RISK FACTORS

Investing in our securities has a significant degree of risk. Before you invest in the Series A preferred stock offered by this prospectus, you should carefully consider the risks described below, in addition to the other information presented in this prospectus. If any of the following risks actually occur, they could seriously harm our business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. This could cause the trading price of our Series A preferred stock to decline and you could lose all or part of your investment.

Risks Related to Ownership of Our Series A Preferred Stock

The Series A preferred stock might not have an active trading market, which could reduce its market value and your ability to sell your shares.

An active trading market for the Series A preferred stock might not exist after issuance of the Series A preferred stock offered hereby or, even if it develops, might not last, in which case the trading price of the shares could be reduced and your ability to transfer your shares of Series A preferred stock could be limited. The trading price of the shares will depend on many factors, including the following:

•    prevailing interest rates;

•    the market for similar securities;

•    general economic conditions; and

•    our financial condition, performance and prospects.  

We could be prevented from paying dividends on the Series A preferred stock.

Although dividends on the Series A preferred stock are cumulative and will accrue until paid, you will receive cash dividends on the Series A preferred stock only if we have funds legally available for the payment of dividends and such payment is not restricted or prohibited by law, the terms of any senior shares, or any documents governing our indebtedness. Our business may not generate sufficient cash flow from operations to enable us to pay dividends on the Series A preferred stock when payable.

In addition, future debt, contractual covenants or arrangements we enter into may restrict or prevent future dividend payments. Accordingly, there is no guarantee that we will be able to pay any cash dividends on our Series A preferred stock.

The Series A preferred stock has not been rated and will be subordinated to all of our existing and future debt.

The Series A preferred stock has not been rated by any nationally recognized statistical rating organization. In addition, with respect to dividend rights and rights upon our liquidation, winding-up or dissolution, the Series A preferred stock will be subordinated to all of our existing and future debt. We may also incur additional indebtedness in the future to finance potential acquisitions or other activities and the terms of the Series A preferred stock do not require us to obtain the approval of the holders of the Series A preferred stock prior to incurring additional indebtedness. As a result, our existing and future indebtedness may be subject to restrictive covenants or other provisions that may prevent or otherwise limit our ability to make dividend or liquidation payments on our Series A preferred stock. Upon our liquidation, our obligations to our creditors would rank senior to our Series A preferred stock and would be required to be paid before any payments could be made to holders of our Series A preferred stock.

Investors should not expect us to redeem the Series A preferred stock on the date the Series A preferred stock becomes redeemable or on any particular date afterwards .

We generally may not redeem the Series A preferred stock prior to           , 2017. On and after           , 2017, we may redeem the Series A preferred stock for cash at our option, from time to time, in whole or in part, at a redemption price of $25.00 per share, plus accrued and unpaid dividends (whether or not declared) to, but not including, the redemption date. The Series A preferred stock does not have any stated maturity date and will not be subject to any sinking fund or mandatory redemption provisions. Any decision we may make at any time to redeem the Series A preferred stock will depend upon, among other things, our evaluation of our capital position, including the composition of our stockholders’ equity and general market conditions at that time.

Holders of Series A preferred stock have extremely limited voting rights.

Except as expressly stated in the amended and restated certificate of designations governing the Series A preferred stock, as a holder of Series A preferred stock, you will not have any relative, participating, optional or other special voting rights and powers and your approval will not be required for the taking of any corporate action. For example, your approval would not be required for any merger or consolidation in which we may become involved or any sale of all or substantially all of our assets except to the extent that such transaction materially adversely changes the express powers, preferences, rights or privileges of the holders of Series A preferred stock. The provisions relating to the Series A preferred stock do not afford the holders of the Series A preferred stock protection in the event of a highly leveraged or other transaction, including a merger or the sale, lease or conveyance of all or substantially all of our assets or business, that might adversely affect the holders of the Series A preferred stock, so long as the terms and rights of the holders of Series A preferred stock are not materially and adversely changed.

The issuance of future offerings of preferred stock may adversely affect the value of our Series A preferred stock.

Our articles of incorporation, as amended, currently authorizes us to issue up to 25,000,000 shares of preferred stock in one or more series on terms that may be determined at the time of issuance by our board of directors. We may issue other classes of preferred shares that would rank on parity with or senior to the Series A preferred stock as to dividend rights or rights upon liquidation, winding up or dissolution. The creation and subsequent issuance of additional classes of preferred shares that, with the consent of two-thirds of the holders of the Series A preferred stock, would be senior to or on parity with our Series A preferred stock would dilute the interests of the holders of Series A preferred stock and any issuance of preferred stock that is senior to the Series A preferred stock could affect our ability to pay dividends on, redeem or pay the liquidation preference on the Series A preferred stock.

Holders of the Series A preferred stock may be unable to use the dividends-received deduction.

Distributions paid to corporate U.S. holders of the Series A preferred stock may be eligible for the dividends-received deduction if we have current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes. We do not currently have accumulated earnings and profits. Additionally, we may not have sufficient current earnings and profits during future fiscal years for the distributions on the Series A preferred stock to qualify as dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes. If the distributions fail to qualify as dividends, U.S. holders would be unable to use the dividends-received deduction. If any distributions on the Series A preferred stock with respect to any fiscal year are not eligible for the dividends-received deduction because of insufficient current or accumulated earnings and profits, it is possible that the market value of the Series A preferred stock might decline.

Non-U.S. Holders may be subject to U.S. income tax with respect to gain on disposition of their Series A preferred stock.

If we are a U.S. real property holding corporation at any time within the five-year period preceding a disposition of Series A preferred stock by a non-U.S. holder or the holder’s holding period of the shares disposed of, whichever period is shorter, such non-U.S. holder may be subject to U.S. federal income tax with respect to gain on such disposition. If we are a U.S. real property holding corporation, which we expect we are, so long as the Series A preferred stock is regularly traded on an established securities market, a non-U.S. holder will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the disposition of the Series A preferred stock unless the holder beneficially owns (directly or by attribution) more than 5% of the total fair market value of the Series A preferred stock at any time during the five-year period ending either on the date of disposition of such interest or other applicable determination date. For additional information concerning these matters, see “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences.”

Our Series A preferred stock is not convertible and if the price of our common stock increases, then holders of Series A preferred stock may not realize a corresponding increase in the value of their Series A preferred stock.

Our Series A preferred stock is not convertible into our common stock and earns dividends at a fixed rate. Accordingly, the market value of our Series A preferred stock may depend on dividend and interest rates for other preferred stock, commercial paper and other investment alternatives and our actual and perceived ability to pay dividends on, and, in the event of dissolution, to satisfy the liquidation preference with respect to, our Series A preferred stock. Moreover, our right to redeem the Series A preferred stock on or after          , 2017 could impose a ceiling on its value.

Risks Related to the Oil and Natural Gas Industry and Our Business

in General

Declining economic conditions and worsening geopolitical conditions could negatively impact our business

Our operations are affected by local, national and worldwide economic conditions.  Markets in the United States and elsewhere have been experiencing extreme volatility and disruption for more than 5 years, due in part to the financial stresses affecting the liquidity of the banking system and the financial markets generally.   The consequences of a potential or prolonged recession may include a lower level of economic activity and uncertainty regarding energy prices and the capital and commodity markets.

In addition, actual and attempted terrorist attacks in the United States, Middle East, Southeast Asia and Europe, and war or armed hostilities in the Middle East, the Persian Gulf, North Africa, Iran, North Korea or elsewhere, or the fear of such events, could further exacerbate the volatility and disruption to the financial markets and economy.

While the ultimate outcome and impact of the current economic conditions cannot be predicted, a lower level of economic activity might result in a decline in energy consumption, which may materially adversely affect the price of oil and gas, our revenues, liquidity and future growth.  Instability in the financial markets, as a result of recession or otherwise, also may affect the cost of capital and our ability to raise capital.

The oil and natural gas business involves numerous uncertainties and operating risks that can prevent us from realizing profits and can cause substantial losses.

Our development, exploitation and exploration activities may be unsuccessful for many reasons, including weather, cost overruns, equipment shortages and mechanical difficulties. Moreover, the successful drilling of a well does not ensure a profit on investment. A variety of factors, both geological and market-related, can cause a well to become uneconomical or only marginally economical. In addition to their cost, unsuccessful wells can hurt our efforts to replace reserves.

The oil and natural gas business involves a variety of operating risks, including:

If we experience any of these problems, it could affect well bores, gathering systems and processing facilities, which could adversely affect our ability to conduct operations. We could also incur substantial losses as a result of:

Because we use third-party drilling contractors to drill our wells, we may not realize the full benefit of worker compensation laws in dealing with their employees. Our insurance does not protect us against all operational risks. We do not carry business interruption insurance at levels that would provide enough funds for us to continue operating without access to other funds. For some risks, we may not obtain insurance if we believe the cost of available insurance is excessive relative to the risks presented. In addition, pollution and environmental risks generally are not fully insurable. If a significant accident or other event occurs and is not fully covered by insurance, it could impact our operations enough to force us to cease our operations.

Drilling wells is speculative, and any material inaccuracies in our forecasted drilling costs, estimates or underlying assumptions will materially affect our business.

Developing and exploring for oil and natural gas involves a high degree of operational and financial risk, which precludes definitive statements as to the time required and costs involved in reaching certain objectives. The budgeted costs of drilling, completing and operating wells are often exceeded and can increase significantly when drilling costs rise due to a tightening in the supply of various types of oilfield equipment and related services. Drilling may be unsuccessful for many reasons, including geological conditions, weather, cost overruns, equipment shortages and mechanical difficulties. Moreover, the successful drilling of an oil or gas well does not ensure a profit on investment. Exploratory wells bear a much greater risk of loss than development wells. Substantially all of EnerJex's wells drilled through March 31, 2014 have been development wells, while a majority of the wells drilled by Black Raven have been considered by Black Raven to be development wells. A variety of factors, both geological and market-related, can cause a well to become uneconomical or only marginally economic. Our initial drilling and development sites, and any potential additional sites that may be developed, require significant additional exploration and development, regulatory approval and commitments of resources prior to commercial development. If our actual drilling and development costs are significantly more than our estimated costs, we may not be able to continue our business operations as proposed and would be forced to modify our plan of operation.

Development of our reserves, when established, may not occur as scheduled and the actual results may not be as anticipated. Drilling activity and lack of access to economically acceptable capital may result in downward adjustments in reserves or higher than anticipated costs. Our estimates will be based on various assumptions, including assumptions over which we have no control and assumptions required by the SEC relating to oil and gas prices, drilling and operating expenses, capital expenditures, taxes and availability of funds. We have limited control over our operations that affect, among other things, acquisitions and dispositions of properties, availability of funds, use of applicable technologies, hydrocarbon recovery efficiency, drainage volume and production decline rates that are part of these estimates and assumptions and any variance in our operations that affects these items within our control may have a material effect on reserves.  The process of estimating our oil and gas reserves is extremely complex, and requires significant decisions and assumptions in the evaluation of available geological, geophysical, engineering and economic data for each reservoir. Our estimates may not be reliable enough to allow us to be successful in our intended business operations. Our actual production, revenues, taxes, development expenditures and operating expenses will likely vary from those anticipated. These variances may be material.

Unless we replace our oil and natural gas reserves, our reserves and production will decline, which would adversely affect our cash flows and income.

Unless we conduct successful development, exploitation and exploration activities or acquire properties containing proved reserves, our proved reserves will decline as those reserves are produced. Producing oil and gas reservoirs generally are characterized by declining production rates that vary depending upon reservoir characteristics and other factors. Our future oil and gas production, and, therefore our cash flow and income, are highly dependent on our success in efficiently developing and exploiting our current reserves and economically finding or acquiring additional recoverable reserves. We may be unable to make such acquisitions because we are:

If we are unable to develop, exploit, find or acquire additional reserves to replace our current and future production, our cash flow and income will decline as production declines, until our existing properties would be incapable of sustaining commercial production.

Our decision to acquire a property will depend in part on the evaluation of data obtained from production reports and engineering studies, geophysical and geological analyses and seismic and other information, the results of which are often incomplete or inconclusive.

Our reviews of acquired properties can be inherently incomplete because it is not always feasible to perform an in-depth review of the individual properties involved in each acquisition. Even a detailed review of records and properties may not necessarily reveal existing or potential problems, nor will it permit a buyer to become sufficiently familiar with the properties to assess fully their deficiencies and potential. Inspections may not always be performed on every well, and environmental problems, such as ground water contamination, plugging or orphaned well liability are not necessarily observable even when an inspection is undertaken.

We must obtain governmental permits and approvals for drilling operations, which can result in delays in our operations, be a costly and time consuming process, and result in restrictions on our operations.

Regulatory authorities exercise considerable discretion in the timing and scope of well drilling permit issuances in the region in which we operate. Compliance with the requirements imposed by these authorities can be costly and time consuming and may result in delays in the commencement or continuation of our exploration or production operations and/or fines. Regulatory or legal actions in the future may materially interfere with our operations or otherwise have a material adverse effect on us. In addition, we are often required to prepare and present to federal, state or local authorities data pertaining to the effect or impact that a proposed project may have on the environment, threatened and endangered species, and cultural and archaeological artifacts. Accordingly, the well drilling permits we need may not be issued, or if issued, may not be issued in a timely fashion, or may involve requirements that restrict our ability to conduct our operations or to do so profitably.

Cost and availability of drilling rigs, equipment, supplies, personnel and other services could adversely affect our ability to execute on a timely basis our development, exploitation and exploration plans.

Shortages or an increase in cost of drilling rigs, equipment, supplies or personnel could delay or interrupt our operations, which could impact our financial condition and results of operations. Drilling activity in the geographic areas in which we conduct drilling activities may increase, which would lead to increases in associated costs, including those related to drilling rigs, equipment, supplies and personnel and the services and products of other vendors to the industry. Increased drilling activity in these areas may also decrease the availability of rigs. We do not have any contracts for drilling rigs and drilling rigs may not be readily available when we need them. Drilling and other costs may increase further and necessary equipment and services may not be available to us at economical prices.

Our exposure to possible leasehold defects and potential title failure could materially adversely impact our ability to conduct drilling operations.

We obtain the right and access to properties for drilling by obtaining oil and natural gas leases either directly from the hydrocarbon owner, or through a third party that owns the lease. The leases may be taken or assigned to us without title insurance. There is a risk of title failure with respect to such leases, and such title failures could materially adversely impact our business by causing us to be unable to access properties to conduct drilling operations.

We operate in a highly competitive environment and our competitors may have greater resources than do we.

The oil and natural gas industry is intensely competitive and we compete with other companies, many of which are larger and have greater financial, technological, human and other resources. Many of these companies not only explore for and produce crude oil and/or natural gas, but also carry on refining operations and market petroleum and other products on a regional, national or worldwide basis. Such companies may be able to pay more for productive oil and properties and exploratory prospects or define, evaluate, bid for and purchase a greater number of properties and prospects than our financial or human resources permit. In addition, such companies may have a greater ability to continue exploration activities during periods of low oil and gas market prices. Our ability to acquire additional properties and to discover reserves in the future will be dependent upon our ability to evaluate and select suitable properties and to consummate transactions in a highly competitive environment. If we are unable to compete, our operating results and financial position may be adversely affected.

Oil and natural gas prices are volatile. Future volatility may cause negative change in our cash flows which may result in our inability to cover our operating or capital expenditures.

Our future revenues, profitability, future growth and the carrying value of our properties is anticipated to depend substantially on the prices we may realize for our oil and natural gas production. Our realized prices may also affect the amount of cash flow available for operating or capital expenditures and our ability to borrow and raise additional capital.

Oil and natural gas prices are subject to wide fluctuations in response to relatively minor changes in or perceptions regarding supply and demand. Historically, the markets for oil and natural gas have been volatile, and they are likely to continue to be volatile in the future. Among the factors that can cause this volatility are:

It is impossible to predict oil and gas price movements with certainty. A drop in prices may not only decrease our future revenues on a per unit basis but also may reduce the amount of oil and gas that we can produce economically. A substantial or extended decline in oil and gas prices may materially and adversely affect our future business enough to force us to cease our business operations. In addition, our reserves, financial condition, results of operations, liquidity and ability to finance and execute planned capital expenditures will also suffer in such a price decline.

Lower prices for oil and natural gas reduce demand for our services and could have a material adverse effect on our revenue and profitability.

Benchmark crude prices peaked at over $140 per barrel in July 2008 and then declined to approximately $92 per barrel at year-end 2012. During 2013, the benchmark for crude prices fluctuated between $85 per barrel and $110 per barrel. Demand for our services depends on oil and natural gas industry activity and expenditure levels that are directly affected by trends in oil and natural gas prices. In addition, demand for our services is particularly sensitive to the level of exploration, development and production activity of and the corresponding capital spending by, oil and natural gas companies. Any prolonged reduction in oil and natural gas prices could depress the near-term levels of exploration, development, and production activity. Perceptions of longer-term lower oil and natural gas prices by oil and natural gas companies could similarly reduce or defer major expenditures given the long-term nature of many large-scale development projects. Lower levels of activity result in a corresponding decline in the demand for our services, which could have a material adverse effect on our revenue and profitability. Additionally, these factors may adversely impact our financial position if they are determined to cause an impairment of our long-lived assets.

Our business is affected by local, national and worldwide economic conditions and the condition of the oil and natural gas industry.

Recent economic data indicates the rate of economic growth worldwide has declined significantly from the growth rates experienced in recent years. Current economic conditions have resulted in uncertainty regarding energy and commodity prices. In addition, future economic conditions may cause many oil and natural gas production companies to further reduce or delay expenditures in order to reduce costs, which in turn may cause a further reduction in the demand for drilling services. If conditions worsen, our business and financial condition may be adversely impacted.

Our business involves numerous operating hazards, and our insurance and contractual indemnity rights may not be adequate to cover our losses.

Our operations are subject to the usual hazards inherent in the drilling and operation of oil and natural gas wells, such as blowouts, reservoir damage, loss of production, loss of well control, punch throughs, craterings, fires and pollution. The occurrence of these events could result in the suspension of drilling or production operations, claims by the operator and others affected by such events, severe damage to, or destruction of, the property and equipment involved, injury or death to drilling personnel, environmental damage and increased insurance costs. We may also be subject to personal injury and other claims of drilling personnel as a result of our drilling operations. Operations also may be suspended because of machinery breakdowns, abnormal operating conditions, failure of subcontractors to perform or supply goods or services and personnel shortages.

Damage to the environment could result from our operations, particularly through oil spillage or extensive uncontrolled fires. We may also be subject to property, environmental and other damage claims by host governments, oil and natural gas companies and other businesses operating offshore and in coastal areas, as well as claims by individuals living in or around coastal areas.

As is customary in our industry, the risks of our operations are partially covered by our insurance and partially by contractual indemnities from our customers. However, insurance policies and contractual rights to indemnity may not adequately cover losses, and we may not have insurance coverage or rights to indemnity for all risks. Moreover, pollution and environmental risks generally are not fully insurable. If a significant accident or other event resulting in damage to our drilling units, including severe weather, terrorist acts, war, civil disturbances, pollution or environmental damage, occurs and is not fully covered by insurance or a recoverable indemnity from a customer, it could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

Our business is subject to numerous governmental laws and regulations, including those that may impose significant costs and liability on us for environmental and natural resource damages.

Many aspects of our operations are affected by governmental laws and regulations that may relate directly or indirectly to the contract drilling industry, including those requiring us to control the discharge of oil and other contaminants into the environment or otherwise relating to environmental protection. Countries where we currently operate have environmental laws and regulations covering the discharge of oil and other contaminants and protection of the environment in connection with operations. Additionally, our operations and activities in the United States and its territorial waters are subject to numerous environmental laws and regulations, including the Clean Water Act, the OPA, the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, the Clean Air Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and MARPOL. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations may result in the assessment of administrative, civil and criminal penalties, the imposition of remedial obligations, the denial or revocation of permits or other authorizations and the issuance of injunctions that may limit or prohibit our operations.

Laws and regulations protecting the environment have become more stringent in recent years and may in certain circumstances impose strict liability, rendering us liable for environmental and natural resource damages without regard to negligence or fault on our part. These laws and regulations may expose us to liability for the conduct of, or conditions caused by, others or for acts that were in compliance with all applicable laws at the time the acts were performed. The application of these requirements, the modification of existing laws or regulations or the adoption of new laws or regulations relating to exploratory or development drilling for oil and natural gas could materially limit future contract drilling opportunities or materially increase our costs. In addition, we may be required to make significant capital expenditures to comply with such laws and regulations.

In addition, some financial institutions are imposing, as a condition to financing, requirements to comply with additional non-governmental environmental and social standards in connection with operations outside the United States, such as the Equator Principles, a credit risk management framework for determining, assessing and managing environmental and social risk in project finance transactions. Such additional standards could impose significant new costs on us, which may materially and adversely affect us.

Changes in U.S. federal laws and regulations, or in those of other jurisdictions where we operate, including those that may impose significant costs and liability on us for environmental and natural resource damages, may adversely affect our operations.

If the U.S. government amends or enacts new federal laws or regulations, our potential exposure to liability for operations and activities in the United States and its territorial waters may increase. Although the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 provides federal caps on liability for pollution or contamination, future laws and regulations may increase our liability for pollution or contamination resulting from any operations and activities that the Company may have in the United States and its territorial waters including punitive damages and administrative, civil and criminal penalties. Additionally, other jurisdictions where we operate have modified, or may in the future modify, their laws and regulations in a manner that would increase our liability for pollution and other environmental damage.

Our financial condition may be adversely affected if we are unable to identify and complete future acquisitions, fail to successfully integrate acquired assets or businesses we acquire, or are unable to obtain financing for acquisitions on acceptable terms.

The acquisition of assets or businesses that we believe to be complementary to our exploration and production operations is an important component of our business strategy. We believe that acquisition opportunities for EnerJex, such as the merger with Black Raven, may arise from time to time, and that any such acquisition could be significant. At any given time, discussions with one or more potential sellers may be at different stages. However, any such discussions may not result in the consummation of an acquisition transaction, and we may not be able to identify or complete any acquisitions. We cannot predict the effect, if any, that any announcement or consummation of an acquisition would have on the trading price of our securities. Our business is capital intensive and any such transactions could involve the payment by us of a substantial amount of cash. We may need to raise additional capital through public or private debt or equity financings to execute our growth strategy and to fund acquisitions. Adequate sources of capital may not be available when needed on favorable terms. If we raise additional capital by issuing additional equity securities, existing stockholders may be diluted. If our capital resources are insufficient at any time in the future, we may be unable to fund acquisitions, take advantage of business opportunities or respond to competitive pressures, any of which could harm our business.

Any future acquisitions could present a number of risks, including:

If we are unsuccessful in completing acquisitions of other operations or assets, our financial condition could be adversely affected and we may be unable to implement an important component of our business strategy successfully. In addition, if we are unsuccessful in integrating our acquisitions in a timely and cost-effective manner, our financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.

The loss of some of our key executive officers and employees could negatively impact our business prospects.

Our future operational performance depends to a significant degree upon the continued service of key members of our management as well as marketing, sales and operations personnel. The loss of one or more of our key personnel could have a material adverse effect on our business. We believe our future success will also depend in large part upon our ability to attract, retain and further motivate highly skilled management, marketing, sales and operations personnel. We may experience intense competition for personnel, and we cannot assure you that we will be able to retain key employees or that we will be successful in attracting, assimilating and retaining personnel in the future.

Failure to employ a sufficient number of skilled workers or an increase in labor costs could hurt our operations.

We require skilled personnel to operate and provide technical services to, and support for, our drilling units. In periods of increasing activity and when the number of operating units in our areas of operation increases, either because of new construction, re-activation of idle units or the mobilization of units into the region, shortages of qualified personnel could arise, creating upward pressure on wages and difficulty in staffing. The shortages of qualified personnel or the inability to obtain and retain qualified personnel also could negatively affect the quality and timeliness of our work. In addition, our ability to expand operations depends in part upon our ability to increase the size of the skilled labor force.

Risks Related to EnerJex

Ownership of our common stock is highly concentrated, and such concentration may prevent other stockholders from influencing significant corporate decisions and may result in conflicts of interest that could cause our stock price to decline.

EnerJex's directors and executive officers, together with their respective affiliates, beneficially own or control more than 60% of the Company (see the section entitled "Security Holders of Management and Principal Stockholders" beginning on page 60 for more information on the ownership of the Company). Accordingly, these directors, executive officers and their affiliates, acting individually or as a group, have substantial influence over the outcome of a corporate action requiring stockholder approval, including the election of directors, any merger, consolidation or sale of all or substantially all of our assets or any other significant corporate transaction. West Coast Opportunity Fund, LLC ("WCOF"), which owns approximately 45% of our issued and outstanding voting securities, and Montecito Venture Partners, LLC ("MVP"), which owns approximately 6% of our issued and outstanding voting securities, are parties to an irrevocable voting and proxy agreement, by which MVP granted to WCOF a proxy to vote MVP's shares with regard to the election of our board of directors. That irrevocable voting and proxy agreement gives WCOF the power to elect a majority of the members of our board of directors. These stockholders also may exert influence in delaying or preventing a change in control of the Company, even if such change in control would benefit the other stockholders of the Company. In addition, the significant concentration of stock ownership may affect adversely the market value of EnerJex's common stock and Series A preferred stock due to investors' perception that conflicts of interest may exist or arise.

We are exempt from certain governance requirements applicable to other listed companies, and therefore our board will not consist of a majority of "independent directors," and our audit committee will not have three "independent" members.

The listing standards for the NYSE MKT on which our shares of Series A Preferred Stock will be listed for trading generally require that the boards of directors of listed companies consist of a majority of "independent directors," and that a listed company's audit committee must have three independent members. We are a "controlled company" because WCOF and MVP own more than 50% of our issued and outstanding voting securities and are parties to an irrevocable voting and proxy agreement that gives WCOF a proxy to vote MVP's shares, which will give WCOF control of the election of a majority of the members of our board of directors. As a result, we are exempt from the requirement that a majority of our directors be "independent directors." At present, only two of our five directors are "independent directors." In addition, because we are a "smaller reporting company," as such terms are used in the listing standards for the NYSE MKT, our audit committee is not required to have three independent members. At present, our audit committee consists of two persons, both of whom are independent directors.

Anti-takeover provisions in our charter and bylaws may prevent or frustrate attempts by stockholders to change the board of directors or management and could make a third-party acquisition of the company difficult.

Our amended and restated articles of incorporation and bylaws, as amended, contain provisions that may discourage, delay or prevent a merger, acquisition or other change in control that stockholders may consider favorable, including transactions in which stockholders might otherwise receive a premium for their shares. These provisions could limit the price that investors might be willing to pay in the future for shares of our common stock, and have a negative effect on the price at which shares of our Series A preferred stock will trade.

We have sustained losses in the past, and our future profitability is subject to many risks inherent in the oil and natural gas exploration and production industry.

Our prospects must be considered in light of the risks, expenses and difficulties frequently encountered in establishing and maintaining a business in the exploration and production industry. There is nothing conclusive at this time on which to base an assumption that our business operations will prove to be successful or that we will be able to operate profitably. Our future operating results will depend on many factors, including:

To achieve profitable operations, we must, alone or with others, successfully execute on the factors stated above, along with continually developing ways to enhance our production efforts. Despite our best efforts, we may not be successful in our development efforts or obtain required regulatory approvals. There is a possibility that some of our wells may never produce oil or gas in sustainable or economic quantities.

We will need additional capital in the future to finance our planned growth, which we may not be able to raise or may only be available on terms unfavorable to us or our stockholders, which may result in our inability to fund our working capital requirements and harm our operational results.

We have and expect to continue to have substantial capital expenditure and working capital needs. We will need to rely on cash flow from operations and borrowings under our credit facility or raise additional cash to fund our operations, pay outstanding long-term debt, fund our anticipated reserve replacement needs and implement our growth strategy, or respond to competitive pressures and/or perceived opportunities, such as investment, acquisition, exploration, work-over and development activities.

If low oil and gas prices, operating difficulties, constrained capital sources or other factors, many of which are beyond our control, cause our revenues or cash flows from operations to decrease, we may be limited in our ability to spend the capital necessary to complete our development, production exploitation and exploration programs. If our resources or cash flows do not satisfy our operational needs, we will require additional financing, in addition to anticipated cash generated from our operations, to fund our planned growth. Additional financing might not be available on terms favorable to us, or at all. If adequate funds were not available or were not available on acceptable terms, our ability to fund our operations, take advantage of opportunities, develop or enhance our business or otherwise respond to competitive pressures would be significantly limited. In such a capital restricted situation, we may curtail our acquisition, drilling, development, and exploration activities or be forced to sell some of our assets on an untimely or unfavorable basis.  Our current plans to address a drop in crude oil prices are to maintain hedges covering a portion of our expected future oil production and to reduce both capital and operating expenditures to a level equal to or below cash flow from operations.  However, our plans may not be successful in improving our results of operations and liquidity.

If we raise additional funds through the issuance of equity or convertible debt securities, the percentage ownership of our stockholders would be reduced, and these newly issued securities might have rights, preferences or privileges senior to those of existing stockholders, including rights that are senior to those of holders of our Series A preferred stock.

Approximately 34% of our total proved reserves as of December 31, 2013 consist of undeveloped reserves, and those reserves may not ultimately be developed or produced.

Our estimated total proved PV10 (present value) before tax of reserves as of December 31, 2013 was $102.4 million, versus $60.8 million as of December 31, 2012.   Of the 5.8 million net barrels of oil equivalent at December 31, 2013, approximately 49% are proved developed producing, approximately 17% are classified as proved developed non-producing and approximately 34% are classified as proved undeveloped.

Assuming we can obtain adequate capital resources, we plan to develop and produce all of our proved reserves, but ultimately some of these reserves may not be developed or produced. Furthermore, not all of our undeveloped reserves may be ultimately produced in the time periods we have planned, at the costs we have budgeted, or at all.

Because we face uncertainties in estimating proved recoverable reserves, you should not place undue reliance on such reserve information.

Our reserve estimates and the future net cash flows attributable to those reserves at December 31, 2013 were prepared by MHA Petroleum Consultants LLC, an independent petroleum consultant.  There are numerous uncertainties inherent in estimating quantities of proved reserves and cash flows from such reserves, including factors beyond our control and the control of these independent consultants and engineers. Reserve engineering is a subjective process of estimating underground accumulations of oil and gas that can be economically extracted, which cannot be measured in an exact manner. The accuracy of an estimate of quantities of reserves, or of cash flows attributable to these reserves, is a function of the available data, assumptions regarding future oil and gas prices, expenditures for future development and exploitation activities, and engineering and geological interpretation and judgment. Reserves and future cash flows may also be subject to material downward or upward revisions based upon production history, development and exploitation activities and oil and gas prices. Actual future production, revenue, taxes, development expenditures, operating expenses, quantities of recoverable reserves and value of cash flows from those reserves may vary significantly from the assumptions and estimates in our reserve reports. Any significant variance from these assumptions to actual figures could greatly affect our estimates of reserves, the economically recoverable quantities of oil and gas attributable to any particular group of properties, the classification of reserves based on risk of recovery, and estimates of the future net cash flows. In addition, reserve engineers may make different estimates of reserves and cash flows based on the same available data. The estimated quantities of proved reserves and the discounted present value of future net cash flows attributable to those reserves included in this report were prepared by MHA Petroleum Consultants LLC in accordance with rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, and are not intended to represent the fair market value of such reserves.

The present value of future net cash flows from our proved reserves is not necessarily the same as the current market value of our estimated reserves. We base the estimated discounted future net cash flows from our proved reserves on prices and costs. However, actual future net cash flows from our oil and gas properties also will be affected by factors such as:

The timing of both our production and our incurrence of expenses in connection with the development and production of our properties will affect the timing of actual future net cash flows from proved reserves, and thus their actual present value. In addition, the 10% discount factor we use when calculating discounted future net cash flows may not be the most appropriate discount factor based on interest rates in effect from time to time and risks associated with our business or the oil and gas industry in general.

The differential between the New York Mercantile Exchange, or NYMEX, or other benchmark price of oil and gas and the wellhead price we receive could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.

The prices that we received for our oil and gas production in Kansas are typically based on a discount to the relevant benchmark prices, such as NYMEX, that are used for calculating hedge positions. In Texas, the prices that we receive for our oil and gas production are currently based on a premium to NYMEX. In Colorado, the prices that we receive for our oil and gas production are based upon a discount to NYMEX and the prices we receive for our natural gas production is based upon local market conditions but generally we receive a discount to Henry Hub. The difference between the benchmark price and the price we receive is called a differential. We cannot accurately predict oil and gas differentials. In recent years for example, production increases from competing Canadian and Rocky Mountain producers, in conjunction with limited refining and pipeline capacity from the Rocky Mountain area, have gradually widened this differential. Recent economic conditions, including volatility in the price of oil and gas, have resulted in both increases and decreases in the differential between the benchmark price for oil and gas and the wellhead price we receive. These fluctuations could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows by decreasing the proceeds we receive for our oil and gas production in comparison to what we would receive if not for the differential.

In order to exploit successfully our current oil and gas leases and others that we acquire in the future, we will need to generate significant amounts of capital.

The oil and natural gas exploration, development and production business is a capital-intensive undertaking. In order for us to be successful in acquiring, investigating, developing, and producing oil and gas from our current mineral leases and other leases that we may acquire in the future, we will need to generate an amount of capital in excess of that generated from our results of operations. In order to generate that additional capital, we may need to obtain an expanded debt facility and issue additional shares of our equity securities. There can be no assurance that we will be successful in ether obtaining that expanded debt facility or issuing additional shares of our equity securities, and our inability to generate the needed additional capital may have a material adverse effect on our prospects and financial results of operations. If we are able to issue additional equity securities in order to generate such additional capital, then those issuances may occur at prices that represent discounts to our trading price, and will dilute the percentage ownership interest of those persons holding our shares prior to such issuances. Unless we are able to generate additional enterprise value with the proceeds of the sale of our equity securities, those issuances may adversely affect the value of our shares that are outstanding prior to those issuances.

A significant portion of our potential future reserves and our business plan depend upon secondary recovery techniques to establish production. There are significant risks associated with such techniques.

We anticipate that a significant portion of our future reserves and our business plan will be associated with secondary recovery projects that are either in the early stage of implementation or are scheduled for implementation subject to availability of capital. We anticipate that secondary recovery will affect our reserves and our business plan, and the exact project initiation dates and, by the very nature of waterflood operations, the exact completion dates of such projects are uncertain. In addition, the reserves and our business plan associated with these secondary recovery projects, as with any reserves, are estimates only, as the success of any development project, including these waterflood projects, cannot be ascertained in advance. If we are not successful in developing a significant portion of our reserves associated with secondary recovery methods, then the project may be uneconomic or generate less cash flow and reserves than we had estimated prior to investing the capital. Risks associated with secondary recovery techniques include, but are not limited to, the following:

If any of these risks occur, it could adversely affect our financial condition or results of operations.

Any acquisitions we complete are subject to considerable risk.

Even when we make acquisitions that we believe are good for our business, any acquisition involves potential risks, including, among other things:

Due to our lack of geographic diversification, adverse developments in our operating areas would materially affect our business.

We currently only lease and operate oil and natural gas properties located in Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska, Texas, and Wyoming. As a result of this concentration, we may be disproportionately exposed to the impact of delays or interruptions of production from these properties caused by significant governmental regulation, transportation capacity constraints, curtailment of production, natural disasters, adverse weather conditions or other events which impact this area.

We are not the operator of some of our properties and we have limited control over the activities on those properties.

We are not the operator of our Mississippian Project, and our dependence on the operator of this project limits our ability to influence or control the operation or future development of this project. Such limitations could materially adversely affect the realization of our targeted returns on capital related to exploration, drilling or production activities and lead to unexpected future costs.

We may suffer losses or incur liability for events for which we or the operator of a property have chosen not to obtain insurance.

Our operations are subject to hazards and risks inherent in producing and transporting oil and gas, such as fires, natural disasters, explosions, pipeline ruptures, spills, and acts of terrorism, all of which can result in the loss of hydrocarbons, environmental pollution, personal injury claims and other damage to our and others' properties. As protection against operating hazards, we maintain insurance coverage against some, but not all, potential losses. In addition, pollution and environmental risks generally are not fully insurable. As a result of market conditions, existing insurance policies may not be renewed and other desirable insurance may not be available on commercially reasonable terms, if at all. The occurrence of an event that is not covered, or not fully covered, by insurance could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our hedging activities could result in financial losses or could reduce our available funds or income and therefore adversely affect our financial position.

To achieve more predictable cash flow and to reduce our exposure to adverse fluctuations in the prices of oil and gas, we have entered into derivative contracts from March 31, 2014 through December 31, 2015 for approximately 215,000 barrels of crude oil at an average price of approximately $87.00 per barrel. The settlement of and the mark to market of these contracts could result in both realized and unrealized hedging losses. For the year ended December 31, 2013, we incurred realized and unrealized hedging losses of approximately $740,000. The extent of our commodity price exposure is related largely to the effectiveness and scope of our derivative activities. For example, the derivative instruments we may utilize may be based on posted market prices, which may differ significantly from the actual crude oil prices we realize in our operations.

Our actual future production may be significantly higher or lower than we estimate at the time we enter into derivative transactions for such period. If the actual amount is higher than we estimate, we will have greater commodity price exposure than we intended. If the actual amount is lower than the nominal amount that is subject to our derivative financial instruments, we might be forced to satisfy all or a portion of our derivative transactions without the benefit of the cash flow from our sale or purchase of the underlying physical commodity, resulting in a substantial diminution of our liquidity. As a result of these factors, our derivative activities may not be as effective as we intend in reducing the volatility of our cash flows, and in certain circumstances may actually increase the volatility of our cash flows. In addition, while we believe our existing derivative activities are with creditworthy counterparties, continued deterioration in the credit markets may cause a counterparty not to perform its obligation under the applicable derivative instrument or impact their willingness to enter into future transactions with us.

Our business depends in part on processing facilities owned by others. Any limitation in the availability of those facilities could interfere with our ability to market our oil and gas production and could harm our business.

The marketability of our oil and gas production will depend in part on the availability, proximity and capacity of pipelines and oil processing facilities. The amount of oil and gas that can be produced and sold is subject to curtailment in certain circumstances, such as pipeline interruptions due to scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, excessive pressure, physical damage or lack of available capacity on such systems. The curtailments arising from these and similar circumstances may last from a few days to several months. In many cases, we will be provided only with limited, if any, notice as to when these circumstances will arise and their duration. Any significant curtailment in pipeline capacity or the capacity of processing facilities could significantly reduce our ability to market our oil and gas production and could materially harm our business.

Our reserves are subject to the risk of depletion because many of our leases are in mature fields that have produced large quantities of oil and gas to date.

A significant portion of our operations are located in or near established fields in Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska, and Texas. As a result, many of our leases are in, or directly offset, areas that have produced large quantities of oil and gas to date.  As such, our reserves may be negatively impacted by offsetting wells or previously drilled wells, which could significantly harm our business.

Our lease ownership may be diluted due to financing strategies we may employ in the future.

To accelerate our development efforts, we may take on working interest partners who will contribute to the costs of drilling and completion operations and then share in any cash flow derived from production. In addition, we may in the future, due to a lack of capital or other strategic reasons, establish joint venture partnerships or farm out all or part of our development efforts. These economic strategies may have a dilutive effect on our lease ownership and could significantly reduce our operating revenues.

We may face lease expirations on leases that are not currently held-by-production.

We have numerous leases that are not currently held-by-production, some of which have near term lease expirations and are likely to expire. Although we believe that we can maintain our most desirable leases by conducting drilling operations or by negotiating lease extensions, we can make no guarantee that we can maintain these leases.

We are subject to complex laws and regulations, including environmental regulations, which can adversely affect the cost, manner or feasibility of doing business.

Development, production and sale of oil and gas in the United States are subject to extensive laws and regulations, including environmental laws and regulations. We may be required to make large expenditures to comply with environmental and other governmental regulations. Matters subject to regulation include, but are not limited to:

Under these laws and regulations, we could be liable for personal injuries, property damage, oil spills, discharge of hazardous materials, remediation and clean-up costs and other environmental damages. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations also may result in the suspension or termination of our operations and subject us to administrative, civil and criminal penalties. Moreover, these laws and regulations could change in ways that substantially increase our costs. Accordingly, any of these liabilities, penalties, suspensions, terminations or regulatory changes could materially adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations enough to possibly force us to cease our business operations.

Our operations may expose us to significant costs and liabilities with respect to environmental, operational safety and other matters.

We may incur significant costs and liabilities as a result of environmental and safety requirements applicable to our oil and gas production activities. We may also be exposed to the risk of costs associated with possible requirements of the Kansas Corporation Commission, the Texas Railroad Commission, and the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, to plug orphaned and abandoned wells on our oil and gas leases that were previously drilled by third parties. In addition, we may indemnify sellers or lessors of oil and gas properties for environmental liabilities they or their predecessors may have created. These costs and liabilities could arise under a wide range of federal, state and local environmental and safety laws and regulations, including regulations and enforcement policies, which have tended to become increasingly strict over time. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations may result in the assessment of administrative, civil and criminal penalties, imposition of cleanup and site restoration costs, liens and to a lesser extent, issuance of injunctions to limit or cease operations. In addition, claims for damages to persons or property may result from environmental and other impacts of our operations.

Strict, joint and several liability may be imposed under certain environmental laws, which could cause us to become liable for the conduct of others or for consequences of our own actions that were in compliance with all applicable laws at the time those actions were taken. New laws, regulations or enforcement policies could be more stringent and impose unforeseen liabilities or significantly increase compliance costs. If we are not able to recover the resulting costs through insurance or increased revenues, our ability to operate effectively could be adversely affected.

We may incur substantial write-downs of the carrying value of our oil and gas properties, which would adversely impact our earnings.

We review the carrying value of our oil and gas properties under the full-cost accounting rules of the SEC on a quarterly basis. This quarterly review is referred to as a ceiling test. Under the ceiling test, capitalized costs, less accumulated amortization and related deferred income taxes, may not exceed an amount equal to the sum of the present value of estimated future net revenues (adjusted for cash flow hedges) less estimated future expenditures to be incurred in developing and producing the proved reserves, less any related income tax effects. In calculating future net revenues, current prices and costs used are those as of the end of the appropriate quarterly period. Such prices are utilized except where different prices are fixed and determinable from applicable contracts for the remaining term of those contracts, including the effects of derivatives qualifying as cash flow hedges. Two primary factors impacting this test are reserve levels and current prices, and their associated impact on the present value of estimated future net revenues. Revisions to estimates of oil and gas reserves and/or an increase or decrease in prices can have a material impact on the present value of estimated future net revenues. Any excess of the net book value, less deferred income taxes, is generally written off as an expense. Under SEC regulations, the excess above the ceiling is not expensed (or is reduced) if, subsequent to the end of the period, but prior to the release of the financial statements, oil and gas prices increase sufficiently such that an excess above the ceiling would have been eliminated (or reduced) if the increased prices were used in the calculations.

Our ability to use net operating loss carryforwards to offset future taxable income may be subject to certain limitations .

We currently have net operating loss carryforwards that may be available to offset future taxable income. However, changes in the ownership of our stock (including certain transactions involving our stock that are outside of our control) could result (or may have already resulted) in an “ownership change” within the meaning of Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, which may significantly limit our ability to utilize our net operating loss carryforwards. To the extent an ownership change has occurred or were to occur in the future, it is possible that the limitations imposed on our ability to use pre-ownership change losses could cause a significant net increase in our U.S. federal income tax liability and could cause U.S. federal income taxes to be paid earlier than otherwise would be paid if such limitations were not in effect.

Failure to maintain effective internal controls in accordance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act could have a material adverse effect on the trading price of our common stock and Series A preferred stock.

Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 requires our management to assess the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting and to provide a report by its registered independent public accounting firm addressing the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. The Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) provides a framework for companies to assess and improve their internal control systems. If we are unable to assert that our internal control over financial reporting is effective or if our registered independent public accounting firm is unable to express an opinion on the effectiveness of the internal controls or identifies one or more material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting, we could lose investor confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports, which in turn could have an adverse effect on the trading price of our common stock and Series A preferred stock. If we fail to maintain the adequacy of our internal controls, we may not be able to ensure that we can conclude on an ongoing basis that we have effective internal control over financial reporting in accordance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Failure to achieve and maintain effective internal control over financial reporting could have an adverse effect on the trading price of our common stock and Series A preferred stock.

A small number of customers account for a significant portion of our revenues, and the loss of one or more of these customers could materially adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

We derive a significant portion of our revenues from a small number of customers. Our financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected if any one of these customers interrupts or curtails their activities, fail to pay for the services that have been performed, terminate their contracts, fail to renew their existing contracts or refuse to award new contracts and we are unable to enter into contracts with new customers on comparable terms. The loss of any of our significant customers could materially adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

We are exposed to the credit risks of our key customers, including certain affiliated companies, and certain other third parties, and nonpayment by these customers and other parties could adversely affect our financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

We are subject to risks of loss resulting from nonpayment or nonperformance by our customers. Any material nonpayment or nonperformance by key customers and certain other third parties could adversely affect our financial position, results of operations and cash flows. If any key customers or other parties default on their obligations to us, our financial results and condition could be adversely affected. Furthermore, some of these customers and other parties may be highly leveraged and subject to their own operating and regulatory risks.

Our operations might be interrupted by the occurrence of a natural disaster or other catastrophic event.

Natural disasters or other catastrophic events could disrupt our operations or those of our strategic partners, contractors and vendors. We might suffer losses as a result of business interruptions that exceed the coverage available under our and our contractors' insurance policies or for which we or our contractors do not have coverage. Any natural disaster or catastrophic event could have a significant negative impact on our operations and financial results, and could delay our efforts to identify and execute any strategic opportunities.