different rules.

Backup Withholding and Information Reporting

Any dividends paid to a non-U.S. holder must be reported annually to the IRS and to the non-U.S. holder. Copies of these information returns may be made available to the tax authorities in the country in which the non-U.S. holder resides or is established. Payments of dividends to a non-U.S. holder generally will not be subject to backup withholding if the non-U.S. holder establishes an exemption by properly certifying its non-U.S. status on an IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or other applicable or successor form).

Payments of the proceeds from a sale or other disposition by a non-U.S. holder of our Common Stock effected by or through a U.S. office of a broker generally will be subject to information reporting and backup withholding (at the applicable rate), which is currently 24% unless the non-U.S. holder establishes an exemption by properly certifying its non-U.S. status on an IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable (or other applicable or successor form) and certain other conditions are met. Information reporting and backup withholding generally will not apply to any payment of the proceeds from a sale or other disposition of our Common Stock effected outside the U.S. by a non-U.S. office of a broker. However, unless such broker has documentary evidence in its records that the non-U.S. holder is not a United States person and certain other conditions are met, or the non-U.S. holder otherwise establishes an exemption, information reporting will apply to a payment of the proceeds of the disposition of our Common Stock effected outside the U.S. by such a broker if it has certain relationships within the U.S.

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Rather, the U.S. federal income tax liability (if any) of persons subject to backup withholding will be reduced by the amount of tax withheld. If backup withholding results in an overpayment of taxes, a refund may be obtained, provided that the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.

Additional Withholding Requirements under FATCA

Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, and the U.S. Treasury regulations and administrative guidance issued thereunder (“FATCA”), impose a 30% withholding tax on any dividends on our Common Stock and, subject to the proposed U.S. Treasury regulations discussed below, on proceeds from sales or other dispositions of shares of our Common Stock, if paid to a “foreign financial institution” or a “non-financial foreign entity” (each as defined in the Code) (including, in some cases, when such foreign financial institution or non-financial foreign entity is acting as an intermediary), unless (i) in the case of a foreign financial institution, such institution enters into an agreement with the U.S. government to withhold on certain payments, and to collect and provide to the U.S. tax authorities substantial information regarding U.S. account holders of such institution (which includes certain equity and debt holders of such institution, as well as certain account holders that are non-U.S. entities with U.S. owners), (ii) in the case of a non-financial foreign entity, such entity certifies that it does not have any “substantial United States owners” (as defined in the Code) or provides the applicable withholding agent with a certification identifying the direct and indirect substantial United States owners of the entity (in either case, generally on an IRS Form W-8BEN-E), or (iii) the foreign financial institution or non-financial foreign entity otherwise qualifies for an exemption from these rules and provides appropriate documentation (such as an IRS Form W-8BEN-E). Foreign financial institutions located in jurisdictions that have an intergovernmental agreement with the U.S. governing these rules may be subject to different rules. Under certain circumstances, a holder might be eligible for refunds or credits of such taxes. While gross proceeds from a sale or other disposition of our Common Stock paid after January 1, 2019, would have originally been subject to withholding under FATCA, proposed U.S. Treasury regulations provide that such payments of gross proceeds do not constitute withholdable payments. Taxpayers may generally rely on these proposed U.S. Treasury regulations until they are revoked or final U.S. Treasury regulations are issued. Non-U.S. holders are encouraged to consult with their own tax advisors regarding the effects of FATCA on an investment in our Common Stock. The proposed U.S. Treasury regulations, which may be relied upon pending the adoption of final U.S. Treasury regulations, have indefinitely suspended the withholding tax on gross proceeds. Consequently, FATCA withholding on gross proceeds paid from the sale or other disposition of our Common Stock is not expected to apply.

INVESTORS CONSIDERING THE PURCHASE OF OUR COMMON STOCK SHOULD CONSULT WITH THEIR OWN TAX ADVISORS REGARDING THE APPLICATION OF THE U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX LAWS (INCLUDING ANY POTENTIAL FUTURE CHANGES THERETO) TO THEIR PARTICULAR SITUATIONS AND THE APPLICABILITY AND EFFECT OF ANY OTHER TAX LAWS, INCLUDING U.S. FEDERAL ESTATE AND GIFT TAX LAWS AND ANY U.S. STATE OR LOCAL OR NON-U.S. TAX LAWS, AND TAX TREATIES.

DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

The following summary of the capital stock and our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation (“Charter”) and amended and restated bylaws (“Bylaws”) does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to our Charter and Bylaws, copies of which are included as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. You should also be aware that the summary below does not give full effect to the provisions of statutory or common law that may affect your rights as a stockholder.

Our authorized capital stock consists of 500,000,000 shares of Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share, of which 22,925,161 shares were issued and outstanding as of November 22, 2024, and 50,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.01 par value per share, of which 14,456.68 shares of Series D convertible preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Series D Preferred Stock”), were issued and outstanding as of November 22, 2024.

The number of authorized shares of Common Stock or preferred stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding plus the number reserved for issuance upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of outstanding securities) by the affirmative vote of the majority of the voting power of the outstanding shares of stock of the Company entitled to vote generally on the election of directors, voting as a single class, irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the Delaware General Corporation Law (“DGCL”) (or any successor provision thereto), and no vote of the holders of either Common Stock or preferred stock voting separately as a class or series shall be required therefor.

Description of Common Stock

Except as provided by law or in a preferred stock designation, holders of Common Stock are entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders, will have the exclusive right to vote for the election of directors and do not have cumulative voting rights. The Company does not have a classified board, as all directors are elected annually. Except as otherwise required by law, holders of Common Stock are not entitled to vote on any amendment to our Charter (including any certificate of designations relating to any series of preferred stock) that relates solely to the terms of any outstanding series of preferred stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to our Charter (including any certificate of designations relating to any series of preferred stock) or pursuant to the DGCL. Subject to prior rights and preferences that may be applicable to any outstanding shares or series of preferred stock, holders of Common Stock are entitled to receive ratably in proportion to the shares of Common Stock held by them such dividends (payable in cash, stock or otherwise), if any, as may be declared from time to time by our board of directors out of funds legally available for dividend payments. All outstanding shares of Common Stock are fully paid, and non-assessable, and all shares of Common Stock registered by this prospectus will be, when sold, validly issued, fully paid, and non-assessable. The holders of Common Stock have no preferences or rights of conversion, exchange, preemption, or other subscription rights. There are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to the Common Stock. In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, or winding-up of our affairs, holders of Common Stock will be entitled to share ratably in our assets in proportion to the shares of Common Stock held by them that are remaining after payment or provision for payment of all of our debts and obligations and after distribution in full of preferential amounts to be distributed to holders of outstanding shares of preferred stock, if any.

Registration Rights Agreements

In connection with the Standby Equity Purchase Agreement, the Company entered into a registration rights agreement with YA II PN, LTD., a Cayman Islands exempt limited partnership (“YA”), pursuant to which the Company agreed to file a registration statement registering the resale of 4,198,343 shares of Common Stock, consisting of (i) up to 100,000 shares of Common Stock issued to YA as consideration for its irrevocable commitment to purchase up to $40.0 million of Common Stock, at the time and in the amount as determined by the Company, under the Standby Equity Purchase Agreement and (ii) up to 4,098,343 shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to the Standby Equity Purchase Agreement, including upon the conversion of the convertible promissory note by YA on September 30, 2024 in the original principal amount of $15.0 million as part of the $40.0 million commitment.

On September 30, 2024, the Company entered into a registration rights agreement with the Purchaser and the Noteholders pursuant to which the Company agreed to file a registration statement registering the resale of 1,827,040 shares of Common Stock issued by the Company to the Purchaser and the shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of warrants to purchase up to 1,141,552 shares of Common Stock issued by the Company to the Noteholders.

On August 14, 2023, the Company entered into a registration rights agreement with an investor, pursuant to which the Company agreed to file with the SEC a registration statement registering the resale of the shares of Common Stock underlying Series E Preferred Stock and warrants issued in connection therewith (the “Series E Registration Statement”), and the Company agreed to use its best efforts to have the Series E Registration Statement declared effective as promptly as possible and within the timeframes specified in the Series E Registration Statement.

On May 3, 2023, the Company entered into a registration rights agreement with investors pursuant to which the Company agreed to file with the SEC a registration statement registering the resale of shares of Common Stock underlying Series D Preferred Stock and warrants issued in connection therewith (the “PIPE Resale Registration Statement” and together with the Series E Registration Statement, the “2023 Registration Statement”), and the Company agreed to use its best efforts to have the PIPE Resale Registration Statement declared effective as promptly as possible and within the timeframes specified in the PIPE Resale Registration Statement. On December 6, 2023, the SEC declared the 2023 Registration Statement effective.

Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaws

Among other things, our Charter and Bylaws:

Forum Selection

Our Charter and Bylaws provide that unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware does not have jurisdiction, the Superior Court of the State of Delaware, or, if the Superior Court of the State of Delaware does not have jurisdiction, the United States District Court for the District of Delaware) will, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, is the sole and exclusive forum for:

Our Charter and Bylaws further provide that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the federal district courts of the United States of America will be the sole and exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action under the Securities Act. The provisions in our Charter or our Bylaws do not apply to complaints asserting a cause of action under the Exchange Act. A stockholder may not waive compliance with the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder.

Our Charter and Bylaws also provide that any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our capital stock will be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to this forum selection provisions. However, it is possible that a court could find our forum selection provisions to be inapplicable or unenforceable.

Limitation of Liability and Indemnification Matters

Our Charter limits the liability of our directors for monetary damages for breach of their fiduciary duty as directors, except for liability that cannot be eliminated under the DGCL. Delaware law provides that directors of a company will not be personally liable for monetary damages for breach of their fiduciary duty as directors, except for liabilities:

Any amendment, repeal, or modification of these provisions will be prospective only and would not affect any limitation on liability of a director for acts or omissions that occurred prior to any such amendment, repeal, or modification.

Our Charter and Bylaws also provide that we will indemnify our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law. Our Charter and Bylaws also permit us to purchase insurance on behalf of any officer, director, employee, or other agent for any liability arising out of that person’s actions as our officer, director, employee, or agent, regardless of whether Delaware law would permit indemnification. We have obtained directors’ and officers’ insurance to cover our directors, officers, and some of our employees for certain liabilities. We have entered into indemnification agreements with each of our current directors and officers and intend to enter into indemnification agreements with each of our future directors and officers. These agreements require us to indemnify these individuals to the fullest extent permitted under Delaware law against liability that may arise by reason of their service to us, and to advance expenses incurred as a result of any proceeding against them as to which they could be indemnified. We believe that the limitation of liability provision in our Charter and the indemnification agreements facilitate our ability to continue to attract and retain qualified individuals to serve as directors and officers.

Anti-Takeover Effects of Certain Provisions of our Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, Amended and Restated Bylaws and the DGCL

Certain provisions of our Charter and Bylaws, which are summarized in the following paragraphs, may have the effect of discouraging potential acquisition proposals or making a tender offer or delaying or preventing a change in control, including changes a stockholder might consider favorable. Such provisions may also prevent or frustrate attempts by our stockholders to replace or remove our management. In particular, our Charter, our Bylaws and Delaware law, as applicable, among other things:

These provisions are expected to discourage certain types of coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids and to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of us to first negotiate with our board of directors. These provisions may delay or prevent someone from acquiring or merging with us, which may cause the market price of our Common Stock to decline.

Stockholders Agreement

The Company, Bristol Capital Advisors, LLC (“Bristol Capital Advisors”), Paul L. Kessler, Gary C. Hanna and Edward Kovalik entered into a Stockholders Agreement, dated as of May 3, 2023 (the “Stockholders Agreement”), pursuant to which the parties agreed to use reasonable best efforts, including taking certain necessary actions, to cause the board of directors to cause certain nominees to be elected to serve as a director on the board of directors under the following conditions: (i) one nominee designated by Bristol Capital Advisors and Paul L. Kessler, collectively, so long as Bristol Capital Advisors, Paul L. Kessler and their respective affiliates collectively beneficially own at least 50% of the number of shares of Common Stock collectively beneficially owned by such parties on of May 3, 2023; (ii) four nominees designated by Gary C. Hanna and Edward Kovalik (the “Prairie Members”) so long as the Prairie Members and their affiliates collectively beneficially own at least 50% of the number of shares of Common Stock collectively beneficially owned by such parties on of May 3, 2023; (iii) three nominees designated by the Prairie Members so long as the Prairie Members and their affiliates collectively beneficially own at least 40% (but less than 50%) of the number of shares of Common Stock collectively beneficially owned by such parties on of May 3, 2023; (iv) two nominees designated by the Prairie Members so long as the Prairie Members and their affiliates collectively beneficially own at least 30% (but less than 40%) of the number of shares of Common Stock collectively beneficially owned by such parties on of May 3, 2023; (v) one nominee designated by the Prairie Members so long as the Prairie Members and their affiliates collectively beneficially own at least 20% (but less than 30%) of the number of shares of Common Stock collectively beneficially owned by such parties on of May 3, 2023; and (vi) in the event of a vacancy on the board of directors, a replacement director designated by the party that designated the vacating director, provided that such upon such replacement, the total number of directors designated by such party does not exceed the total number of directors such party is entitled to designate pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement. The Stockholders Agreement was terminated effective November 15, 2024.

Advance Notice Bylaws. Our Bylaws contain an advance notice procedure for stockholder proposals to be brought before any meeting of stockholders, including proposed nominations of persons for election to our board of directors. Stockholders at any meeting will only be able to consider proposals or nominations specified in the notice of meeting or brought before the meeting by or at the direction of our board of directors or by a stockholder who was a stockholder of record on the record date for the meeting, who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who has given our corporate secretary timely written notice, in proper form, of the stockholder’s intention to bring that business before the meeting. Although our Bylaws do not give our board of directors the power to approve or disapprove stockholder nominations of candidates or proposals regarding other business to be conducted at a special or annual meeting, our Bylaws may have the effect of precluding the conduct of certain business at a meeting if the proper procedures are not followed, or may discourage or deter a potential acquirer from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect its own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to obtain control of us.

Interested Stockholder Transactions. We may become subject to Section 203 of the DGCL, which, subject to certain exceptions, prohibits “business combinations” between a publicly-held Delaware corporation and an “interested stockholder,” which is generally defined as a stockholder who becomes a beneficial owner of 15% or more of a Delaware corporation’s voting stock for a three-year period following the date that such stockholder became an interested stockholder.

Transfer Agent and Registrar

The transfer agent and registrar for our Common Stock is Vstock Transfer, LLC. The transfer agent’s telephone number and address are (212) 828-8436 and 18 Lafayette Place, Woodmere, New York 11598.

Listing

Our Common Stock is listed on the Nasdaq under the symbol “PROP.”

SELLING STOCKHOLDERS

This prospectus relates to the offer and sale from time to time by the Selling Stockholders of up to 2,968,592 shares of Common Stock consisting of (i) shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of warrants to purchase up to 1,141,552 shares of Common Stock issued to the Noteholders in accordance with the terms of the Subordinated Note and (ii) up to 1,827,040 shares of Common Stock issued to the Purchaser in accordance with the Purchase Agreement.

The table below presents information regarding the Selling Stockholders and the shares of Common Stock that it may offer from time to time under this prospectus. This table is prepared based on information supplied to us by the Selling Stockholders. The number of shares in the column “Maximum Number of Shares of Common Stock to be Offered Pursuant to this Prospectus” represents all of the shares of Common Stock that the Selling Stockholders may offer under this prospectus. The Selling Stockholders may sell some, all or none of its shares in this offering. We do not know how long the Selling Stockholder will hold the shares before selling them, and we currently have no agreements, arrangements or understandings with the Selling Stockholders regarding the sale of any of the shares.

Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with Rule 13d-3(d) promulgated by the SEC under the Exchange Act, and includes shares of Common Stock with respect to which the Selling Stockholders have voting and investment power. The percentage of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by the Selling Stockholders prior to the offering shown in the table below is based on an aggregate of 22,925,161 shares of our Common Stock outstanding on November 22, 2024. The number of shares that may actually be sold by us under the Purchase Agreement may be fewer than the number of shares being offered by this prospectus. The fourth column assumes the sale of all of the shares offered by the Selling Stockholders pursuant to this prospectus.

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

The Selling Securityholders may offer and sell, from time to time, the shares of Common Stock covered by this prospectus.

We are required to pay all fees and expenses incident to the registration of the shares of our Common Stock to be offered and sold pursuant to this prospectus. The Selling Securityholders will bear all discounts and commissions, if any, attributable to their sale of shares of our Common Stock.

We will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of the securities by the Selling Securityholders. The aggregate proceeds to the Selling Securityholders will be the purchase price of the securities less any discounts and commissions borne by the Selling Securityholders. The term “Selling Securityholders” includes donees, pledgees, transferees or other successors in interest selling securities received after the date of this prospectus from a Selling Securityholder as a gift, pledge, partnership distribution or other transfer. The Selling Securityholders will act independently of us in making decisions with respect to the timing, manner and size of each sale. Such sales may be made on one or more exchanges or in the over-the-counter market or otherwise, at prices and under terms then prevailing or at prices related to the then current market price or in negotiated transactions. The Selling Securityholders may sell their shares of Common Stock by one or more of, or a combination of, the following methods:

In addition, any shares that qualify for sale pursuant to Rule 144 may be sold under Rule 144 rather than pursuant to this prospectus.

To the extent required, this prospectus may be amended or supplemented from time to time to describe a specific plan of distribution. In connection with distributions of the shares or otherwise, the Selling Securityholders may enter into hedging transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions. In connection with such transactions, broker-dealers or other financial institutions may engage in short sales of shares of Common Stock in the course of hedging the positions they assume with Selling Securityholders. The Selling Securityholders may also sell shares of Common Stock short and redeliver the shares to close out such short positions. The Selling Securityholders may also enter into option or other transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions which require the delivery to such broker-dealer or other financial institution of shares offered by this prospectus, which shares such broker-dealer or other financial institution may resell pursuant to this prospectus (as supplemented or amended to reflect such transaction). The Selling Securityholders may also pledge shares to a broker-dealer or other financial institution, and, upon a default, such broker-dealer or other financial institution, may effect sales of the pledged shares pursuant to this prospectus (as supplemented or amended to reflect such transaction).

A Selling Securityholder may enter into derivative transactions with third parties, or sell securities not covered by this prospectus to third parties in privately negotiated transactions. If an applicable prospectus supplement indicates, in connection with those derivatives, the third parties may sell securities covered by this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, including in short sale transactions. If so, the third party may use securities pledged by any Selling Securityholder or borrowed from any Selling Securityholder or others to settle those sales or to close out any related open borrowings of stock, and may use securities received from any Selling Securityholder in settlement of those derivatives to close out any related open borrowings of stock. If applicable through securities laws, the third party in such sale transactions will be an underwriter and will be identified in the applicable prospectus supplement (or a post-effective amendment). In addition, any Selling Securityholder may otherwise loan or pledge securities to a financial institution or other third party that in turn may sell the securities short using this prospectus. Such financial institution or other third party may transfer its economic short position to investors in our securities or in connection with a concurrent offering of other securities.

In effecting sales, broker-dealers or agents engaged by the Selling Securityholders may arrange for other broker-dealers to participate. Broker-dealers or agents may receive commissions, discounts or concessions from the Selling Securityholders in amounts to be negotiated immediately prior to the sale.

In offering the securities covered by this prospectus, the Selling Securityholders and any broker-dealers who execute sales for the Selling Securityholders may be deemed to be “underwriters” within the meaning of the Securities Act in connection with such sales. Any profits realized by the Selling Securityholders and the compensation of any broker-dealer may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions.

In order to comply with the securities laws of certain states, if applicable, the securities must be sold in such jurisdictions only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers. In addition, in certain states the securities may not be sold unless they have been registered or qualified for sale in the applicable state or an exemption from the registration or qualification requirement is available and is complied with.

We have advised the Selling Securityholders that the anti-manipulation rules of Regulation M under the Exchange Act may apply to sales of securities in the market and to the activities of the Selling Securityholders and their affiliates. With certain exceptions and while the SEPA is in effect, Regulation M may preclude the Selling Stockholder, any affiliated purchasers and any broker-dealer or other person who participates in the distribution of the securities from (i) bidding for or purchasing, or attempting to induce any person to bid for or purchase, any security that is the subject of the distribution until the entire distribution is complete and (ii) bidding for or purchasing any security to stabilize the price of that security. In addition, we will make copies of this prospectus available to the Selling Securityholders for the purpose of satisfying the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act. The Selling Securityholders may indemnify any broker-dealer that participates in transactions involving the sale of the shares against certain liabilities, including liabilities arising under the Securities Act.

At the time a particular offer of securities is made, if required, a prospectus supplement will be distributed that will set forth the number of securities being offered and the terms of the offering, including the name of any underwriter, dealer or agent, the purchase price paid by any underwriter, any discount, commission and other item constituting compensation, any discount, commission or concession allowed or reallowed or paid to any dealer, and the proposed selling price to the public.

LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of the issuance of the securities offered in this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., Houston, Texas.

EXPERTS

Prairie Operating Co.

The financial statements of Prairie Operating Co. (formerly known as Prairie Operating Co., LLC) as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 and for the year ended December 31, 2023 and for the period from June 7, 2022 (inception) through December 31, 2022 incorporated by reference in this prospectus from the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2023, have been audited by Ham, Langston & Brezina, L.L.P., an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report appearing thereon, and have been incorporated by reference in this prospectus and registration statement in reliance upon the report of such firm given their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

Estimates of the reserves of the Company as of December 31, 2023 incorporated by reference in this prospectus from the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2023, the combined reserves of the Company as of June 30, 2024 and related information included in this prospectus have been prepared based on reports by Cawley, Gillespie & Associates, Inc., an independent Petroleum Reserve Evaluation Firm, and all such information has been so incorporated in reliance on the authority of such experts in such matters. Pursuant to Rule 412 under the Securities Act, the combined and individual reserve reports with respect to the Initial Genesis Assets, the Central Weld Assets and the Genesis Bolt-On Assets, in each case, as of January 31, 2024, incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference into this prospectus are deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus by the combined reserve report as of June 30, 2024. Any statement so modified or superseded will not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus.

Nickel Road Operating LLC

The consolidated financial statements of Nickel Road Operating LLC (“NRO”) as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 and for the years then ended incorporated in this prospectus by reference from the Company’s Amendment to its Current Report on Form 8-K/A, dated March 19, 2024, have been audited by Moss Adams LLP, independent auditors, as stated in their report, which is incorporated by reference. Such consolidated financial statements are incorporated by reference in reliance upon the report of such firm given their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

Estimates of NRO’s reserves as of December 31, 2023 and related information incorporated by reference in this prospectus by reference from the Company’s Amendment to its Current Report on Form 8-K/A, dated March 19, 2024 have been prepared based on reports by Cawley, Gillespie & Associates, Inc., an independent Petroleum Reserve Evaluation Firm, and all such information has been so incorporated in reliance on the authority of such experts in such matters.

The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.

Subject to completion, dated November 22, 2024

PROSPECTUS

Prairie Operating Co.

Up to 4,198,343 Shares of Common Stock

This prospectus relates solely to the resale from time to time of up to an aggregate of 4,198,343 shares of our common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Common Stock”), by YA II PN, LTD., a Cayman Islands exempt limited partnership (“YA” or the “Selling Stockholder”). YA is a fund managed by Yorkville Advisors Global, LP.

The Common Stock being offered by the Selling Stockholder have been and may be issued pursuant to the Standby Equity Purchase Agreement, dated September 30, 2024, that we entered into with YA (the “SEPA”), or the convertible promissory note (the “Yorkville Note”) issued on September 30, 2024 in the original principal amount of $15.0 million issued pursuant to the SEPA. We are not selling any securities under this prospectus and will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of Common Stock by the Selling Stockholder. However, we have the right, not the obligation, to sell to the YA shares of Common Stock, for a value of up to $40.0 million of Common Stock (the “Advance Shares”), subject to certain limitations and the satisfaction of certain conditions at the Company’s request (an “Advance Notice”), during the Commitment Period (as defined herein) commencing on September 30, 2024 and terminating on September 30, 2026. Each issuance and sale by the Company under the SEPA is subject to a maximum limit equal to 100% of the aggregate volume traded of the Company’s Common Stock on the Nasdaq Stock Market during the five trading days immediately prior to the date of the Advance Notice. Pursuant to the SEPA, we will pay (i) a non-refundable structuring fee of $25,000 and (ii) a commitment fee of 100,000 shares of Common Stock (the “Commitment Fee”) to YA as consideration for its irrevocable commitment to purchase Advance Shares under the SEPA. The Advance Shares that may be offered pursuant to this prospectus would be purchased by YA pursuant to the SEPA at a purchase price equal to 97% of the lowest daily volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for three consecutive trading days commencing on the trading day immediately following YA’s receipt of an Advance Notice.

Additionally, on September 30, 2024, pursuant to the SEPA, YA advanced an initial $15.0 million (the “Pre-Paid Advance”) to the Company and the Company issued the Yorkville Note evidencing the Pre-Paid Advance, with an interest rate of 8.00% and a maturity date of September 30, 2025. The Company’s obligations with respect to the Yorkville Note are guaranteed by Prairie Operating Co., LLC (“Prairie LLC”), a subsidiary of the Company, and Prairie Operating Holding Co., LLC (“Prairie Holdco”), a subsidiary of the Company, pursuant to a global guaranty agreement (the “SEPA Guaranty”) entered into by Prairie LLC and Prairie Holdco in favor of YA on September 30, 2024. YA may convert the Yorkville Note into shares of Common Stock at any time by delivering an executed notice of conversion of the Yorkville Note at the lower of (i) $11.19 per share of Common Stock, or (ii) 95% of the lowest daily volume weighted average price during the five (5) consecutive trading days immediately preceding the date of the conversion or other date of determination (the “Variable Price”), but which Variable Price shall not be lower than the $2.00 per share of Common Stock, or as reduced by the Company (the “ Conversion Price”). The Company may, at any time, redeem all or a portion or the amounts outstanding under the Yorkville Note at 105% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest.

The Selling Stockholder may sell the Common Stock included in this prospectus in a number of different ways and at varying prices. We provide more information about how the Selling Stockholder may sell the Common Stock in the section entitled “Plan of Distribution.” The Selling Stockholder is an “underwriter” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(11) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).

The Selling Stockholder will pay all brokerage fees and commissions and similar expenses in connection with the offer and sale of the Common Stock by the Selling Stockholder pursuant to this prospectus. We will pay the expenses (except brokerage fees and commissions and similar expenses) incurred in registering under the Securities Act the offer and sale of the Common Stock included in this prospectus by the Selling Shareholder. See “Plan of Distribution.”

Our Common Stock and warrants are traded on the Nasdaq Capital Market (the “Nasdaq”) under the symbol “PROP.” On November 21, 2024, the closing price of our Common Stock was $8.21.

You should read carefully this prospectus, the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement before you invest. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 5 of this prospectus for information on certain risks related to the purchase of our securities.

The Selling Stockholder may sell the securities directly or to or through underwriters or dealers, and also to other purchasers or through agents. The names of any underwriters or agents that are included in a sale of securities to you, and any applicable commissions or discounts, will be stated in any accompanying prospectus supplement. In addition, the underwriters, if any, may over-allot a portion of the securities.

Neither the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) 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                , 2024.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we have filed with the SEC using a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, the Selling Stockholder may offer and sell from time to time the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities that are registered hereunder that may be offered by the Selling Stockholder. In connection with an offering of securities hereunder, the Selling Stockholder may provide you with a prospectus supplement that describes, among other things, the specific amounts and prices of the securities being offered and the terms of the offering.

Any prospectus supplement may add, update, or change information contained in this prospectus. Any statement that we make in this prospectus will be modified or superseded by any inconsistent statement made by us in any prospectus supplement. The information in this prospectus is accurate as of its date. Additional information, including our financial statements and the notes thereto, is incorporated in this prospectus by reference to our reports filed with the SEC. Therefore, before you invest in our securities, you should carefully read this prospectus and any prospectus supplement relating to the securities offered to you together with the additional information incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement (including the documents described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Documents Incorporated by Reference” in both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement).

You should rely only on the information contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement. Neither we nor the Selling Stockholder have authorized any other person to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. Neither we, the Selling Stockholder nor anyone acting on our behalf is making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should not assume that the information incorporated by reference or provided in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of those documents.

Unless the context otherwise requires, throughout this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement, the words “we,” “us,” the “registrant,” “the Company,” or “Prairie” refer to Prairie Operating Co. and the term “securities” refers to the shares of our Common Stock registered hereunder.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We have filed a registration statement with the SEC under the Securities Act that registers the offer and sale of the securities covered by this prospectus. The registration statement, including the exhibits attached thereto and incorporated by reference therein, contains additional relevant information about us. In addition, we file annual, quarterly and other reports and other information with the SEC. The SEC maintains a website that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC. Our SEC filings are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

We make available free of charge on or through our website, https://investors.prairieopco.com, our filings with the SEC pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. We make our website content available for information purposes only. Information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus and does not constitute a part of this prospectus.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” the information we have filed with the SEC. This means that we can disclose important information to you without actually including the specific information in this prospectus by referring you to other documents filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is an important part of this prospectus. Information that we later provide to the SEC, and which is deemed to be “filed” with the SEC, will automatically update information previously filed with the SEC, and may update or replace information in this prospectus and information previously filed with the SEC.

We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any filings we make with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of Exchange Act (excluding information deemed to be furnished and not filed with the SEC), after the date on which the registration statement was initially filed with the SEC (including all such documents that we may file with the SEC after the date the registration statement was initially filed and prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement) until all offerings under the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part are completed or terminated:

These reports contain important information about us, our financial condition and our results of operations.

You may obtain copies of any of the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus from the SEC through the SEC’s website at the address provided above. You also may request a copy of any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus (including exhibits to those documents specifically incorporated by reference in this prospectus), at no cost, by contacting us at:

Prairie Operating Co.

Attention: Investor Relations

55 Waugh Drive, Suite 400

Houston, Texas 77007

(713) 424-4247

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the documents incorporated by reference herein or therein contain, or may contain, statements that are forward-looking and as such are not historical facts. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding future financial performance, business strategies, expansion plans, future results of operations, estimated revenues, losses, projected costs, prospects, plans and objectives of management. These forward-looking statements are based on our management’s current expectations, estimates, projections and beliefs, as well as a number of assumptions concerning future events, and are not guarantees of performance. Such statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. When used in this prospectus or in the documents incorporated by reference, words such as “may,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “believe,” “estimate,” “continue,” “project” or the negative of such terms or other similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements in this prospectus and in any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus may include, for example, statements about:

Our SEC filings are available publicly on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements. Accordingly, forward-looking statements in this prospectus and in any document incorporated herein by reference should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any subsequent date, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.

All forward-looking statements, expressed or implied, included in this prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. This cautionary statement should also be considered in connection with any subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements that we or persons acting on our behalf may issue.

ABOUT prairie operating co.

Prairie Operating Co. is an independent oil and gas company focused on the acquisition and development of crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids. Our assets and operations are concentrated in the oil and liquids-rich regions of the Denver-Julesburg (DJ) Basin, with a primary focus on the Niobrara and Codell formations. We are committed to the responsible development of our oil and natural gas resources and are focused on maximizing returns through consistent growth, capital discipline, and sustainable cash flow generation.

Corporate Information

Our principal executive offices are located at 55 Waugh Drive, Suite 400, Houston, Texas 77007, and our telephone number at that location is (713) 424-4247. Our website can be found at https://investors.prairieopco.com. The information contained on our website or that can be accessed through our website is not part of this prospectus and you should not rely on that information when making a decision on whether to invest in our securities.

Implications of a Smaller Reporting Company

We are a “smaller reporting company” as defined under the Securities Act and Exchange Act. We may continue to be a smaller reporting company so long as either (i) the market value of shares of our Common Stock held by non-affiliates is less than $250 million or (ii) our annual revenue was less than $100 million during the most recently completed fiscal year and the market value of shares of our Common Stock held by non-affiliates is less than $700 million. As a smaller reporting company, we may choose to present only the two most recent fiscal years of audited financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and have reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation, and, if we are a smaller reporting company under the requirements of (ii) above, we would not be required to obtain an attestation report on internal control over financial reporting issued by our independent registered public accounting firm.

RISK FACTORS

An investment in our securities involves a significant degree of risk. Before you invest in our securities, you should carefully consider those risk factors included in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, any subsequently filed Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and any subsequently filed Current Reports on Form 8-K, each of which is incorporated herein by reference, and those risk factors that may be included in any applicable prospectus supplement, together with all of the other information included in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the documents we incorporate by reference, in evaluating an investment in our securities. If any of these risks were actually to occur, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially adversely affected. Additional risks not presently known to us or that we currently believe are immaterial may also significantly impair our business operations and financial condition. Please read “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”

The issuance of large numbers of shares of our Common Stock pursuant to the SEPA may have a significant dilutive effect on existing stockholders and negatively impact the market price of our Common Stock.

The issuance of our Common Stock to YA in accordance with the SEPA will have a dilutive impact on our stockholders, and such impact may be significant. As a result, the market price of our Common Stock could decline. In addition, the lower our stock price is at each closing under the terms of the SEPA, the more shares of our Common Stock we will have to issue to YA. If our stock price decreases, then our existing stockholders will experience greater dilution for any given dollar amount received by us through the SEPA. The perceived risk of dilution may cause our stockholders to sell their shares, which may cause a decline in the price of our Common Stock.

Our commitment to issue shares of Common Stock pursuant to the SEPA could encourage short sales by third parties, including by YA, which could contribute to the future decline of our stock price.

Our commitment to issue shares of Common Stock pursuant to the SEPA has the potential to cause significant downward pressure on the price of our Common Stock. In such an environment, short sellers may exacerbate any decline of our stock price. If there are significant short sales of our Common Stock, the share price of our Common Stock may decline more than it would in an environment without such activity. This may cause other holders of our Common Stock to sell their shares. If there are many more shares of our Common Stock on the market for sale than the market will absorb, the price of our common shares will likely decline.

The Selling Stockholder, including YA, may not participate in short sales of our Common Stock directly or indirectly. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing contained in the SEPA prohibits YA during the Restricted Period (as defined therein) from: (1) selling “long” any Common Stock; or (2) selling a number of Common Stock equal to the number of Advance Shares that YA is unconditionally obligated to purchase under a pending Advance Notice but has not yet received from the Company or the transfer agent pursuant to the SEPA; or (3) selling a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of Common Stock that YA is entitled to receive, but has not yet received from the Company or the transfer agent, upon the completion of a pending conversion of the Yorkville Note (as defined below) for which a conversion notice has been submitted to the Company.

YA will pay less than the then-prevailing market price of our Common Stock which could cause the price of our Common Stock to decline.

Our Common Stock to be issued under the SEPA will be purchased at discount. The shares of Common Stock are issued at a purchase price per share equal to 97% of the dollar volume-weighted average price per share of Common Stock during the three consecutive trading days commencing on the date the Company is deemed to have delivered an advance notice to the investor.

YA has a financial incentive to sell our shares immediately upon receiving them to realize the profit between the discounted price and the market price. If YA sells our shares, the price of our Common Stock may decrease. If our stock price decreases, YA may have further incentive to sell such shares. Accordingly, the discounted sales price in the SEPA may cause the price of our Common Stock to decline.

We may not be able to access the full amounts available under the terms of the SEPA, which could prevent us from accessing the capital we need to continue our operations, which could have an adverse effect on our business.

We intend to rely on the SEPA for our near-term capital needs. Subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, including the condition that the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part is declared effective by the SEC, YA will purchase $40.0 million of shares of our Common Stock over a 24-month period.

Each Advance by the Company will be subject to certain limitations, including that YA cannot acquire (i) any shares that would result in YA, including its affiliates, beneficially owning more than 4.99% of the Company’s outstanding Common Stock at the time of an Advance or (ii) more than 19.99% of the Company’s issued and outstanding Common Stock as of September 30, 2024 (the “Exchange Cap”). The Exchange Cap will not apply in certain circumstances, including, where the Company obtains shareholder approval to issue in excess of the Exchange Cap, or otherwise in accordance with the listing rules of Nasdaq.

We may be unable to satisfy all of the conditions in the SEPA necessary for YA’s obligation to purchase shares of our Common Stock. If that occurs, we may be unable to access the full $40.0 million available under the SEPA, or a substantial portion thereof, or our access to such funds may be delayed. Our inability to access a portion or the full amount available under the SEPA, in the absence of any other financing sources, could prevent us from accessing the capital we need to continue our operations, which could have a material adverse effect on our business.

Under the Yorkville Note, we do not have the right to control the timing and amount of the issuance of our shares of Common Stock to YA and, accordingly, it is not possible to predict the actual number of shares we will issue pursuant to the Yorkville Note at any one time or in total.

We do not have the right to control the timing and amount of any issuances of our shares of Common Stock to YA under the Yorkville Note. Issuances of our Common Stock, if any, to YA under the Yorkville Note will depend upon market conditions and other factors, and the discretion of YA.

Because the Conversion Price for the Common Shares underlying the Yorkville Note will fluctuate based on the market prices of our Common Stock, it is not possible for us to predict, as of the date of this prospectus and prior to any such Conversion, the number of such Common Shares that we will issue to YA under the Yorkville Note and the number of shares could be significantly higher than the number of shares registered for resale by YA hereunder. In addition, unless we obtain stockholder approval, we will not be able to issue Common Shares in excess of the Exchange Cap in accordance with applicable Nasdaq rules. Further, the resale by YA of a significant amount of shares registered in this offering at any given time, or the perception that these sales may occur, could cause the market price of our Common Stock to decline and to be highly volatile.

USE OF PROCEEDS

All of the shares of Common Stock offered by the Selling Stockholder pursuant to this prospectus will be sold by the Selling Stockholder for its respective accounts. We will not receive any of the proceeds from these sales. However, we may receive up to $40.0 million in gross proceeds under the SEPA from sales of Common Stock that we may elect to make to the Selling Stockholder pursuant to the SEPA, if any, from time to time in our sole discretion, during the period commencing on the effective date of the SEPA and expiring upon the termination of the SEPA (the “Commitment Period”). We will not receive any proceeds from our issuance of the Commitment Shares (as defined in the SEPA) to the Selling Stockholder.

The proceeds from the Selling Stockholder that we receive under the SEPA, if any, are currently expected to be used for general corporate purposes, which may include advancing our development and drilling program or financing other acquisitions. We may temporarily invest the net proceeds in short-term marketable securities until they are used for their stated purpose. Accordingly, we retain broad discretion over the use of the net proceeds from the sale of our Common Stock under the SEPA. The precise amount and timing of the application of such proceeds will depend upon our liquidity needs and the availability and cost of other capital over which we have little or no control. As of the date hereof, we cannot specify with certainty the particular uses for the net proceeds from the sales of Common Stock, if any, to YA under the SEPA.

We will incur all costs associated with this prospectus and the registration statement of which it is a part.

MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS FOR NON-U.S. HOLDERS

The following is a summary of the material U.S. federal income tax considerations related to the purchase, ownership and disposition of our Common Stock by a non-U.S. holder (as defined below) that holds our Common Stock as a “capital asset” within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) (generally, property held for investment). This summary is based on the provisions of the Code, U.S. Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder, administrative rulings and judicial decisions, all as in effect on the date hereof, and all of which are subject to change or differing interpretations, possibly with retroactive effect. We cannot assure you that a change in law will not significantly alter the tax considerations that we describe in this summary. We have not sought any ruling from the IRS with respect to the statements made and the positions and conclusions described in the following summary, and there can be no assurance that the IRS or a court will agree with such statements, positions and conclusions.

This summary does not address all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that may be relevant to non-U.S. holders in light of their personal circumstances. In addition, this summary does not address the impact of the Medicare surtax on certain net investment income, U.S. federal estate or gift tax laws, any U.S. state or local or non-U.S. tax laws or any tax treaties. This summary also does not address all U.S. federal income tax considerations that may be relevant to particular non-U.S. holders in light of their personal circumstances or that may be relevant to certain categories of investors that may be subject to special rules, such as:

PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS SHOULD CONSULT WITH THEIR OWN TAX ADVISORS WITH RESPECT TO THE APPLICATION OF THE U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX LAWS (INCLUDING ANY POTENTIAL FUTURE CHANGES THERETO) TO THEIR PARTICULAR SITUATION, AS WELL AS ANY TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE PURCHASE, OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF OUR COMMON STOCK ARISING UNDER ANY OTHER TAX LAWS, INCLUDING U.S. FEDERAL ESTATE OR GIFT TAX LAWS OR UNDER THE LAWS OF ANY U.S. STATE OR LOCAL OR NON-U.S. TAXING JURISDICTION, OR UNDER ANY APPLICABLE INCOME TAX TREATY.

Non-U.S. Holder Defined

For purposes of this discussion, a “non-U.S. holder” is a beneficial owner of our Common Stock that is not for U.S. federal income tax purposes a partnership or any of the following:

If a partnership (including an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) holds our Common Stock, the tax treatment of a partner in the partnership generally will depend upon the status of the partner, the activities of the partnership and certain determinations made at the partner level. Accordingly, we urge partners in partnerships (including entities or arrangements treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes) considering the purchase of our Common Stock to consult with their own tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal income tax considerations of the purchase, ownership and disposition of our Common Stock by such partnership.

Distributions

We do not expect to pay any distributions on our Common Stock in the foreseeable future. However, in the event we do make distributions of cash or other property on our Common Stock, such distributions will constitute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent paid from our current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles. To the extent those distributions exceed our current and accumulated earnings and profits, the distributions will be treated as a non-taxable return of capital to the extent of the non-U.S. holder’s tax basis in our Common Stock and thereafter as capital gain from the sale or exchange of such Common Stock. See “—Gain on Sale or Other Taxable Disposition of Common Stock.” Subject to the withholding requirements under FATCA (as defined below) and with respect to effectively connected dividends, each of which is discussed below, any distribution made to a non-U.S. holder on our Common Stock generally will be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at a rate of 30% of the gross amount of the distribution unless an applicable income tax treaty provides for a lower rate. To receive the benefit of a reduced treaty rate, a non-U.S. holder must generally provide the applicable withholding agent with an IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable (or other applicable or successor form) certifying qualification for the reduced rate. A non-U.S. holder that does not timely furnish the required documentation, but that qualifies for a reduced treaty rate, may obtain a refund of any excess amounts withheld by timely filing an appropriate claim for refund with the IRS.

Any portion of a distribution that is treated as a dividend paid to a non-U.S. holder that is effectively connected with a trade or business conducted by the non-U.S. holder in the U.S. (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, are treated as attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the non-U.S. holder in the U.S.) generally will be taxed on a net income basis at the rates and in the manner generally applicable to United States persons (as defined in the Code). Such effectively connected dividends will not be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax if the non-U.S. holder satisfies certain certification requirements by providing the applicable withholding agent with a properly executed IRS Form W-8ECI (or other applicable or successor form) certifying eligibility for exemption. If the non-U.S. holder is a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, it may also be subject to a branch profits tax (at a 30% rate or such lower rate as specified by an applicable income tax treaty) on its effectively connected earnings and profits (as adjusted for certain items), which will include effectively connected dividends.

Gain on Sale or Other Taxable Disposition of Common Stock

Subject to the discussion below under “—Backup Withholding and Information Reporting,” a non-U.S. holder generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income or withholding tax on any gain realized upon the sale or other taxable disposition of our Common Stock unless:

A non-U.S. holder described in the first bullet point above will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at a rate of 30% (or such lower rate as specified by an applicable income tax treaty) on the amount of such gain, which generally may be offset by U.S. source capital losses provided the non-U.S. holder has timely filed U.S. federal income tax returns with respect to such losses.

A non-U.S. holder whose gain is described in the second bullet point above or, subject to the exceptions described in the next paragraph, the third bullet point above, generally will be taxed on a net income basis at the rates and in the manner generally applicable to United States persons. If the non-U.S. holder is a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes whose gain is described in the second bullet point above, then such gain would also be included in its effectively connected earnings and profits (as adjusted for certain items), which may be subject to a branch profits tax (at a 30% rate or such lower rate as specified by an applicable income tax treaty).

Generally, a corporation is a USRPHC if the fair market value of its United States real property interests equals or exceeds 50% of the sum of the fair market value of its worldwide real property interests and its other assets used or held for use in a trade or business. We believe that we currently are, and expect to remain for the foreseeable future, a USRPHC for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, as long as our Common Stock is and continues to be “regularly traded on an established securities market” (within the meaning of the U.S. Treasury regulations), only a non-U.S. holder that actually or constructively owns, or owned at any time during the shorter of the five-year period ending on the date of the disposition or the non-U.S. holder’s holding period for the Common Stock, more than 5% of our Common Stock will be treated as disposing of a United States real property interest and will be taxable on gain realized on the disposition of our Common Stock as a result of our status as a USRPHC. If our Common Stock were not considered to be regularly traded on an established securities market, each non-U.S. holder (regardless of the percentage of stock owned) would be treated as disposing of a United States real property interest and would be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a taxable disposition of our Common Stock (as described in the preceding paragraph), and a 15% withholding tax would apply to the gross proceeds from such disposition.

Non-U.S. holders should consult with their own tax advisors with respect to the application of the foregoing rules to their ownership and disposition of our Common Stock, including regarding potentially applicable income tax treaties that may provide for different rules.

Backup Withholding and Information Reporting

Any dividends paid to a non-U.S. holder must be reported annually to the IRS and to the non-U.S. holder. Copies of these information returns may be made available to the tax authorities in the country in which the non-U.S. holder resides or is established. Payments of dividends to a non-U.S. holder generally will not be subject to backup withholding if the non-U.S. holder establishes an exemption by properly certifying its non-U.S. status on an IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or other applicable or successor form).

Payments of the proceeds from a sale or other disposition by a non-U.S. holder of our Common Stock effected by or through a U.S. office of a broker generally will be subject to information reporting and backup withholding (at the applicable rate), which is currently 24% unless the non-U.S. holder establishes an exemption by properly certifying its non-U.S. status on an IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable (or other applicable or successor form) and certain other conditions are met. Information reporting and backup withholding generally will not apply to any payment of the proceeds from a sale or other disposition of our Common Stock effected outside the U.S. by a non-U.S. office of a broker. However, unless such broker has documentary evidence in its records that the non-U.S. holder is not a United States person and certain other conditions are met, or the non-U.S. holder otherwise establishes an exemption, information reporting will apply to a payment of the proceeds of the disposition of our Common Stock effected outside the U.S. by such a broker if it has certain relationships within the U.S.

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Rather, the U.S. federal income tax liability (if any) of persons subject to backup withholding will be reduced by the amount of tax withheld. If backup withholding results in an overpayment of taxes, a refund may be obtained, provided that the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.

Additional Withholding Requirements under FATCA

Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, and the U.S. Treasury regulations and administrative guidance issued thereunder (“FATCA”), impose a 30% withholding tax on any dividends on our Common Stock and, subject to the proposed U.S. Treasury regulations discussed below, on proceeds from sales or other dispositions of shares of our Common Stock, if paid to a “foreign financial institution” or a “non-financial foreign entity” (each as defined in the Code) (including, in some cases, when such foreign financial institution or non-financial foreign entity is acting as an intermediary), unless (i) in the case of a foreign financial institution, such institution enters into an agreement with the U.S. government to withhold on certain payments, and to collect and provide to the U.S. tax authorities substantial information regarding U.S. account holders of such institution (which includes certain equity and debt holders of such institution, as well as certain account holders that are non-U.S. entities with U.S. owners), (ii) in the case of a non-financial foreign entity, such entity certifies that it does not have any “substantial United States owners” (as defined in the Code) or provides the applicable withholding agent with a certification identifying the direct and indirect substantial United States owners of the entity (in either case, generally on an IRS Form W-8BEN-E), or (iii) the foreign financial institution or non-financial foreign entity otherwise qualifies for an exemption from these rules and provides appropriate documentation (such as an IRS Form W-8BEN-E). Foreign financial institutions located in jurisdictions that have an intergovernmental agreement with the U.S. governing these rules may be subject to different rules. Under certain circumstances, a holder might be eligible for refunds or credits of such taxes. While gross proceeds from a sale or other disposition of our Common Stock paid after January 1, 2019, would have originally been subject to withholding under FATCA, proposed U.S. Treasury regulations provide that such payments of gross proceeds do not constitute withholdable payments. Taxpayers may generally rely on these proposed U.S. Treasury regulations until they are revoked or final U.S. Treasury regulations are issued. Non-U.S. holders are encouraged to consult with their own tax advisors regarding the effects of FATCA on an investment in our Common Stock. The proposed U.S. Treasury regulations, which may be relied upon pending the adoption of final U.S. Treasury regulations, have indefinitely suspended the withholding tax on gross proceeds. Consequently, FATCA withholding on gross proceeds paid from the sale or other disposition of our Common Stock is not expected to apply.

INVESTORS CONSIDERING THE PURCHASE OF OUR COMMON STOCK SHOULD CONSULT WITH THEIR OWN TAX ADVISORS REGARDING THE APPLICATION OF THE U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX LAWS (INCLUDING ANY POTENTIAL FUTURE CHANGES THERETO) TO THEIR PARTICULAR SITUATIONS AND THE APPLICABILITY AND EFFECT OF ANY OTHER TAX LAWS, INCLUDING U.S. FEDERAL ESTATE AND GIFT TAX LAWS AND ANY U.S. STATE OR LOCAL OR NON-U.S. TAX LAWS, AND TAX TREATIES.

DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

The following summary of the capital stock and our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation (“Charter”) and amended and restated bylaws (“Bylaws”) does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to our Charter and Bylaws, copies of which are included as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. You should also be aware that the summary below does not give full effect to the provisions of statutory or common law that may affect your rights as a stockholder.

Our authorized capital stock consists of 500,000,000 shares of Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share, of which 22,925,161 shares were issued and outstanding as of November 22, 2024, and 50,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.01 par value per share, of which 14,456.68 shares of Series D convertible preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Series D Preferred Stock”) were issued and outstanding as of November 22, 2024.

The number of authorized shares of Common Stock or preferred stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding plus the number reserved for issuance upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of outstanding securities) by the affirmative vote of the majority of the voting power of the outstanding shares of stock of the Company entitled to vote generally on the election of directors, voting as a single class, irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”) (or any successor provision thereto), and no vote of the holders of either Common Stock or preferred stock voting separately as a class or series shall be required therefor.

Description of Common Stock

Except as provided by law or in a preferred stock designation, holders of Common Stock are entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders, will have the exclusive right to vote for the election of directors and do not have cumulative voting rights. The Company does not have a classified board, as all directors are elected annually. Except as otherwise required by law, holders of Common Stock are not entitled to vote on any amendment to our Charter (including any certificate of designations relating to any series of preferred stock) that relates solely to the terms of any outstanding series of preferred stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to our Charter (including any certificate of designations relating to any series of preferred stock) or pursuant to the DGCL. Subject to prior rights and preferences that may be applicable to any outstanding shares or series of preferred stock, holders of Common Stock are entitled to receive ratably in proportion to the shares of Common Stock held by them such dividends (payable in cash, stock or otherwise), if any, as may be declared from time to time by our board of directors out of funds legally available for dividend payments. All outstanding shares of Common Stock are fully paid, and non-assessable, and all shares of Common Stock registered by this prospectus will be, when sold, validly issued, fully paid, and non-assessable. The holders of Common Stock have no preferences or rights of conversion, exchange, preemption, or other subscription rights. There are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to the Common Stock. In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, or winding-up of our affairs, holders of Common Stock will be entitled to share ratably in our assets in proportion to the shares of Common Stock held by them that are remaining after payment or provision for payment of all of our debts and obligations and after distribution in full of preferential amounts to be distributed to holders of outstanding shares of preferred stock, if any.

Registration Rights Agreements

In connection with the SEPA, the Company entered into a registration rights agreement with YA II PN, LTD., a Cayman Islands exempt limited partnership (“YA”) pursuant to which the Company agreed to file a registration statement registering the resale of 4,198,343 shares of Common Stock, consisting of (i) up to 100,000 shares of Common Stock issued to YA as consideration for its irrevocable commitment to purchase up to $40.0 million of Common Stock, at the time and in the amount as determined by the Company, under the Standby Equity Purchase Agreement and (ii) up to 4,098,343 shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to the Standby Equity Purchase Agreement, including upon the conversion of the Yorkville Note by YA.

On September 30, 2024, the Company entered into a registration rights agreement with investors pursuant to which the Company agreed to file a registration statement registering the resale of 1,827,040 shares of Common Stock and the shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of warrants to purchase up to 1,141,552 shares of Common Stock issued by the Company to the investors.

On August 14, 2023, the Company entered into a registration rights agreement with an investor, pursuant to which the Company agreed to file with the SEC a registration statement registering the resale of the shares of Common Stock underlying Series E Preferred Stock and warrants issued in connection therewith (the “Series E Registration Statement”), and the Company agreed to use its best efforts to have the Series E Registration Statement declared effective as promptly as possible and within the timeframes specified in the Series E Registration Statement.

On May 3, 2023, the Company entered into a registration rights agreement with investors pursuant to which the Company agreed to file with the SEC a registration statement registering the resale of shares of Common Stock underlying Series D Preferred Stock and warrants issued in connection therewith (the “PIPE Resale Registration Statement” and together with the Series E Registration Statement, the “2023 Registration Statement”), and the Company agreed to use its best efforts to have the PIPE Resale Registration Statement declared effective as promptly as possible and within the timeframes specified in the PIPE Resale Registration Statement. On December 6, 2023, the SEC declared the 2023 Registration Statement effective.

Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaws

Among other things, our Charter and Bylaws:

Forum Selection

Our Charter and Bylaws provide that unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware does not have jurisdiction, the Superior Court of the State of Delaware, or, if the Superior Court of the State of Delaware does not have jurisdiction, the United States District Court for the District of Delaware) will, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, is the sole and exclusive forum for:

Our Charter and Bylaws further provide that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the federal district courts of the United States of America will be the sole and exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action under the Securities Act. The provisions in our Charter and Bylaws do not apply to complaints asserting a cause of action under the Exchange Act. A stockholder may not waive compliance with the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder.

Our Charter and Bylaws also provide that any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our capital stock will be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to this forum selection provisions. However, it is possible that a court could find our forum selection provisions to be inapplicable or unenforceable.

Limitation of Liability and Indemnification Matters

Our Charter limits the liability of our directors for monetary damages for breach of their fiduciary duty as directors, except for liability that cannot be eliminated under the DGCL. Delaware law provides that directors of a company will not be personally liable for monetary damages for breach of their fiduciary duty as directors, except for liabilities:

Any amendment, repeal, or modification of these provisions will be prospective only and would not affect any limitation on liability of a director for acts or omissions that occurred prior to any such amendment, repeal, or modification.

Our Charter and Bylaws also provide that we will indemnify our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law. Our Charter and Bylaws also permit us to purchase insurance on behalf of any officer, director, employee, or other agent for any liability arising out of that person’s actions as our officer, director, employee, or agent, regardless of whether Delaware law would permit indemnification. We have obtained directors’ and officers’ insurance to cover our directors, officers, and some of our employees for certain liabilities. We have entered into indemnification agreements with each of our current directors and officers and intend to enter into indemnification agreements with each of our future directors and officers. These agreements require us to indemnify these individuals to the fullest extent permitted under Delaware law against liability that may arise by reason of their service to us, and to advance expenses incurred as a result of any proceeding against them as to which they could be indemnified. We believe that the limitation of liability provision in our Charter and the indemnification agreements facilitate our ability to continue to attract and retain qualified individuals to serve as directors and officers.

Anti-Takeover Effects of Certain Provisions of our Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, Amended and Restated Bylaws and the DGCL

Certain provisions of our Charter and Bylaws, which are summarized in the following paragraphs, may have the effect of discouraging potential acquisition proposals or making a tender offer or delaying or preventing a change in control, including changes a stockholder might consider favorable. Such provisions may also prevent or frustrate attempts by our stockholders to replace or remove our management. In particular, our Charter, our Bylaws and Delaware law, as applicable, among other things:

These provisions are expected to discourage certain types of coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids and to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of us to first negotiate with our board of directors. These provisions may delay or prevent someone from acquiring or merging with us, which may cause the market price of our Common Stock to decline.

Stockholders Agreement

The Company, Bristol Capital Advisors, LLC (“Bristol Capital Advisors”), Paul L. Kessler, Gary C. Hanna and Edward Kovalik entered into a Stockholders Agreement, dated as of May 3, 2023 (the “Stockholders Agreement”), pursuant to which the parties agreed to use reasonable best efforts, including taking certain necessary actions, to cause the board of directors to cause certain nominees to be elected to serve as a director on the board of directors under the following conditions: (i) one nominee designated by Bristol Capital Advisors and Paul L. Kessler, collectively, so long as Bristol Capital Advisors, Paul L. Kessler and their respective affiliates collectively beneficially own at least 50% of the number of shares of Common Stock collectively beneficially owned by such parties on of May 3, 2023; (ii) four nominees designated by Gary C. Hanna and Edward Kovalik (the “Prairie Members”) so long as the Prairie Members and their affiliates collectively beneficially own at least 50% of the number of shares of Common Stock collectively beneficially owned by such parties on of May 3, 2023; (iii) three nominees designated by the Prairie Members so long as the Prairie Members and their affiliates collectively beneficially own at least 40% (but less than 50%) of the number of shares of Common Stock collectively beneficially owned by such parties on of May 3, 2023; (iv) two nominees designated by the Prairie Members so long as the Prairie Members and their affiliates collectively beneficially own at least 30% (but less than 40%) of the number of shares of Common Stock collectively beneficially owned by such parties on of May 3, 2023; (v) one nominee designated by the Prairie Members so long as the Prairie Members and their affiliates collectively beneficially own at least 20% (but less than 30%) of the number of shares of Common Stock collectively beneficially owned by such parties on of May 3, 2023; and (vi) in the event of a vacancy on the board of directors, a replacement director designated by the party that designated the vacating director, provided that such upon such replacement, the total number of directors designated by such party does not exceed the total number of directors such party is entitled to designate pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement. The Stockholders Agreement was terminated effective November 15, 2024.

Advance Notice Bylaws. Our Bylaws contain an advance notice procedure for stockholder proposals to be brought before any meeting of stockholders, including proposed nominations of persons for election to our board of directors. Stockholders at any meeting will only be able to consider proposals or nominations specified in the notice of meeting or brought before the meeting by or at the direction of our board of directors or by a stockholder who was a stockholder of record on the record date for the meeting, who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who has given our corporate secretary timely written notice, in proper form, of the stockholder’s intention to bring that business before the meeting. Although our Bylaws do not give our board of directors the power to approve or disapprove stockholder nominations of candidates or proposals regarding other business to be conducted at a special or annual meeting, our Bylaws may have the effect of precluding the conduct of certain business at a meeting if the proper procedures are not followed, or may discourage or deter a potential acquirer from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect its own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to obtain control of us.

Interested Stockholder Transactions. We may become subject to Section 203 of the DGCL, which, subject to certain exceptions, prohibits “business combinations” between a publicly-held Delaware corporation and an “interested stockholder,” which is generally defined as a stockholder who becomes a beneficial owner of 15% or more of a Delaware corporation’s voting stock for a three-year period following the date that such stockholder became an interested stockholder.

Transfer Agent and Registrar

The transfer agent and registrar for our Common Stock is Vstock Transfer, LLC. The transfer agent’s telephone number and address are (212) 828-8436 and 18 Lafayette Place, Woodmere, New York 11598.

Listing

Our Common Stock is listed on the Nasdaq under the symbol “PROP.”

SELLING STOCKHOLDER

This prospectus relates to the offer and sale from time to time by YA of up to 4,198,343 shares Common Stock, consisting of (i) up to 100,000 Commitment Shares that have been issued to YA for the Commitment Fee, and (ii) up to 4,098,343 shares of Common Stock (a) issuable to YA by the Company under the SEPA, subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in the SEPA, and (b) issuable to YA upon conversions of the Yorkville Note. For additional information regarding the issuance of Common Stock covered by this prospectus, see the section titled “The YA Transaction” below. Except for the transactions contemplated by the SEPA and the SEPA Registration Rights Agreement, YA does not, and has not had, any material relationship with us.

The table below presents information regarding the Selling Stockholder and the shares of Common Stock that it may offer from time to time under this prospectus. This table is prepared based on information supplied to us by the Selling Stockholder. The number of shares in the column “Maximum Number of Shares of Common Stock to be Offered Pursuant to this Prospectus” represents all of the shares of Common Stock that the Selling Stockholder may offer under this prospectus. The Selling Stockholder may sell some, all or none of its shares in this offering. We do not know how long the Selling Stockholder will hold the shares before selling them, and we currently have no agreements, arrangements or understandings with the Selling Stockholder regarding the sale of any of the shares.

Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with Rule 13d-3(d) promulgated by the SEC under the Exchange Act, and includes shares of Common Stock with respect to which the Selling Stockholder has voting and investment power. The percentage of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by the Selling Stockholder prior to the offering shown in the table below is based on an aggregate of 22,925,161 shares of our Common Stock outstanding on November 22, 2024. The number of shares that may actually be sold by us under the SEPA and the Yorkville Note may be different than the number of shares being offered by this prospectus. The fourth column assumes the sale of all of the shares offered by the Selling Stockholder pursuant to this prospectus.

THE YA TRANSACTION

On September 30, 2024, the Company entered into the SEPA with YA, whereby, subject to certain conditions, the Company has the right, not the obligation, to sell to YA shares of Common Stock, for a value of up to $40.0 million of Common Stock, at the Company’s request, during the commitment period commencing on September 30, 2024 (the “SEPA Effective Date”) and terminating on September 30, 2026. Each Advance by the Company is subject to a maximum limit equal to 100% of the aggregate volume traded of the Company’s Common Stock on the Nasdaq Stock Market during the five trading days immediately prior to the date of the Advance Notice. The shares will be issued and sold to YA at a per share price equal to 97% of the lowest daily volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for three consecutive trading days commencing on the trading day immediately following YA’s receipt of an Advance Notice. The Company paid YA a structuring fee of $25,000 and the Commitment Fee of 100,000 shares of Common Stock.

Any purchases under an Advance will be subject to certain limitations, including that YA cannot acquire (i) any shares that would result in YA, including its affiliates, beneficially owning more than 4.99% of the Company’s outstanding Common Stock at the time of an Advance or (ii) more than the Exchange Cap of 19.99% of the Company’s issued and outstanding Common Stock as of the SEPA Effective Date, subject to limited exceptions.

Additionally, on September 30, 2024, YA advanced the Pre-Paid Advance to the Company and the Company issued the Yorkville Note, with an interest rate of 8.00% and a maturity date of September 30, 2025. The Company’s obligations with respect to the Pre-Paid Advance and under the Yorkville Note are guaranteed by Prairie LLC and Prairie Holdco pursuant to the SEPA Guaranty in favor of YA on September 30, 2024. YA may convert the Yorkville Note into shares of Common Stock at any time at the Conversion Price. The Company may, at any time, redeem all or a portion or the amounts outstanding under the Yorkville Note at 105% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest.

In connection with the SEPA, on September 30, 2024, the Company entered into a registration rights agreement (the “SEPA Registration Rights Agreement”) with YA pursuant to which the Company agreed to file a registration statement, within 21 calendar days of September 30, 2024, registering the resale of the 4,198,343 shares of Common Stock, consisting of (i) up to 100,000 shares of Common Stock issued to YA as consideration for its irrevocable commitment to purchase up to $40.0 million of Common Stock under the Standby Equity Purchase Agreement and (ii) up to 4,098,343 shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to the Standby Equity Purchase Agreement, including upon the conversion of the Yorkville Note by YA.

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We are registering the resale by the Selling Stockholder or its permitted transferees from time to time of up to 4,198,343 shares Common Stock of Common Stock. We will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of the securities by the Selling Stockholder. The aggregate proceeds to the Selling Stockholder will be the purchase price of the securities less any discounts and commissions borne by the Selling Stockholder. We are required to pay all fees and expenses incident to the registration of the securities to be offered and sold pursuant to this prospectus. The Selling Stockholder will bear all commissions and discounts, if any, attributable to its sale of securities.

The shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by the Selling Stockholder covered by this prospectus may be offered and sold from time to time by the Selling Stockholder. The term “Selling Stockholder” includes donees, pledgees, transferees or other successors in interest selling securities received after the date of this prospectus from the Selling Stockholder as a gift, pledge, partnership distribution or other transfer. The Selling Stockholder will act independently of us in making decisions with respect to the timing, manner and size of each sale. Such sales may be made on one or more exchanges or in the over-the-counter market or otherwise, at prices and under terms then prevailing or at prices related to the then current market price or in negotiated transactions. The Selling Stockholder may sell its securities by one or more of, or a combination of, the following methods:

In addition, any securities that qualify for sale pursuant to Rule 144 or another exemption from registration under the Securities Act or other such exemption may be sold under Rule 144 or such other exemption rather than pursuant to this prospectus.

To the extent required, this prospectus may be amended or supplemented from time to time to describe a specific plan of distribution. In connection with distributions of the securities or otherwise, the Selling Stockholder may enter into hedging transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions. In connection with such transactions, broker-dealers or other financial institutions may engage in short sales of the securities in the course of hedging the positions they assume with the Selling Stockholder. The Selling Stockholder may also sell the securities short and redeliver the securities to close out such short positions. The Selling Stockholder may also enter into option or other transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions which require the delivery to such broker-dealer or other financial institution of securities offered by this prospectus, which securities such broker-dealer or other financial institution may resell pursuant to this prospectus (as supplemented or amended to reflect such transaction). The Selling Stockholder may also pledge securities to a broker-dealer or other financial institution, and, upon a default, such broker-dealer or other financial institution, may effect sales of the pledged securities pursuant to this prospectus (as supplemented or amended to reflect such transaction).

In effecting sales, broker-dealers or agents engaged by the Selling Stockholder may arrange for other broker-dealers to participate. Broker-dealers or agents may receive commissions, discounts or concessions from the Selling Stockholder in amounts to be negotiated immediately prior to the sale.

In offering the securities covered by this prospectus, the Selling Stockholder and any broker-dealers who execute sales for the Selling Stockholder may be deemed to be “underwriters” within the meaning of the Securities Act in connection with such sales. Any profits realized by the Selling Stockholder and the compensation of any broker-dealer may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions.

In order to comply with the securities laws of certain states, if applicable, the securities must be sold in such jurisdictions only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers. In addition, in certain states the securities may not be sold unless they have been registered or qualified for sale in the applicable state or an exemption from the registration or qualification requirement is available and is complied with.

We also have agreed to indemnify the Selling Stockholder and certain other persons against certain liabilities in connection with the offering of shares of our Common Stock offered hereby, including liabilities arising under the Securities Act. The Selling Stockholder has agreed to indemnify us against liabilities under the Securities Act that may arise from certain written information furnished to us by the Selling Stockholder specifically for use in this prospectus. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to our directors, officers, and controlling persons, we have been advised that in the opinion of the SEC this indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore, unenforceable.

We have advised the Selling Stockholder that the anti-manipulation rules of Regulation M under the Exchange Act may apply to sales of securities in the market and to the activities of the Selling Stockholder and its affiliates. With certain exceptions and while the SEPA is in effect, Regulation M may preclude the Selling Stockholder, any affiliated purchasers and any broker-dealer or other person who participates in the distribution of the securities from (i) bidding for or purchasing, or attempting to induce any person to bid for or purchase, any security that is the subject of the distribution until the entire distribution is complete and (ii) bidding for or purchasing any security to stabilize the price of that security. In addition, we will make copies of this prospectus available to the Selling Stockholder for the purpose of satisfying the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act. The Selling Stockholder may indemnify any broker-dealer that participates in transactions involving the sale of the securities against certain liabilities, including liabilities arising under the Securities Act.

At the time a particular offer of securities is made, if required, a prospectus supplement will be distributed that will set forth the number of securities being offered and the terms of the offering, including the name of any underwriter, dealer or agent, the purchase price paid by any underwriter, any discount, commission and other item constituting compensation, any discount, commission or concession allowed or reallowed or paid to any dealer, and the proposed selling price to the public.

LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of the issuance of the securities offered in this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., Houston, Texas.

EXPERTS

Prairie Operating Co.

The financial statements of Prairie Operating Co. (formerly known as Prairie Operating Co., LLC) as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 and for the year ended December 31, 2023 and for the period from June 7, 2022 (inception) through December 31, 2022 incorporated by reference in this prospectus from the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2023, have been audited by Ham, Langston & Brezina, L.L.P., an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report appearing thereon, and have been incorporated by reference in this prospectus and registration statement in reliance upon the report of such firm given their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

Estimates of the reserves of the Company as of December 31, 2023 incorporated by reference in this prospectus from the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2023, the combined reserves of the Company as of June 30, 2024 and related information included in this prospectus have been prepared based on reports by Cawley, Gillespie & Associates, Inc., an independent Petroleum Reserve Evaluation Firm, and all such information has been so incorporated in reliance on the authority of such experts in such matters. Pursuant to Rule 412 under the Securities Act, the combined and individual reserve reports with respect to the Initial Genesis Assets, the Central Weld Assets and the Genesis Bolt-On Assets, in each case, as of January 31, 2024, incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference into this prospectus are deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus by the combined reserve report as of June 30, 2024. Any statement so modified or superseded will not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus.

Nickel Road Operating LLC

The consolidated financial statements of Nickel Road Operating LLC (“NRO”) as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 and for the years then ended incorporated in this prospectus by reference from the Company’s Amendment to its Current Report on Form 8-K/A, dated March 19, 2024, have been audited by Moss Adams LLP, independent auditors, as stated in their report, which is incorporated by reference. Such consolidated financial statements are incorporated by reference in reliance upon the report of such firm given their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

Estimates of NRO’s reserves as of December 31, 2023 and related information incorporated by reference in this prospectus by reference from the Company’s Amendment to its Current Report on Form 8-K/A, dated March 19, 2024 have been prepared based on reports by Cawley, Gillespie & Associates, Inc., an independent Petroleum Reserve Evaluation Firm, and all such information has been so incorporated in reliance on the authority of such experts in such matters.

PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Set forth below are the expenses (other than underwriting discounts and commissions) expected to be incurred in connection with the offering of the securities registered hereby.

Section 145 of the DGCL provides that a corporation may indemnify directors and officers as well as other employees and individuals against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with any threatened, pending or completed actions, suits or proceedings in which such person is made a party by reason of such person being or having been a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company. The DGCL provides that Section 145 is not exclusive of other rights to which those seeking indemnification may be entitled under any bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise. Our Charter and Bylaws provide for indemnification by the Company of its directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL.

Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL permits a corporation to provide in its certificate of incorporation that a director of the corporation shall not be personally liable to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability (i) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) for unlawful payments of dividends or unlawful stock repurchases, redemptions or other distributions or (iv) for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit. The Charter provides for such limitation of liability to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL.

The Company has entered into indemnification agreements (the “Indemnification Agreements”) with each of its current directors and executive officers. These Indemnification Agreements require the Company to indemnify its directors and executive officers for certain expenses, including attorneys’ fees, retainers and travel expenses, incurred by a director or executive officer in any action, suit or proceeding arising out of their services as one of the Company’s directors or executive officers or out of any services they provide at the Company’s request to any other company or enterprise.

The following documents are filed as exhibits to this registration statement, including those exhibits incorporated herein by reference to a prior filing of Prairie Operating Co. under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act as indicated in parentheses:

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(i), (a)(ii) and (a)(iii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the SEC by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, as amended, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that:

(1) For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b) (1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.

(2) For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Houston, Texas on November 22, 2024.

Each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Edward Kovalik and Craig Owen, as his attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, on his behalf, in any and all capacities, to sign this registration statement and any and all amendments (including post effective amendments) to this registration statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and to perform and do any and all acts and things whatsoever that any such attorney-in-fact or substitute may deem necessary or advisable to be performed or done in connection with any or all of the matters described in these resolutions, as fully as such officer or director might or could do if personally present and acting.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.