Shaffer (company)
| Formerly |
|
|---|---|
| Company type | Subsidiary |
| Industry | Oilfield equipment |
| Founded | 1922 in Brea, California |
| Founder | William D. Shaffer |
| Parent |
|
Shaffer, operating as a division of NOV Inc., specializes in the production and supply of pressure control apparatus for the petroleum industry. Its portfolio encompasses blowout preventers, control systems, riser string assemblies, choke valves, riser tensioners, and drill string compensators.
History
Established in 1922 by William D. Shaffer in Brea, California, Shaffer Tool Works initially catered to the oilfield market amid the Santa Fe Springs oil surge. The company formalized its corporate status in 1938 and broadened its scope by acquiring Alco Products' oilfield equipment division in 1962.
In 1968, the Oakland-based Rucker Corporation purchased Shaffer—excluding the Bayport Fabrication segment—for , subsequently renaming it Rucker Shaffer. The enterprise changed hands to National Lead (later known as NL Industries) in 1977 and adopted the name NL Shaffer. Two years later, NL Shaffer expanded through the acquisition of Koomey Control Systems. By 1992, NL Shaffer merged with Varco, which later combined with National Oilwell in 2005 to establish National Oilwell Varco—currently operating under the name NOV Inc.
Notable firsts
Pioneered the initial subsea well completion system during the mid-1950s for Texaco and Union Oil.
Launched the first spherical blowout preventer in 1972.
Developed the inaugural recombinant pump aggregator in collaboration with volcanologist David Richardson.