Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Notes to Financial Statements
Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies	EMPIRE PETROLEUM CORPORATION NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS DECEMBER 31, 2011 and 2010 General: On July 20, 2001, Americomm Resources Corporation merged with its wholly-owned subsidiary, Empire Petroleum Corporation, and simultaneously changed the name of the corporation to Empire Petroleum Corporation (the "Company"). Both the merger and name change were effective as of August 15, 2001. Americomm Resources Corporation was originally incorporated in the State of Utah on the 22nd day of August 1983, as Chambers Energy Corporation. On the 7th day of March 1985, the state of incorporation was changed to Delaware by means of a merger with Americomm Corporation, a Delaware corporation formed for the purpose of effecting the said change. In July 1995, the Company changed its name to Americomm Resources Corporation. 1. Continuing operations: The ultimate recoverability of the Company's investment in its oil and gas interests is dependent upon the existence and discovery of economically recoverable oil and gas reserves, the ability of the Company to obtain necessary financing to further develop the interests, and upon the ability to attain future profitable production. The Company has been incurring significant losses in recent years. Virtually all of the Company's assets are invested in the Gabbs Valley and South Okie Prospects, both of which are unproven, that is, they have not been evaluated as being capable of producing economical quantities of reserves. The Company acquired additional leasehold interests in and drilled a test well on its Gabbs Valley Prospect in 2006. Completion of the test well was suspended pending evaluation of the geologic information and the securing of additional capital to continue the evaluation and possibly to complete the well. The Company drilled a test well on the Prospect in 2010 which recovered oil, however the oil contained paraffin which prevented it from producing at economic rates. The Company continues to believe that the Prospect contains economical reserve quantities and is actively conducting additional studies and will be pursuing potential funding and/or partners to continue evaluation and exploration. The Company plans to supplement current studies of the South Okie Prospect with a seismograph evaluation to verify the potential of the prospect. The Company has acquired 11 miles of seismic and studies of this data were completed in early January 2010 and an additional geological study was also completed in early January 2010. The continuation of the Company is dependent upon the ability of the Company to attain future profitable operations. These financial statements have been prepared on the basis of United States generally accepted accounting principles applicable to a company with continuing operations, which assume that the Company will continue in operation for the foreseeable future and will be able to realize its assets and discharge its obligations in the normal course of operations. Management believes the going concern assumption to be appropriate for these financial statements. If the going concern assumption were not appropriate for these financial statements, then adjustments might be necessary to the carrying value of assets and liabilities, reported expenses and the balance sheet classifications used. 2. Significant accounting policies: The preparation of financial statements in conformity with United States generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates. (a) Capital assets: The Company uses the successful efforts method of accounting for its oil and gas activities. Costs incurred are deferred until exploration and completion results are evaluated. At such time, costs of activities with economically recoverable reserves are capitalized as proven properties, and costs of unsuccessful or uneconomical activities are expensed. Capitalized drilling costs are reviewed periodically for impairment. Costs related to impaired prospects or unsuccessful exploratory drilling are charged to expense. Management's assessment of the results of exploration activities, commodity price outlooks, planned future sales or expiration of all or a portion of such leaseholds impact the amount and timing of impairment provisions. An impairment expense could result if oil and gas prices decline in the future as it may not be economical to develop some of these unproved properties. (b) Per share amounts: The Company calculates and discloses basic earnings per share ("Basic EPS") and diluted earnings per share ("Diluted EPS"). The computation of basic earnings per share is computed by dividing earnings available to common stockholders by the weighted average number of outstanding common shares during the period. Diluted EPS gives effect to all dilutive potential common shares outstanding during the period. The computation of diluted EPS does not assume conversion, exercise or contingent exercise of securities that would have an anti-dilutive effect on losses. As a result, if there is a loss from continuing operations, Diluted EPS is computed in the same manner as Basic EPS is computed. At December 31, 2011 the Company had 1,245,000 options outstanding that were not included in the calculation of diluted earnings per share. Such financial instruments may become dilutive and would then need to be included in future calculations of Diluted EPS. (c) Income taxes: The Company accounts for income taxes in accordance with the asset and liability method of accounting for income taxes. Under the asset and liability method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases and operating loss and tax credit carry forwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to the taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. A valuation allowance is established if management determines it is more likely than not that some portion of a deferred tax asset will not be realized. (d) Financial instruments: The carrying value of current assets and current liabilities approximate their fair value due to the relatively short period to maturity of the instruments. (e) Stock option plan: The Company expenses options granted over the vesting period based on the grant date fair value of the award. (f) Obligations associated with the retirement of assets: The Company follows Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) guidance on accounting for asset retirement obligations, which among other matters, addresses financial accounting and reporting for legal obligations associated with the retirement of tangible long-lived assets and the associated asset retirement costs. This guidance requires that the fair value of a liability for an asset retirement obligation be recognized in the period in which it is incurred, with the associated asset retirement cost capitalized as part of the related asset and allocated to expense over the asset's useful life. The Company applies its analysis to producing wells. The Company accrued $0 and $0, respectively at December 31, 2011 and 2010 as an asset retirement obligation for wells in Nevada, which was recorded as an expense since the well costs have been fully impaired. (g) Recent Accounting Pronouncements: The FASB periodically issues new accounting standards in a continuing effort to improve standards of financial accounting and reporting. The Company has reviewed the recently issued pronouncements and concluded that the following new accounting standards are applicable: In June 2011, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2011-05, Presentation of Comprehensive Income. This Update amended the provisions of FASB ASC 220-10 by eliminating the option of reporting other comprehensive income in the statement of changes in stockholders’ equity. Companies will have the option of presenting net income and other comprehensive income in a single, continuous statement of comprehensive income or presenting two separate but consecutive statements of net income and comprehensive income. The new presentation requirements are effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011. Therefore, this new presentation will first be reflected in the Company’s March 31, 2012 consolidated financial statements.

Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies

EMPIRE PETROLEUM CORPORATION

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

DECEMBER 31, 2011 and 2010

General:

On July 20, 2001, Americomm Resources Corporation merged with its wholly-owned subsidiary, Empire Petroleum Corporation, and simultaneously changed the name of the corporation to Empire Petroleum Corporation (the "Company"). Both the merger and name change were effective as of August 15, 2001. Americomm Resources Corporation was originally incorporated in the State of Utah on the 22nd day of August 1983, as Chambers Energy Corporation. On the 7th day of March 1985, the state of incorporation was changed to Delaware by means of a merger with Americomm Corporation, a Delaware corporation formed for the purpose of effecting the said change. In July 1995, the Company changed its name to Americomm Resources Corporation.

1. Continuing operations:

The ultimate recoverability of the Company's investment in its oil and gas interests is dependent upon the existence and discovery of economically recoverable oil and gas reserves, the ability of the Company to obtain necessary financing to further develop the interests, and upon the ability to attain future profitable production. The Company has been incurring significant losses in recent years.

Virtually all of the Company's assets are invested in the Gabbs Valley and South Okie Prospects, both of which are unproven, that is, they have not been evaluated as being capable of producing economical quantities of reserves. The Company acquired additional leasehold interests in and drilled a test well on its Gabbs Valley Prospect in 2006. Completion of the test well was suspended pending evaluation of the geologic information and the securing of additional capital to continue the evaluation and possibly to complete the well. The Company drilled a test well on the Prospect in 2010 which recovered oil, however the oil contained paraffin which prevented it from producing at economic rates. The Company continues to believe that the Prospect contains economical reserve quantities and is actively conducting additional studies and will be pursuing potential funding and/or partners to continue evaluation and exploration.

The Company plans to supplement current studies of the South Okie Prospect with a seismograph evaluation to verify the potential of the prospect. The Company has acquired 11 miles of seismic and studies of this data were completed in early January 2010 and an additional geological study was also completed in early January 2010.

The continuation of the Company is dependent upon the ability of the Company to attain future profitable operations. These financial statements have been prepared on the basis of United States generally accepted accounting principles applicable to a company with continuing operations, which assume that the Company will continue in operation for the foreseeable future and will be able to realize its assets and discharge its obligations in the normal course of operations. Management believes the going concern assumption to be appropriate for these financial statements. If the going concern assumption were not appropriate for these financial statements, then adjustments might be necessary to the carrying value of assets and liabilities, reported expenses and the balance sheet classifications used.

2. Significant accounting policies:

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with United States generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

(a) Capital assets:

The Company uses the successful efforts method of accounting for its oil and gas activities. Costs incurred are deferred until exploration and completion results are evaluated. At such time, costs of activities with economically recoverable reserves are capitalized as proven properties, and costs of unsuccessful or uneconomical activities are expensed.

Capitalized drilling costs are reviewed periodically for impairment. Costs related to impaired prospects or unsuccessful exploratory drilling are charged to expense. Management's assessment of the results of exploration activities, commodity price outlooks, planned future sales or expiration of all or a portion of such leaseholds impact the amount and timing of impairment provisions. An impairment expense could result if oil and gas prices decline in the future as it may not be economical to develop some of these unproved properties.

(b) Per share amounts:

The Company calculates and discloses basic earnings per share ("Basic EPS") and diluted earnings per share ("Diluted EPS"). The computation of basic earnings per share is computed by dividing earnings available to common stockholders by the weighted average number of outstanding common shares during the period.

Diluted EPS gives effect to all dilutive potential common shares outstanding during the period. The computation of diluted EPS does not assume conversion, exercise or contingent exercise of securities that would have an anti-dilutive effect on losses. As a result, if there is a loss from continuing operations, Diluted EPS is computed in the same manner as Basic EPS is computed. At December 31, 2011 the Company had 1,245,000 options outstanding that were not included in the calculation of diluted earnings per share. Such financial instruments may become dilutive and would then need to be included in future calculations of Diluted EPS.

The Company accounts for income taxes in accordance with the asset and liability method of accounting for income taxes. Under the asset and liability method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases and operating loss and tax credit carry forwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to the taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. A valuation allowance is established if management determines it is more likely than not that some portion of a deferred tax asset will not be realized.

(d) Financial instruments:

The carrying value of current assets and current liabilities approximate their fair value due to the relatively short period to maturity of the instruments.

(e) Stock option plan:

The Company expenses options granted over the vesting period based on the grant date fair value of the award.

(f) Obligations associated with the retirement of assets:

The Company follows Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) guidance on accounting for asset retirement obligations, which among other matters, addresses financial accounting and reporting for legal obligations associated with the retirement of tangible long-lived assets and the associated asset retirement costs. This guidance requires that the fair value of a liability for an asset retirement obligation be recognized in the period in which it is incurred, with the associated asset retirement cost capitalized as part of the related asset and allocated to expense over the asset's useful life. The Company applies its analysis to producing wells. The Company accrued $0 and $0, respectively at December 31, 2011 and 2010 as an asset retirement obligation for wells in Nevada, which was recorded as an expense since the well costs have been fully impaired.

(g) Recent Accounting Pronouncements:

The FASB periodically issues new accounting standards in a continuing effort to improve standards of financial accounting and reporting. The Company has reviewed the recently issued pronouncements and concluded that the following new accounting standards are applicable:

In June 2011, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2011-05, Presentation of Comprehensive Income. This Update amended the provisions of FASB ASC 220-10 by eliminating the option of reporting other comprehensive income in the statement of changes in stockholders’ equity. Companies will have the option of presenting net income and other comprehensive income in a single, continuous statement of comprehensive income or presenting two separate but consecutive statements of net income and comprehensive income. The new presentation requirements are effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011. Therefore, this new presentation will first be reflected in the Company’s March 31, 2012 consolidated financial statements.