Swivel Joint

(SJ)

Omega Technologies Inc. has developed a low cost swivel joint (SJ) for attachment to Omega’s TSR (Tubing Saver Rotator). Rotation of the swivel occurs by using a pipe wrench to impart clockwise rotation on the swivel and thereby the TSR. The swivel has a primary sealing O-ring with a secondary backup O-ring. In addition, this swivel has an API EUE Box end to make up to the TSR in a conventional wellhead (see picture on right) and also has an API EUE Pin end to attach to a conventional pump tee. This allows one to use the swivel without having to crossover the swivel from line pipe threads to EUE threads (which is common in other swivels). Thus, the SJ is an economical swivel that helps eliminate additional equipment and reduce the pump height requirements between the pumping head and the pump tee.

DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

The Swivel Joint (SJ) is made to withstand pressures up to 3000 psi, but is normally used around operating pressures of 50 to 200 psi during the pumping action of a rod pumped well. The Swivel is made of three pieces (see picture to left and below):

(1) The Rotating Coupling, which has an API Box EUE Box end and an Acme Box end,

(2) The stationary API Pin End, which has two O-rings. . The O-ring on the opposite face of the API pin end is the primary seal, while the O-ring on the outside of this piece is a secondary back-up seal.

(3) The Swivel Cap, which holds the swivel together with an Acme pin end connection made up to the Coupling’s Acme Box. This cap also has a pin protruding from the cap to act as a pointer to allow one to check rotation of the SJ and TSR relative to the pumping unit. In addition, a third O-ring is placed on the inside of the Swivel Cap to stop rainwater intrusion below the cap. This Swivel Cap O-ring and the Cap’s Acme threads act as another seal, but the threads are not designed to be sealing threads.

The three pieces are made up as one unit and should be placed on the wellhead after the TSR is installed. On future pulling jobs, one may leave the swivel joint attached to the pump tee to save make-up time, unless the O-rings need replacing. The O-rings (if ever needing repair) can be easily repaired by removing the swivel from the wellhead configuration and changing the three O-rings, which is the preferred method. In addition, the two sealing O-rings could be replaced with a standard O-ring kit while the swivel is still attached to the wellhead (theO-ring would be slit, placed in the appropriate groove and glued back together). The swivel joint is normally available with a round outer diameter (SJR), but can be made with hex sides (SJH). The SJR2000 (2-3/8” swivel) and the SJR2500 (2-7/8” swivel) is also designed to allow the wellhead’s dognut to be lifted above the swivel to facilitate easy replacement of the rubber element.

SUMMARY

Omega Technologies Inc. provides a Swivel Joint (SJR) that provides an economical way to help rotate the tubing when used in conjunction with the Tubing Saver Rotator (TSR). This swivel joint has no bearings and has easily repairable O-Rings to affect a pressure seal for fluids flowing up the tubing. It is made with an API EUE Box and an API EUE Pin end, while some other swivels are made with line pipe connections, which require crossovers to the API EUE connections normally associated with pumping wellhead configurations.