Vital Energy, Inc. (NYSE: VTLE) is an independent exploration & production company, headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The company was originally founded in 2006 under the name Laredo Petroleum, and in January 2023 it formally rebranded to Vital Energy.
Vital’s business model centers on acquisition, exploration, and development of oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids properties, with its operations focused in the Permian Basin of West Texas. It holds a large acreage position—~267,000 net acres in the Permian Basin as of recent disclosures—and strives to optimize portfolio quality by concentrating on higher-margin assets and divesting lower-return holdings.
Vital also leverages technology and operational innovation in its asset execution. On its operations page, the company outlines use of digital tools (AI, IoT, routing, well optimization) to enhance field efficiency, reduce waste, and improve well performance. It actively acquires or exchanges acreage to better align its asset base with high-oil-cut zones in the Permian.