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Meet Paralee Obele, a woman wildcatter.

She is the President of Obele Oil Corporation - a Sedona- based 53-year old oil & gas exploration and production company. Paralee’s Father, Ed Obele was a self-made man who grew up in the Great Depression.

Ed founded his own shoe stores in Colorado Springs and had a successful thriving business for 25 years. Then one day, an oil man came into his store and got him excited about participating in an oil well to be drilled in Colorado. That first well was a gusher and Ed said “Why isn’t everyone doing this - this is so easy!” So, he sold his shoe stores, started his own oil company and proceeded to drill 33 straight dry wells in a row. But he never gave up. His 34th well was a success and the rest is history! Ed and his wife of 42 years, Carol Obele drilled over 200 hundred wells in 11 states. His motto, which still hangs in the Obele Oil Offices today was and remains “A man can fail many times, but he isn’t a failure until he gives up.”

Paralee Obele was born in Denver, Colorado in 1961 and spent every summer of her life in and around the oil fields with her parents. The family moved to Phoenix when she was four where Paralee graduated from PCDS Phoenix Country Day School before obtaining her Bachelors of Science degree in Business Communications from ASU. After graduation, Paralee paid her dues working various sales jobs - selling everything from cosmetics to cell phones to copy machines.

Paralee and the family moved from Phoenix to Sedona in 1993 when she began working with her Dad at Obele Oil Corp. They had the great pleasure of working together for six years before he passed at the age of 87. Paralee continues to run the oil company from the Sedona office, where she keeps a pair of his custom made, drill rig cowboy boots on the bookshelf, the toes of which are covered with red lipstick from her walking in everyday and kissing them and saying, “Let’s have a blast today Papa.” Paralee has drilled over 15 Wells and with today’s great technological advances in drilling for crude oil and a bit of luck, she has enjoyed an 87% success rate. She operates her beloved oil company with sheer joy every day.

When asked what she loves about her work, she replied, “It’s the thrill of drilling in this great earth for crude oil which powers our country and makes so many of the products we all use every day. We are creating new American jobs and American energy, so we are doing our part to not be dependent on foreign oil.” In fact, the company's trademarked motto is “American Oil For Americans.” The company has drilled in 11 states, primarily Oklahoma, over the past 15 years, and Paralee is now expanding drilling operations into North Dakota. Paralee gushes with pride when she says “There is enough oil in the great Bakken Shale oil discovery in North Dakota and Montana to supply energy for our country for the next 50 years!”

How does she know where to drill? “I review the independent petroleum geologists’ prospects and then based on their science and on my intuition, I make a decision of where to drill. It’s all about showing up every day with a great attitude and running my company with integrity.”

That passion and enthusiasm is absolutely contagious and she loves to share her experiences and can’t wait to drill the next well in search of more crude oil and natural gas for our country.

We are pleased to announce that beginning in September, the Club will initiate a monthly business networking luncheon with a featured speaker. Paralee Obele of Obele Oil Corp. will be our first guest speaker. You can learn more about Paralee and her company at www.obeleoil.com.

 

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