Cameron International
Cameron International was a Houston-based oilfield equipment and services company whose pressure-control, wellhead, valve, process, drilling, and subsea businesses were acquired by Schlumberger in 2016.
Last updated November 2, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Cameron International Corporation was a United States industrial and oilfield-services company focused on equipment and services used in drilling, well completion, oil and gas production, subsea operations, pipelines, and process facilities. Although the Cameron name originated with Cameron Iron Works, a Houston oilfield-equipment company incorporated in 1920, the modern corporation was built through a long sequence of acquisitions, reorganizations, and divestitures connected to Cooper Industries and its petroleum and industrial-equipment businesses. The company was known at different points as Cooper Oil Tool and Cooper Cameron Corporation before adopting the Cameron International name in 2006. At the time of its acquisition, Cameron's activities were organized around several major business lines. Drilling Systems supplied pressure-control equipment and related aftermarket services for onshore, offshore, and subsea drilling and production. Its portfolio included blowout preventers and equipment used in offshore completion and drilling projects, together with engineering, system-design, and project-management capabilities. Surface Systems designed and manufactured wellheads, fracturing trees, and related equipment for onshore and offshore production. The business expanded its installed base and aftermarket capabilities through acquisitions including Ingram Cactus, Tundra, Wellhead Services, Marta, McEvoy, and other companies associated with wellhead and valve technology. Valves & Process Systems provided valves, flow-control equipment, and aftermarket support for oil and gas production, pipelines, and industrial process facilities. The business incorporated technologies and operations obtained through acquisitions such as W-K-M, Demco, Daniel Ball Valve, Orbit Valve International, Nutron Industries, PCC Flow Technologies, NuFlo Technologies, Dresser Flow Control, and Petreco International. Cameron also had a compression and power-equipment heritage, although several compression businesses were later sold as the company reshaped its portfolio during the oil-price downturn. A particularly important strategic development was the creation of OneSubsea with Schlumberger. Announced in 2012 and made operational in June 2013, the 60/40 joint venture combined Cameron's subsea capabilities with Schlumberger's complementary technologies and services. OneSubsea supplied integrated subsea production, processing, controls, power, marine, swivel, surveillance, flow-assurance, and service offerings. The relationship created a direct strategic connection between the two companies before the later acquisition. Cameron's business was highly exposed to capital spending by oil and gas producers. The sharp decline in oil prices in 2014 reduced drilling activity and customer demand, contributing to layoffs, pressure on the company's share price, and the disposal of selected businesses. Cameron sold its reciprocating-compression division to GE Oil & Gas and its centrifugal-compression unit to Ingersoll Rand in 2014. In 2015, Schlumberger agreed to acquire Cameron in a stock-and-cash transaction. The acquisition closed in April 2016 with a stated value of approximately $14.8 billion. Cameron thereafter ceased to exist as an independent public company, while portions of its operations and product heritage continued within SLB, including through the OneSubsea business.
History
Cameron International's corporate history combined the development of a Houston oilfield-equipment specialist with the industrial and petroleum-equipment activities of Cooper Industries. Cameron Iron Works was incorporated in Houston in 1920 by Harry Cameron and James Abercrombie. The company expanded internationally and added product capabilities through acquisitions, including the British Oil Field Equipment Company, McEvoy, and Willis. These businesses gave Cameron a presence in valves, wellheads, chokes, and other oilfield equipment. Cooper Industries had a much older industrial lineage. Charles and Elias Cooper established a foundry in Mount Vernon, Ohio, in 1833. Cooper later developed steam engines, gas engines, controls, compressors, and related industrial products. During the twentieth century, it diversified into electrical, automotive, tools, hardware, and industrial equipment. The company moved its headquarters to Houston in 1967, strengthening its connection to the energy sector. In 1989, Cooper Industries acquired Cameron Iron Works and renamed it Cooper Oil Tool. Cooper had already been assembling a broader energy-equipment portfolio, including valve, compressor, engine, and process businesses. In 1994, Cooper spun off its Petroleum and Industrial Equipment Group. In 1995, Cooper Cameron Corporation became a separately traded public company, with Cameron and Cooper Cameron Valves forming important parts of the new organization. Between 1996 and 1998, the company expanded through acquisitions and combinations involving Ingram Cactus, Tundra Valve & Wellhead, Wellhead Services, Marta, Ajax Repair & Supply, General Turbine Systems, PDQ Machine, Daniel Ball Valve, and Orbit Valve International. These transactions enlarged its wellhead, valve, repair, turbine, and flow-control capabilities. In 1999, the rotating-compressor business was sold to Rolls-Royce. Cooper's energy businesses were subsequently reorganized, including the formation of Cooper Compression in 2003 through the combination of Cooper Energy Services and Cooper Turbocompressor. During the early twenty-first century, Cameron and its affiliated divisions continued to add process and flow-control technologies. Acquisitions included Petreco International, PCC Flow Technologies, NuFlo Technologies, and Dresser Flow Control. In 2006, Cooper Cameron Corporation formally changed its name to Cameron International Corporation, reflecting the increasing prominence of the Cameron identity. Cameron broadened its drilling and offshore position in 2011 by purchasing the Drilling, Offshore, and Power Systems divisions of LeTourneau Technologies. In 2012, it announced a plan to separate its subsea division and combine key subsea activities with Schlumberger. The resulting OneSubsea joint venture became operational on June 30, 2013. It developed integrated subsea production, processing, control, power, marine, surveillance, and service solutions. The 2014 collapse in oil prices created a severe market downturn. Oil producers reduced drilling and other capital expenditure, weakening demand for Cameron's equipment and services. The company implemented workforce reductions and sold parts of its compression portfolio, including its reciprocating-compression business to GE Oil & Gas and its centrifugal-compression business to Ingersoll Rand. These disposals reflected a broader effort to focus on core pressure-control, flow-control, drilling, production, and subsea activities. Schlumberger agreed to acquire Cameron in 2015. The transaction was strategically supported by the companies' existing OneSubsea relationship and was intended to combine Cameron's pressure-control, valve, drilling, and blowout-preventer businesses with Schlumberger's oilfield-services portfolio. Schlumberger completed the acquisition in April 2016 in a stock-and-cash transaction valued at approximately $14.8 billion. Cameron ceased to operate as an independent public company, although its technologies, facilities, product families, and brand heritage continued in parts of Schlumberger, later known as SLB.
- 2016
Acquisition by Schlumberger completed
[1]Schlumberger completed its approximately $14.8 billion acquisition of Cameron International.
- 2013
OneSubsea becomes operational
[1]Cameron and Schlumberger completed their 60/40 OneSubsea joint venture for subsea oil and gas products, systems, and services.
- 2011
LeTourneau divisions acquired
[1]Cameron purchased the Drilling, Offshore, and Power Systems divisions of LeTourneau Technologies.
- 2006
Corporate name changes to Cameron International
[1]Cooper Cameron Corporation officially adopted the Cameron International Corporation name.
- 1995
Cooper Cameron becomes a separately traded company
[1]Cooper Cameron Corporation was spun off as a publicly traded company with separate management, bringing together Cameron and Cooper Cameron Valves activities.
- 1989
Cooper Industries acquires Cameron Iron Works
[1]Cooper Industries acquired Cameron Iron Works and renamed it Cooper Oil Tool.
- 1920
Cameron Iron Works is incorporated
[1]Harry Cameron and James Abercrombie incorporated Cameron Iron Works in Houston, establishing the industrial lineage that later became central to Cameron International.
Products and positioning
A global oilfield-equipment and flow-control provider serving drilling, completion, production, subsea, pipeline, and process-industry customers through engineered equipment, integrated systems, and aftermarket services.
Drilling and pressure-control equipment
Drilling Systems
Drilling Systems supplied pressure-control equipment and aftermarket services for onshore, offshore, and subsea drilling and production operations. The business also provided system design and project-management support for offshore completion projects. Its portfolio included equipment used to control well pressure during drilling and intervention activities.
Wellhead and surface production equipment
Surface Systems
Surface Systems manufactured and engineered wellheads, fracturing trees, production trees, and other surface pressure-control products for onshore and offshore oil production. Acquisitions such as Ingram Cactus, Tundra, McEvoy, and related wellhead businesses expanded the installed base and aftermarket expertise associated with this line.
Valves and flow-control equipment
Valves & Process Systems
This business line supplied valves, flow-control equipment, and aftermarket services for oil and gas production, pipelines, and industrial process facilities. It incorporated capabilities developed through Cameron's valve and process acquisitions and served onshore, offshore, subsea, and broader process-industry applications.
Subsea production systems · 2013
OneSubsea
OneSubsea was a Cameron-SLB joint venture that developed integrated subsea solutions, including production systems, subsea processing, controls, power and marine systems, swivels, surveillance, flow-assurance technologies, and subsea services. It became operational in 2013 and provided a major platform for the companies' subsea activities.
Controversies
2021
OFAC settles sanctions case involving Cameron International
The U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control settled with Schlumberger for $1.4 million over apparent U.S. sanctions violations involving Cameron International's Romanian subsidiary and shipments to Gazprom-Neft Shelf for use at the Prirazlomnaya platform.
2010
Deepwater Horizon blowout-preventer failure
Cameron manufactured and sold the blowout preventer used on Transocean's Deepwater Horizon rig. The equipment failed to close the well during the 2010 Gulf of Mexico blowout. Reporting also examined maintenance and operational factors, and Cameron later reached a settlement with BP without admitting responsibility.
Brand decisions
2015
Agreement to be acquired by SchlumbergerM&ABackground
Cameron's existing OneSubsea relationship with Schlumberger provided a strategic basis for combining their broader oilfield-equipment and services portfolios.
Action taken
Cameron agreed to be acquired by Schlumberger in a transaction combining stock and cash.
Aftermath
The acquisition closed in April 2016, ending Cameron's status as an independent public company.
Transaction value. $14.8 billion (2016)
2014
Portfolio reductions during oil-price downturnStrategyBackground
The sharp decline in oil prices reduced customer drilling and production activity and weakened demand for Cameron's equipment and services.
Action taken
Cameron reduced its workforce and sold its reciprocating-compression division to GE Oil & Gas and its centrifugal-compression unit to Ingersoll Rand.
Aftermath
The disposals narrowed Cameron's portfolio and preceded negotiations for its acquisition by Schlumberger.
2012
Plan to separate subsea operations for a Schlumberger joint ventureStrategyBackground
Cameron sought to reorganize its subsea activities and deepen its relationship with Schlumberger, which already had complementary subsea technologies and services.
Action taken
Cameron announced plans to carve out its subsea division and contribute relevant businesses to a 60/40 joint venture with Schlumberger. The arrangement included Cameron receiving $600 million.
Aftermath
OneSubsea became operational in June 2013 and later provided an important strategic link between Cameron and Schlumberger before the full acquisition.
Cash received in connection with subsea joint venture. $600 million (2012-2013)
Recent events
- 2016
Schlumberger completes acquisition of Cameron International[1]
M&A
Schlumberger completed its acquisition of Cameron in a stock-and-cash transaction valued at approximately $14.8 billion, ending Cameron's independent corporate existence.
- 2014
Oil-price downturn pressures Cameron's business[1]
Other
The sharp fall in oil prices reduced drilling and production activity, leading Cameron to reduce its workforce and sell selected compression businesses.
- 2013
Cameron creates OneSubsea joint venture with Schlumberger[1]
M&A
Cameron and Schlumberger completed the formation of OneSubsea, a 60/40 joint venture focused on subsea oil and gas equipment, systems, and services.
Sources2 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/cameron-international · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled