Talala Oilman Says Life In The Patch Has 'Always Been A Rollercoaster'

Cletis T. Coe is an oil man turned pastor.

Coe was born and raised in Talala, and he opened up his oil and gas service business Coe Production Company.

“Thirty-six years, 1980,” he said “Early 1980, we started the business and did quite well, went through the 80s, which was a tough time."

Now he's seeing tough times once again with oil teetering around $30 per barrel.

“I built it up to 27 employees at one time and as the prices decrease, so have my employee numbers decreased,” Coe said. “And now we're getting to the point where we're going to have to shut all the wells down… and now we're not going to have employees except maybe one."

Coe's business mostly is made up of family now looking for new jobs, even with Coe not taking a paycheck in more than a year.

Coe started the Cowboy Country Fellowship five years ago, hoping to pass the oil business on to his kids within a few years.

Then oil prices started to tank, so there's no business to hand over.

But he still has faith.

“Upset about the oil prices? No, because you kind of have to go through the tough times, the valleys, to see how nice the highs are," Coe said.

Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin is expected to touch on the issue of oil and gas in the Monday State of the State Address, but Coe says he doesn't think there's much lawmakers can do.

He says it all comes down to supply and demand.

“If you look at oil and gas from the beginning, it's always been a rollercoaster, so you just got to enjoy the highs and get ready for the lows,” he said. Hang on tight,” he said with a laugh.

In the meantime, Coe will keep preachin' and holdin’ on until the next peak rolls around.