Sec Form 3 Filing - Maple Energy Holdings, LLC @ Vital Energy, Inc. - 2023-10-31

FORM 3 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person Maple Energy Holdings, LLC 2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol Vital Energy, Inc. [ VTLE] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director X __ 10% Owner _____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) (Last) (First) (Middle) C/O RIVERSTONE HOLDINGS LLC, 712 FIFTH AVENUE, 36TH FLOOR 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YY) 10/31/2023 (Street) NEW YORK, NY10019 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YY) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) _____ Form filed by One Reporting Person __ X __ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip)

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned 1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (MM/DD/YY) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (MM/DD/YY) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 3,370,497 ( 1 ) I See footnotes ( 2 ) ( 3 )

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned ( e.g. , puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities) 1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3) 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (MM/DD/YY) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (MM/DD/YY) 4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5) 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (MM/DD/YY) 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4) 8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5) 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4) 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships Director 10% Owner Officer Other Maple Energy Holdings, LLC C/O RIVERSTONE HOLDINGS LLC 712 FIFTH AVENUE, 36TH FLOOR NEW YORK, NY10019 X Riverstone Maple Investor, LLC C/O RIVERSTONE HOLDINGS LLC 712 FIFTH AVENUE, 36TH FLOOR NEW YORK, NY10019 X Riverstone Credit Partners II - Direct, L.P. C/O RIVERSTONE HOLDINGS LLC 712 FIFTH AVENUE, 36TH FLOOR NEW YORK, NY10019 X Riverstone Credit Partners - Direct, L.P. C/O RIVERSTONE HOLDINGS LLC 712 FIFTH AVENUE, 36TH FLOOR NEW YORK, NY10019 X Riverstone Strategic Credit Partners A-2 AIV, L.P. C/O RIVERSTONE HOLDINGS LLC 712 FIFTH AVENUE, 36TH FLOOR NEW YORK, NY10019 X RCP II F2 GP, L.P. C/O RIVERSTONE HOLDINGS LLC 712 FIFTH AVENUE, 36TH FLOOR NEW YORK, NY10019 X RCP F2 GP, L.P. C/O RIVERSTONE HOLDINGS LLC 712 FIFTH AVENUE, 36TH FLOOR NEW YORK, NY10019 X RCP Strategic Credit Partners (A-2) GP, L.P. C/O RIVERSTONE HOLDINGS LLC 712 FIFTH AVENUE, 36TH FLOOR NEW YORK, NY10019 X Signatures Maple Energy Holdings, LLC, By: /s/ Christopher Abbate, Authorized Person 11/09/2023 Signature of Reporting Person Date Riverstone Maple Investor, LLC, By: /s/ Christopher Abbate, Authorized Person 11/09/2023 Signature of Reporting Person Date Riverstone Credit Partners II - Direct, L.P., By: RCP II F2 GP, L.P., its general partner, By: RCP II F1 GP, L.L.C., its general partner, By: Riverstone Holdings LLC, its sole member, By: /s/ Christopher Abbate, Authorized Person 11/09/2023 Signature of Reporting Person Date Riverstone Credit Partners - Direct, L.P., By: RCP F2 GP, L.P., its general partner, By: RCP F1 GP, L.L.C., its general partner, By: Riverstone Holdings LLC, its sole member, By: /s/ Christopher Abbate, Authorized Person 11/09/2023 Signature of Reporting Person Date Riverstone Strategic Credit Partners A-2 AIV, L.P., By: RCP Strategic Credit Partners (A-2) GP, L.P., its general partner, By: RCP Strategic Credit Partners (A) GP, L.L.C., its general partner, By: /s/ Christopher Abbate, Authorized Person 11/09/2023 Signature of Reporting Person Date RCP II F2 GP, L.P., By: RCP II F1 GP, L.L.C., its general partner, By: Riverstone Holdings LLC, its sole member, By: /s/ Christopher Abbate, Authorized Person 11/09/2023 Signature of Reporting Person Date RCP F2 GP, L.P., By: RCP F1 GP, L.L.C., By: Riverstone Holdings LLC, its sole member, By: /s/ Christopher Abbate, Authorized Person 11/09/2023 Signature of Reporting Person Date RCP Strategic Credit Partners (A-2) GP, L.P., By: RCP Strategic Credit Partners (A) GP, L.L.C., By: /s/ Christopher Abbate, Authorized Person 11/09/2023 Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

( 1 )Includes 2,635,582 shares of the Issuer's common stock ("Common Stock") held by Riverstone Credit Partners II - Direct, L.P. ("Riverstone Credit Partners II"), 344,751 shares of Common Stock held by Riverstone Credit Partners - Direct, L.P. ("Riverstone Credit Partners"), 32,664 shares of Common Stock held by Riverstone Strategic Credit Partners A-2 AIV, L.P. ("Riverstone Strategic Credit Partners") and 357,500 shares of Common Stock held by Maple Energy Holdings, LLC ("Maple"). The 357,500 shares held by Maple are currently being held in escrow and are subject to forfeiture to satisfy potential indemnification claims arising under the Purchase and Sale Agreement by and between Maple and the Issuer, dated September 13, 2023 (as amended, the "PSA"), during the 12-month period following the closing of the PSA. ( 2 )RCP II F1 GP, L.L.C. is the sole general partner of RCP II F2 GP, L.P., which is the sole general partner of Riverstone Credit Partners II. RCP F1 GP, L.L.C. is the sole general partner of RCP F2 GP, L.P., which is the sole general partner of Riverstone Credit Partners. RCP Strategic Credit Partners (A) GP, L.L.C. is the sole general partner of RCP Strategic Credit Partners (A-2) GP, L.P., which is the is the sole general partner of Riverstone Strategic Credit Partners. Riverstone Maple Investor, LLC ("Maple Investor") is managed by Riverstone Credit Partners II, Riverstone Credit Partners and Riverstone Strategic Credit Partners, and Maple Investor is the sole member of Maple. David M. Leuschen and Pierre F. Lapeyre, Jr. are the managing directors of Riverstone Management Group, L.L.C. ("Riverstone Management") and have or share voting and investment discretion with respect to the securities beneficially owned by Riverstone Management, which is the general partner of Riverstone/Gower ( 3 )(Continued from footnote 2) Mgmt Co Holdings, L.P., which is the sole member of Riverstone Holdings LLC, which is the sole member of RCP II F1 GP, L.L.C., RCP F1 GP, L.L.C. and RCP Strategic Credit Partners (A) GP, L.L.C. As a result of these relationships, each of these entities and individuals may be deemed to have or share beneficial ownership of the securities held of record by Maple, and each of these entities and individuals (other than Maple Investor and Maple) may be deemed to have or share beneficial ownership of the securities held of record by Riverstone Credit Partners II, Riverstone Credit Partners and Riverstone Strategic Credit Partners. Each such entity or person disclaims beneficial ownership of such securities except to the extent of their respective pecuniary interest therein.

Remarks: Due to limitations of the electronic filing system, each of Riverstone Holdings LLC, RCP II F1 GP, L.L.C., RCP F1 GP, L.L.C., RCP Strategic Credit Partners (A) GP, L.L.C., Riverstone/Gower Mgmt Co Holdings, L.P., Riverstone Management Group, L.L.C., David M. Leuschen and Pierre F. Lapeyre, Jr. are filing a separate Form 3.

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).

** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).

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