Paul Clifton Koomey

Paul Clifton Koomey, a dedicated family man, brilliant inventor, and respected pioneer of the oil industry, passed away peacefully Sunday, the 9th of November. He was 98 years of age. Born on the 6th of October 1927, in Worcester, Massachusetts, Paul’s life was defined by resilience, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to those he loved.

Paul’s early life was marked by change and adventure. After his father, Levon Koomey, passed away when Paul was just six, his courageous mother, Helen, sailed with Paul and his brothers, Winston and Calvin, from the Northeast to Galveston in 1933. They settled in Houston, where Paul attended Montrose Elementary, Lanier, and Lamar High School. It was in Montrose where he forged lifelong friendships that he cherished until his final days, including Tommy Langham, Durwood Robertson, Mike Arbuckle, Ernest Klein, and Johnny Martin.

A natural athlete, Paul attended Texas A&M before transferring to the University of Houston on a football scholarship, playing for four years as a guard. He graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1949. Shortly after, he served his country as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force during the Korean War.

In 1952, Paul married the love of his life, Constance "Connie" Brewer, a nurse. Their devoted partnership lasted 70 years and laid the foundation for a beautiful family. His daughters Carol and Kathy were the “apple of his eye” and he couldn’t have been prouder to be their father.

Paul’s career began with hands-on work—roustabouting and roughnecking for Gulf Refining on a barge on the Mississippi River near Triumph, Louisiana. The difficulties of operating blowout preventers on a steam rig in Louisiana spurred his inventive mind. He eventually landed at Stewart & Stevenson in 1950, starting out driving a truck and selling parts for the Alemite Division. Despite a steep drop in pay from the rigs, Paul saw an opportunity for growth, and his exceptional mechanical skills quickly became evident.

Paul excelled by seeing the needs of his clients, the rig contractors, and using his technical skills to develop products that fulfilled those needs. While working as an outside salesman, he conceived and developed his most famous invention: the Koomey Blowout Preventer (BOP) Control System. This invention, which could shut down a BOP in seconds, became the worldwide standard for safety in offshore drilling. For a time, "Koomey" became the generic term for offshore and land BOP controls. His innovative work with BOP is featured at the Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig Museum in Galveston, Texas, a testament to his lasting impact on the industry.

This innovation led to the creation of the Koomey Division, which was formalized in 1964 by a now-legendary handshake deal with C. Jim Stewart, II. Stewart & Stevenson considered it their best performing division per dollar invested. In 1979, after the division was sold, Paul exercised his right to compete and started Koomey, Inc. in Brookshire, Texas. With Koomey, Inc., he built successful manufacturing, sales, and service organizations, growing the company from two people to over 600 in less than two years. Koomey, Inc. manufactured an innovative line of products, including blowout preventers, BOP control units, water makers, subsea control units, and related equipment.

Paul was not just a successful entrepreneur; he was a generous one. He sold products globally and, famously, when the company made a profit, he kept a small portion and gave the remainder to his employees. During the 1970s, Koomey’s market presence was dominant, securing about 85% of the global BOP control system business. Furthermore, prior to the sale of the division to NL Industries, Inc. in 1979, Koomey, Inc. held 100% of the Soviet and Chinese markets for Western-manufactured controls. He was respected across the Oil Industry, from the Gulf Coast to Singapore, China, and Russia.

Paul’s leadership extended beyond his own companies. In 1974, he served as president of the National Oil-equipment Manufacturers & Delegates Society ("NOMADS"), an organization which Paul held near and dear to his heart. His commitment to advancing the industry and supporting his peers was evident in all he did.

In addition to his professional life, Paul had a deep loyalty to the University of Houston, where he helped start the beloved annual Crawfish Boil for the Engineering Department. In recognition of his groundbreaking work and success, he received the Distinguished Engineering Alumni Award from the University of Houston's Cullen College of Engineering in 1990, and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers’ Geoca Mechanical Engineering Achievement Award, also in 1990.

Despite his professional successes, Paul’s greatest source of pride and happiness came from his family. True to his humble nature, his grandchildren knew nothing of his remarkable career until adulthood, knowing him simply as “Papa,” the loving grandfather who instilled in them the importance of honesty and kindness. Nothing brought Paul more happiness than time with his family, especially at the farm in Pattison, Texas. Paul’s greatest joy was watching his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren use the farm as a source of happiness that has been passed down through four generations.

Paul was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Connie; his daughter, Carol K. Walls; his brother, Winston; and his trusted canine companion, Topsy. He is survived by his loving daughter, Kathy Koomey Cire, her husband Buck Cire; his son-in-law, Cooper Walls; his brother, Calvin; his two grandchildren, George Cire and Matt Cire and his wife Ansley Cire; his four great-grandchildren, Elizabeth, Margaret, Scottie, and Hunt Cire. All of them will carry on his legacy of hard work, generosity, and kindness.

A special thank you goes to Paul’s devoted caregivers over the past ten years: Tyra, Pinkey, Anthony, Jackie, Arnold, and Fey. The family wishes to express their deepest gratitude to Tyra, who has a heart of gold. She went above and beyond the call of duty and truly loved Paul like one of her own family members. Their care and compassion brought comfort and dignity to Paul’s final years, and the family will be forever grateful.

A memorial service is to be conducted at eleven o’clock in the morning on Tuesday, the 9th day of December, in the chapel of First Presbyterian Church Houston, 5300 Main Street in Houston, where Rev. Jeanmarie B. Tade, Pastor of Caring is to officiate.

Immediately following, all are invited to greet the family during a reception in the fellowship hall.

In lieu of customary remembrances, memorial contributions in his memory may be directed First Presbyterian Church Houston, The Brookwood Community, or Shriners Hospitals for Children by selecting the link under the ‘Donations’ section below.

We invite you to take a few moments to share memories and words of comfort and condolence with his family by selecing the 'Add a Memory' icon below.