EX-3.1 2 exhibit31-secondamendedand.htm EX-3.1 Document
EXHIBIT 3.1
SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
VITAL ENERGY, INC.
(Originally incorporated on August 12, 2011)
Vital Energy, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (hereinafter referred to as the “Corporation”) hereby certifies as follows:
1.The Corporation was originally incorporated under the name Laredo Petroleum Holdings, Inc. and the original Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation (the “Original Certificate of Incorporation”) was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on August 12, 2011.
2.The Original Certificate of Incorporation was amended and restated and an Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on December 19, 2011 (the “Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation”), further amended by the Certificate of Amendment filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on June 1, 2020, further amended by the Second Certificate of Amendment filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on May 26, 2022, further amended by the Third Certificate of Amendment filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on January 6, 2023, and further amended by the Fourth Certificate of Amendment filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on November 21, 2023.
3.This Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation (the “Certificate of Incorporation”), which amends and restates the Corporation’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, has been declared advisable by the board of directors of the Corporation (the “Board”), duly adopted by the stockholders of the Corporation and duly executed and acknowledged by an authorized officer of the Corporation in accordance with Sections 103, 228, 242 and 245 of Delaware General Corporation Law.
4.This Certificate of Incorporation shall become effective at the date and time it is filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware.
5.The Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation is hereby amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:
FIRST: The name of the corporation is Vital Energy, Inc.
SECOND: The address of the registered office of the Corporation in the State of Delaware is Corporation Trust Center, 1209 Orange Street, County of New Castle, Wilmington, Delaware, 19801. The name of the registered agent of the Corporation at that address is The Corporation Trust Company.



THIRD: The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which a corporation may be organized under the Delaware General Corporation Law.
FOURTH: A.     The total number of shares of all classes of stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 130,000,000, consisting of 80,000,000 shares of common stock, par value one cent ($0.01) per share (the “Common Stock”), and 50,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value one cent ($0.01) per share (the “Preferred Stock”).
B.The board of directors is authorized, subject to any limitations prescribed by law, to provide for the issuance of shares of Preferred Stock in series, and by filing a certificate pursuant to the applicable law of the State of Delaware (such certificate being hereinafter referred to as a “Preferred Stock Designation”), to establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in each such series, and to fix the designation, powers, preferences, and rights of the shares of each such series and any qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof. The number of authorized shares of Preferred Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon, without a vote of the holders of the Preferred Stock, or of any series thereof, unless a vote of any such holders is required pursuant to the terms of any Preferred Stock Designation.
C.Each outstanding share of Common Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to one vote on each matter properly submitted to the stockholders of the Corporation for their vote; provided, however, that, except as otherwise required by law, holders of Common Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Preferred Stock Designation relating to any series of Preferred Stock) that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together as a class with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Preferred Stock Designation relating to any series of Preferred Stock).
FIFTH: The following provisions are inserted for the management of the business and the conduct of the affairs of the Corporation, and for further definition, limitation and regulation of the powers of the Corporation and of its directors and stockholders:
A.The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the board of directors. In addition to the powers and authority expressly conferred upon them by statute or by this Certificate of Incorporation or the bylaws of the Corporation, the directors are hereby empowered to exercise all such powers and do all such acts and things as may be exercised or done by the Corporation.
B.The directors of the Corporation need not be elected by written ballot unless the bylaws so provide.
C.Special meetings of stockholders of the Corporation may be called only by the board of directors acting pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the Whole
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Board. For purposes of this Certificate of Incorporation, the term “Whole Board” shall mean the total number of authorized directors whether or not there exist any vacancies in previously authorized directorships.
D.An annual meeting of stockholders, for the election of directors to succeed those whose terms expire and for the transaction of such other business as may properly come before the meeting, shall be held at such place, on such date, and at such time as the board of directors shall fix.
SIXTH: A.     The number of directors shall be fixed from time to time exclusively by the board of directors pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the Whole Board.
Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect additional directors under specified circumstances, the board of directors, other than those directors who may be elected by the holders of any series of preferred stock under specified circumstances, shall be divided into three classes, with the initial term of office of the first class to expire at the annual meeting of stockholders held in 2014 (the “Class I Directors”), the initial term of office of the second class to expire at the annual meeting of stockholders held in 2015 (the “Class II Directors”) and the initial term of office of the third class to expire at the annual meeting of stockholders held in 2016 (the “Class III Directors”), with each director to hold office until his or her successor shall have been duly elected and qualified, or until his or her earlier death, resignation, disqualification, or removal from office, and the board of directors shall be authorized to assign members of the board of directors already in office, other than those directors who may be elected by the holders of any series of Preferred Stock under specified circumstances, to such classes at the time such classification becomes effective. At each annual meeting of stockholders, directors elected to succeed those directors whose terms expire shall be elected for a term of office to expire at the third succeeding annual meeting of stockholders after their election, with each director to hold office until his or her successor shall have been duly elected and qualified, or until his or her earlier death, resignation, disqualification, or removal from office.
B.If authorized by a resolution of the board of directors, directors may be elected by the stockholders to fill any vacancy on the board of directors, regardless of how such vacancy shall have been created.
C.A majority of the Whole Board shall constitute a quorum for all purposes at any meeting of the board of directors, and, except as otherwise expressly required by law or by this Certificate of Incorporation, all matters shall be determined by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors present at any meeting at which a quorum is present.
D.Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock then outstanding, newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors or any vacancies in the board of directors resulting from death, resignation, disqualification, removal from office or other cause shall, unless otherwise required by law or by resolution of the board of directors, be filled only by a majority vote of the directors then in office, though less than a quorum (and not by stockholders), and
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directors so chosen shall serve for a term expiring at the annual meeting of stockholders at which the term of office of the class to which they have been chosen expires, in either case with each director to hold office until his or her successor shall have been duly elected and qualified. No decrease in the authorized number of directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.
E.Advance notice of stockholder nominations for the election of directors and of business to be brought by stockholders before any meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation shall be given in the manner provided in the bylaws of the Corporation.
F.Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock then outstanding, any director, or the entire board of directors, may be removed from office at any time only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation then entitled to vote at an election of directors, voting together as a single class.
SEVENTH: The board of directors is expressly empowered to adopt, amend or repeal bylaws of the Corporation. Any adoption, amendment or repeal of the bylaws of the Corporation by the board of directors shall require the approval of a majority of the Whole Board. The stockholders shall also have power to adopt, amend or repeal the bylaws of the Corporation; provided, however, that, in addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of stock of the Corporation required by law or by this Certificate of Incorporation, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of the capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class, shall be required to adopt, amend or repeal any provision of the bylaws of the Corporation.
EIGHTH: 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) under Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, or (iv) for any transaction from which the director or officer derived an improper personal benefit. If the Delaware General Corporation Law is amended to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of directors, then the liability of a director of the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, as so amended.
Any repeal or modification of the foregoing paragraph shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a director of the Corporation existing at the time of such repeal or modification. All references in this Article Eighth to a director shall also be deemed to refer to any such director acting in his or her capacity as a Continuing Director (as defined below).
NINTH: Any action required or permitted to be taken by stockholders may be effected only at a duly called annual or special meeting of stockholders and may not be effected by a written consent or consents by stockholders in lieu of such a meeting.
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TENTH: The Corporation reserves the right to amend or repeal any provision contained in this Certificate of Incorporation in the manner prescribed by the laws of the State of Delaware and all rights conferred upon stockholders are granted subject to this reservation; provided, however, that, notwithstanding any other provision of this Certificate of Incorporation or any provision of law that might otherwise permit a lesser vote or no vote, but in addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of the stock of this corporation required by law or by this Certificate of Incorporation, and the affirmative vote of the holders of at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of the capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class, shall be required to amend or repeal this Article Tenth, Sections C or D of Article Fifth, Article Sixth, Article Seventh, Article Eighth or Article Eleventh.
ELEVENTH: [RESERVED]
TWELFTH: Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall be the sole and exclusive forum for (a) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (b) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or other employee of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders, (c) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to, or a claim with respect to the interpretation or application of, any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law, this Certificate of Incorporation or the bylaws of the Corporation or (d) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Article Twelfth.
THIRTEENTH: The board of directors is expressly authorized to cause the Corporation to issue rights pursuant to Section 157 of the Delaware General Corporation Law and, in connection therewith, to enter into any agreements necessary or convenient for such issuance, and to enter into other agreements necessary and convenient to the conduct of the business of the Corporation. Any such agreement may include provisions limiting, in certain circumstances, the ability of the board of directors of the Corporation to redeem the securities issued pursuant thereto or to take other action thereunder or in connection therewith unless there is a specified number or percentage of Continuing Directors then in office. Pursuant to Section 141(a) of the Delaware General Corporation Law, the Continuing Directors shall have the power and authority to make all decisions and determinations, and exercise or perform such other acts, that any such agreement provides that such Continuing Directors shall make, exercise or perform. For purposes of this Certificate of Incorporation and any such agreement, the term “Continuing Directors” shall mean (1) those directors who were members of the board of directors of the Corporation at the time the Corporation entered into such agreement and any director who subsequently becomes a member of the board of directors, if such director’s nomination for election to the board of directors is recommended or approved by the majority vote of the Continuing Directors then in office and (2) such other members of the board of directors, if any, designated in, or in the manner provided in, such agreement as Continuing Directors.

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Certificate of Incorporation has been executed by its duly authorized officer this twenty-eighth day of May, 2024.

 VITAL ENERGY, INC.
   
   
By:/s/ Mark Denny
  Mark Denny
  Executive Vice President - General Counsel & Secretary
[Signature Page to the Certificate of Incorporation]