UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of

The Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)

March 23, 2016 (March 22, 2016)

EMERALD OIL, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

200 Columbine Street, Suite 500
Denver, CO 80206

(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

(303) 595-5600

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

¨   Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

¨   Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

¨   Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

¨   Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

On March 22, 2016, Emerald Oil, Inc. (the “Company”) and certain of its subsidiaries, including Emerald WB, LLC, Emerald NWB, LLC, EOX Marketing, LLC, and Emerald DB, LLC (collectively, the “Filing Subsidiaries” and, together with the Company, the “Debtors”), filed voluntary petitions (the “Bankruptcy Petitions”) for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code (the “Bankruptcy Code”) in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (the “Court”). The Debtors have filed a motion with the Court seeking joint administration of their Chapter 11 cases under the caption In re Emerald Oil, Inc., et al, Case No. 16-10704. The Debtors will continue to operate their businesses as “debtors-in-possession” under the jurisdiction of the Court and in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Bankruptcy Code and orders of the Court.

The filing of the Bankruptcy Petitions described in Item 1.03 above constitutes an event of default that accelerated the Company’s obligations under the following debt instruments (the “Debt Instruments”):

The Debt Instruments provide that as a result of the Bankruptcy Petitions the principal and interest due thereunder shall be immediately due and payable. Any efforts to enforce such payment obligations under the Debt Instruments are automatically stayed as a result of the Bankruptcy Petitions, and the creditors’ rights of enforcement in respect of the Debt Instruments are subject to the applicable provisions of the Bankruptcy Code.

On March 23, 2016, the Company issued a press release announcing the filing of the Chapter 11 cases, as described above in Item 1.03.  The press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

The information included in this Current Report on Form 8-K under Item 7.01 and Exhibit 99.1 is being furnished and shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to liabilities of that Section, unless the registrant specifically states that the information is to be considered “filed” under the Exchange Act or incorporates it by reference into a filing under the Exchange Act or the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Company has duly caused this report on Form 8-K to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.