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Windell Shockey

Four Miles Down, Four Barrels Up: Oklahoma Stripper Wells

We’re in oil country now, riding through Oklahoma. There’s clanking in the bushes where the crickets buzz at noon.

If you take a closer look, you’ll find an oil well.

Woody the mule inspecting a stripper oil well in Oklahoma, 2004
Woody inspects your basic “stripper” well.

They call them “stripper wells” around here. They get four or five barrels up per day. Some more, some less.

But most of them make that clanking noise.

I take Woody and Maggie closer for a look.

Woody the mule and Magnolia the pony checking out an Oklahoma oil well pump jack, 2004
Woody and Maggie checking out what appears… Continue reading →