PASSIVE ROTATING JOINTED TUBULAR INJECTOR

A passive rotating jointed tubular continuous snubbing injector is provided for moving connected, segmented oilfield tubulars axially into or out of horizontal, extended-reach oil and natural gas wells that may contain pressurized fluid or gas to complete for production, work over and service the wells, utilizing an operation commonly known as snubbing. The injector can include variable diameter gripping mechanisms that, in combination with linear drive mechanisms, can apply radial force onto and over a certain length of the tubular, of the tubular string, and onto and over a coupling or tool joint connecting tubulars together while moving the tubular string axially into or out of the well. Further, the injector may rotate in response to the rotation of tubulars while the injector is moving the tubular string into or out of the well.