SEC FORM 4

SEC FORM 4 SEC Form 4

FORM 4

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
or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person^*

Stratton Christopher Allen

(Last)

(First)

(Middle)

1331 GEMINI STREET

SUITE 250

(Street)

HOUSTON

77058

(City)

(State)

(Zip)

2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
Vertex Energy Inc. [ VTNR ]

5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)

X	Director	10% Owner
	Officer (give title below)	Other (specify below)

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
03/16/2023

4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)

X	Form filed by One Reporting Person
	Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Rule 10b5-1(c) Transaction Indication

Check this box to indicate that a transaction was made pursuant to a contract, instruction or written plan that is intended to satisfy the affirmative defense conditions of Rule 10b5-1(c). See Instruction 10.

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	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)
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price		6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
Common Stock	03/16/2023		M⁽¹⁾		60,000	A	$1.26	126,913	D
Common Stock	03/16/2023		F⁽¹⁾		9,193	D	$8.22	117,720	D
Common Stock	03/16/2023		M⁽²⁾		45,000	A	$1.45	162,720	D
Common Stock	03/16/2023		F⁽²⁾		7,934	D	$8.22	154,786	D
Common Stock	03/16/2023		M⁽³⁾		15,000	A	$1.92	169,786	D
Common Stock	03/16/2023		F⁽³⁾		3,502	D	$8.22	166,284	D

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 (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	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 (Month/Day/Year)		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (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: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares	8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)		10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
Option to Purchase Common Stock	$1.26	03/16/2023		M			60,000	⁽⁴⁾	12/13/2026	Common Stock	60,000	$0	0	D
Option to Purchase Common Stock	$1.45	03/16/2023		M			45,000	⁽⁵⁾	05/20/2029	Common Stock	45,000	$0	15,000⁽⁷⁾	D
Option to Purchase Common Stock	$1.92	03/16/2023		M			15,000	⁽⁶⁾	05/14/2031	Common Stock	15,000	$0	45,000⁽⁸⁾	D

Explanation of Responses:

1. Represents a "net exercise" of outstanding stock options. The reporting person received 50,807 shares of common stock upon the net exercise of options to purchase 60,000 shares of common stock. The Company withheld 9,193 shares of common stock underlying the portion of the option exercised for payment of the exercise price, using the fair market value on March 16, 2023, pursuant to the terms of the applicable option agreement.

2. Represents a "net exercise" of outstanding stock options. The reporting person received 37,066 shares of common stock upon the net exercise of options to purchase 45,000 shares of common stock. The Company withheld 7,934 shares of common stock underlying the portion of the option exercised for payment of the exercise price, using the fair market value on March 16, 2023, pursuant to the terms of the applicable option agreement.

3. Represents a "net exercise" of outstanding stock options. The reporting person received 11,498 shares of common stock upon the net exercise of options to purchase 15,000 shares of common stock. The Company withheld 3,502 shares of common stock underlying the portion of the option exercised for payment of the exercise price, using the fair market value on March 16, 2023, pursuant to the terms of the applicable option agreement.

4. A total of 15,000 of the options vested on each of December 13, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.

5. A total of 15,000 of the options vested on each of May 20, 2020, 2021 and 2022.

6. The 15,000 options vested on May 14, 2022.

7. These options vest on May 20, 2023, subject to the Reporting Person's continued service to the Issuer on such date.

8. These options vest at the rate of 15,000 of such options on each of May 14, 2023, 2024 and 2025, subject to the Reporting Person's continued service to the Issuer on such dates.

	/s/ Christopher Allen Stratton	03/23/2023
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date
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).
Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB Number.

SEC Form 4 filed by Stratton Christopher Allen