Patent Publication Number: US-2023151703-A1

Title: Support structure for guide arch

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates generally to guide arches used in wellhead systems. In at least one example, the present disclosure relates to a pivoting and supported guide arch. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Wellbores are drilled into the earth for a variety of purposes including accessing hydrocarbon bearing formations. In conventional wells for the production of hydrocarbons, one or more cylindrical casings surround a smaller diameter production tubing through which the hydrocarbons will flow to the wellhead. Production tubing may utilize continuous tubing that is stored on a reel and installed or removed from the well using an injector. To guide the tubing from the reel and into the well, from a roughly horizontal or upwardly sloping direction as the tubing comes off the reel to a vertical direction required for downhole injection, a guide arch may be utilized. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In order to describe the manner in which the above-recited and other advantages and features of the disclosure can be obtained, a more particular description of the principles briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only exemplary embodiments of the disclosure and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the principles herein are described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG.  1    is a diagram illustrating an exemplary environment for a wellhead utilizing a guide arch with an articulating support structure, in accordance with various aspects of the subject technology; 
         FIG.  2    is a diagram illustrating an exemplary environment for a wellhead utilizing a guide arch with a fixed support structure, in accordance with various aspects of the subject technology; 
         FIG.  3    is a diagram illustrating a perspective view of a guide arch, in accordance with various aspects of the subject technology; 
         FIG.  4    is a diagram illustrating a front view of a guide arch, in accordance with various aspects of the subject technology; 
         FIG.  5    illustrates an example of a controller, in accordance with various aspects of the subject technology; and 
         FIG.  6    is an example method for supporting tubing of a wellhead using a pivoting guide arch, in accordance with various aspects of the subject technology. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the different figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the examples described herein. However, not all of the details may be necessary to practice the disclosed examples. In other instances, methods, procedures and components have been described so as not to obscure the related relevant feature being described. Also, the description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the examples described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and the proportions of certain parts may be exaggerated to better illustrate details and features . 
     Disclosed herein is a pivoting guide arch coupled to a wellhead. The pivoting guide arch includes a guide having a curved portion. The guide receives a conduit, such as coiled tubing, and guides the conduit along the curved portion into the wellhead, and subsequently into a wellbore. The guide is rotatably coupled to the wellhead such that the guide pivots about the axis of the wellhead. A support structure extends from the first end of the guide and mechanically supports the guide. The support structure provides support to the guide such that the guide can receive coiled tubing with a larger diameter, for example 2 inches. As the coiled tubing increases is size, the weight of the coiled tubing also increases. Accordingly, the support structure provides support to the guide to accommodate larger, heavier, coiled tubing. 
     A swivel mount is coupled to an end of the support structure opposite the guide and is rotatably coupled to the wellhead. Accordingly, the support structure can pivot about an axis of the wellhead along with the guide while also providing mechanical support to the guide. 
       FIG.  1    is a diagram illustrating an exemplary environment  10  for a wellhead  30  utilizing a guide arch  40  with an articulating support structure  100 , in accordance with various aspects of the subject technology. The exemplary environment  10  includes a wellhead  30  disposed on a surface  19  extending over and around a wellbore  14 . The wellbore  14  is within an earth formation  22  and, in at least one example, can have a casing  20  lining the wellbore  14 . The casing  20  can be held into place by cement  16 . In at least one example, the conduit  18  can be at least partially made of an electrically conductive material, for example steel. In another example, the conduit  18  can be at least partially made of a non-electrically conductive material, for example fiberglass or PEEK, or of a low-conductivity material, for example carbon composite, or a combination of such materials. A downhole tool  50  can be disposed within the wellbore  14  and moved down the wellbore  14  via a conduit  18  to a desired location. The conduit  18  may be coiled tubing. In other examples, the conduit  18  can be, for example, tubing-conveyed via a wireline, slickline, work string, joint tubing, jointed pipe, pipeline, and/or any other suitable means. The downhole tool  50  can include, for example, downhole sensors, chokes, and valves. The chokes and valves may include actuatable flow regulation devices, such as variable chokes and valves, and may be used to regulate the flow of the fluids into and/or out of the conduit  18 . The downhole tool  50  also includes a drill tool  52  to drill the wellbore  14  in the formation  22 . For example, the drill tool  52  can include a drill bit, a mill, and/or an auger. One or more assembly sensors  54  can be disposed in the downhole tool  50  and provide measurements and data of the wellbore  14 , the formation  22 , and/or the downhole tool  50 . For example, the assembly sensors  54  can include a directional sensor which can determine the direction that the downhole tool  50  is drilling in the formation  22 . In some examples, as illustrated in  FIG.  1   , the downhole tool  50  can include a power source  56 . The power source  56  can provide power to the components of the downhole tool  50 , for example the assembly sensors  54  and/or a motor to actuate the drill tool  52 . 
     It should be noted that while  FIG.  1    generally depicts a land-based operation, those skilled in the art would readily recognize that the principles described herein are equally applicable to operations that employ floating or sea-based platforms and rigs, without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Also, even though  FIG.  1    depicts a vertical wellbore, the present disclosure is equally well-suited for use in wellbores having other orientations, including horizontal wellbores, slanted wellbores, multilateral wellbores or the like. 
     The wellhead  30  can include a blowout preventer  36 , a stripper  34 , and/or an injector  32 . The injector  32  can inject the conduit  18  into the wellbore  14 . For example, the conduit  18  can be stored in a reel  12  and when dispatched, may extend from the reel  12 , pass through the injector  32 , and into the wellbore  14 . In other examples, the injector  32  can pull the conduit  18  to retrieve the conduit  18  from the wellbore  14 . The stripper  34  can provide a pressure seal around the conduit  18  as the conduit  18  is being run into and/or pulled out of the wellbore  14 . The blowout preventer  36  can seal, control, and/or monitor the wellbore  14  to prevent blowouts, or uncontrolled and/or undesired release of fluids from the wellbore  14 . In other examples, different systems can be utilized based on the type of conduit  18  and/or the environment such as subsea or surface operations. 
     A guide arch  40  is mechanically coupled to the wellhead  30  to guide the conduit  18  from the reel  12  to the injector  32 . The guide arch  40  includes a curved portion  40 R that is configured to guide the conduit  18  as the conduit  18  transitions from a spooled or wound orientation along an X axis on the reel  12 , to a vertical or Y axis defined by a central axis of the wellbore  14 , wellhead  30 , or central axis of a component  35  (e.g., pipe, lubricator, stripper, or other component having a central axis) of the wellhead  30 . The curved portion  40 R of the guide arch  40  thus guides the conduit  18  as the conduit  18  travels along a first direction  13  extending from the reel  12 , to a second direction into or out of the wellbore  14 . In some examples, a radius of the curved portion  40 R may be greater than 96 inches to enable larger-diameter conduit  18  (for example, a conduit  18  having a diameter greater than 2 inches) to be used without causing excessive bending stresses on the conduit  18  due to insufficient curvature of the curved portion  40 R. In at least one example, the radius of the curved portion  40 R may be about 120 inches to about 160 inches. In other examples, the radius of the curved portion  40 R may be about 120 inches to about 180 inches. In other examples, the radius of the curved portion  40 R may not be continuous, and instead, may include a curvature having a progressive radius having more than one radius. By utilizing a curved portion  40 R having a radius of about 120 inches to about 180 inches, an outer diameter  18 D of the conduit  18  may be greater than 2 inches, such as a diameter  18 D in a range of about 2 inches to about 5 inches. The guide arch  40  is configured to receive the conduit  18  at a first end  42  and at a second end  44 , the guide arch  40  may be coupled to the injector  32 . The second end  44  of the guide arch  40  may be rotatably coupled to the wellhead  30   (for example, injector  32 ) to enable the guide arch to rotate with respect to the injector  32 , wellbore  14 , wellhead  30 , and/or the Y axis. 
     A support structure  100  is coupled to the guide arch  40  to mechanically support the guide arch  400 . The support structure  100  extends from the first end  42  of the guide arch  40  and is rotatably coupled to the wellhead  30  via a swivel mount  120 . The support structure  100  may include one or more arms  101 . At a first end  103  of the arm  101 , the arm  101  is mechanically coupled to the first end  42  of the guide arch  40 . At a second end  110  of the arm  101 , the arm  101  is mechanically coupled to the swivel mount  120 . In at least one example, the support structure  100  may also include an actuator  106 , such as a hydraulic cylinder, having an upper arm  102  extending from a first end  104  of the actuator  106 , and a lower arm  108  extending from a second end  109  of the actuator  106 . The actuator  106  is configured to adjust a length of the support structure  100  as measured between the first end  103  and the second end  110  of the arm  101 . Such adjustment may be necessary to counter deflection of the first end  42  of the guide arch  40  that may be caused by a downward force applied by the conduit  18 . In other examples, the actuator  106  may be configured to apply a force against the guide arch  40  to counteract a load applied to the guide arch  40  by the conduit  18 . For example, a weight of the conduit  18  may apply excessive downward force to the first end  42  of the guide arch  40 , particularly where the conduit  18  includes a larger-diameter conduit having a diameter greater than 2 inches, thereby resulting with the guide arch  40  to shift so that the reel  12  and injector  32  become misaligned. The actuator  106  may be configured to apply an upward force to the first end  42  of the guide arch  40  to counter the downward force applied by the conduit  18 . 
     The swivel mount  120  is coupled to the second end  110  of the support structure  100 . The swivel mount  120  is rotatably coupled to the wellhead  30  to enable the guide arch  40  and the support structure  100  to pivot about the axis Y of the wellhead  30 . In at least one example, the swivel mount  100  may include a collar that is attached to a periphery of a component  35  of the wellhead  30 . In some examples, the swivel mount  100  may include a component of a lubricator. In yet other examples, the swivel mount  100  may include a flange that is configured to be clamped over an outer diameter of a component  35 . The swivel mount  120  may be rotatably coupled to the wellhead  30  between the stripper  34  and the blowout preventer  36 . Alternatively, the swivel mount  120  may be rotatably coupled to the wellhead  30  between the injector  32  and the stripper  34 , as shown in  FIGS.  3  and  4   . 
     The swivel mount  120  is configured to allow the support structure  100  to rotate about the Y axis. In at least one example, the swivel mount  120  may be configured to allow the support structure  100  to rotate up to about 45 degrees about the Y axis. In another example, the swivel mount  120  may be configured to allow the support structure  100  to rotate up to about 90 degrees about the Y axis. In another example, the swivel mount  120  may be configured to allow the support structure  100  to rotate up to about 135 degrees about the Y axis. In another example, the swivel mount  120  may be configured to allow the support structure  100  to rotate up to about 180 degrees about the Y axis. In another example, the swivel mount  120  may be configured to allow the support structure  100  to rotate up to about 270 degrees about the Y axis. In yet another example, the swivel mount  120  may be configured to allow the support structure  100  to rotate up to about 360 degrees about the Y axis. 
     In some examples, the support structure  100  may further include a sensor  170  configured to measure at least one of a strain, load and force acting on the guide arch  40  and/or the arm  101 . The sensor  170  may include at least one of a load cell and a strain gauge. The sensor  170  may be communicatively coupled to a controller  500  to provide data representing one of at least a strain, load and force acting on the guide arch  40  and/or the arm  101  to the controller  500 . The controller  500  may be configured to receive the data from the sensor  170 , process the data from the sensor  170 , and determine whether to adjust a length of the actuator  106  to either lengthen or shorten a length of the arm  101 , and/or to apply a force against the guide arch  40  to counter a load acting upon the guide arch  40 . For example, when the sensor  170  measures a load acting upon the guide arch  40  that exceeds a predetermined threshold for deflection of the guide arch  40 , the controller  500  may transmit a control signal to the actuator  106  to apply a force or load against the guide arch  40  to counter the measured load and reduce or eliminate the deflection of the guide arch caused by the conduit  18 . 
       FIG.  2    is a diagram illustrating an exemplary environment  10  for a wellhead  30  utilizing a guide arch  40  with a fixed support structure  100 , in accordance with various aspects of the subject technology. In at least one example, the support structure  100  may include an arm  101  having a first end  103  coupled to the guide arch  40  and a second end  110  coupled to the swivel mount  120 . Disposed on the arm  101  is the sensor  170  that measures at least one of a strain, load and force acting on the arm  101 . The sensor  170  may be communicatively coupled to the controller  500  to process data provided by the sensor  170  to determine whether a length of the arm  101  should be adjusted, speed of the reel  12  should be adjusted, or to otherwise adjust operations of the wellhead  30  to prevent failure or over-loading of the conduit  18  and/or guide arch  40 . 
     As described above with reference to  FIG.  1   , the conduit  18  (for example, coiled tubing) is disposed in the wellbore  14 . The conduit  18  is stored on the reel  12  and is guided from the reel  12  to the wellhead  30  by the guide arch  40 . The guide arch  40  includes the curved portion  40 R that is configured to receive the conduit  18  at the first end  42  of the guide arch  40 , and guide the conduit  18  along the curved portion  40 R and into the wellbore  14 . To enable the guide arch  40  to pivot or rotate with respect to the wellhead  30 , the guide arch  40  is rotatably coupled to the wellhead at the second end  44  of the guide arch  40 . The guide arch  40  further includes the support structure  100  to mechanically support the guide arch  40 . The support structure is coupled to the first end  42  of the guide arch  40  at the first end  103  of the arm  101 . The guide arch  40  further includes the swivel mount  120  that is coupled to the second end  110  of the arm  101  and is rotatably coupled to the wellhead  30  to enable the guide arch  40  and support structure  100  to pivot about the Y axis of the wellhead  30 . 
     In at least one example, the arm  101  of the support structure  100  may include a telescoping tube that is configured to have its length adjusted through use of fasteners inserted through one of a plurality of holes that are spaced apart to enable adjustment of the length of the arm  101 . The arm  101  may include other profiles, such as angles, I-beams, C-channels, etc. that may be configured to have an adjustable length based on a particular arrangement of fasteners and mounting holes or slots. 
       FIG.  3    is a diagram illustrating a perspective view of a guide arch  40 , in accordance with various aspects of the subject technology. In at least one example, the guide arch  40  may be coupled or fastened to the injector  32  such that the guide arch  40 , injector  32 , and support structure  100  rotate as an assembly about the Y axis via the swivel mount  120 . 
     In at least one example, because the second end  110  of the arm  101  of the support structure  100  is attached to the wellhead  30  below the injector  32 , a center of gravity of the injector  32 , guide arch  40 , and support structure  100  is shifted closer to the Y axis resulting in a more stabilized assembly during lifting and manipulation of the assembly via a hoist or harness. In other words, because the first end  103  of the arm  101  of the support structure  100  is coupled to the first end  42  of the guide arch  40 , and the second end  110  of the arm  101  is coupled to the wellhead  30  at a location below the injector  32 , a portion of a weight of the guide arch  40  is shifted to the swivel mount  120  at the second end  110  of the arm  101  to thereby shift the center of gravity of the injector  32 , guide arch  40 , and support structure  100  to be closer to the Y axis than would otherwise without the support structure  100 . 
     Shifting the center of gravity of the injector  32 , guide arch  40 , and support structure  100  to be closer to the Y axis eases installation of the assembly onto the component  35  of the wellhead  30  because the assembly, when lifted by an overhead hoist, is better aligned with the component  35 . As shown in  FIG.  3   , the injector  32 , guide arch  40 , support structure  100 , and the swivel mount  120  may be installed on the component  35 , above the stripper  34 . In the example illustrated in  FIG.  3   , the swivel mount  120  is disposed between the injector  32  and the stripper  34 . 
       FIG.  4    is a diagram illustrating a front view of a guide arch  40 , in accordance with various aspects of the subject technology. In at least one example, the support structure  100  may include a first arm  150  and a second arm  160 . A first end  152  of the first arm  150  is attached to the first end  42  of the guide arch  40 . A first end  162  of the second arm  160  is attached to the first end  42  of the guide arch  40 . A second end  154  of the first arm  150  is attached to the swivel mount  120 . A second end  164  of the second arm  160  is attached to the swivel mount  120 . In at least one example, the first arm  150  and the second arm  160  may form a v-shape, with a common joint at the second ends,  154  and  164  respectively. As shown, the arms  101  are arranged so that they intersect a centerline (“C/L”) of the wellhead  30 , injector  32 , stripper  34  and/or component  35 . By mounting the second ends,  154  and  164  respectively, of the support arms  101  in the same plane as the centerline, versus mounting the support arms  101  to a corner or side of the injector frame  32 , the guide arch  40  is capable of pivoting more easily while also better distributing the weight of the guide arch  40  to the centerline, instead of at an off-center point on the wellhead  30 . 
     Each arm  101  may have a sensor  170  disposed thereon. For example, the first arm  150  may have a first sensor  171  and the second arm  160  may have a second sensor  172 . The first and second sensors,  171  and  172  respectively, may be communicatively coupled to the controller  500  to provide at least one of a strain, load and force acting upon the corresponding first and second arms,  150  and  160  respectively, to the controller  500 . In other examples, only one of the arms  101  may include a sensor  170 . 
       FIG.  5    illustrates an example of a controller  500 , in accordance with various aspects of the subject technology. Controller  500  is configured to perform processing of data and communicate with the sensor  170 , for example as illustrated in  FIGS.  1 - 4   . In operation, controller  500  communicates with one or more of the above-discussed components and may also be configured to communicate with remote devices/systems. 
     As shown, controller  500  includes hardware and software components such as network interfaces  510 , at least one processor  520 , sensors  560  and a memory  540  interconnected by a system bus  550 . Network interface(s)  510  can include mechanical, electrical, and signaling circuitry for communicating data over communication links, which may include wired or wireless communication links. Network interfaces  510  are configured to transmit and/or receive data using a variety of different communication protocols, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. 
     Processor  520  represents a digital signal processor (e.g., a microprocessor, a microcontroller, or a fixed-logic processor, etc.) configured to execute instructions or logic to perform tasks in a wellbore environment. Processor  520  may include a general purpose processor, special-purpose processor (where software instructions are incorporated into the processor), a state machine, application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable gate array (PGA) including a field PGA, an individual component, a distributed group of processors, and the like. Processor  520  typically operates in conjunction with shared or dedicated hardware, including but not limited to, hardware capable of executing software and hardware. For example, processor  520  may include elements or logic adapted to execute software programs and manipulate data structures  545 , which may reside in memory  540 . 
     Sensors  560 , which may include sensor  170  as disclosed herein, typically operate in conjunction with processor  520  to perform measurements, and can include special-purpose processors, detectors, transmitters, receivers, and the like. In this fashion, sensors  560  may include hardware/software for generating, transmitting, receiving, detection, logging, and/or sampling magnetic fields, seismic activity, and/or acoustic waves, temperature, pressure, radiation levels, casing collar locations, weights, torques, tool health (such as voltage levels and current monitors), accelerations, gravitational fields, strains, video recordings, flow rates, solids concentration, solids size, chemical composition, and/or other parameters. 
     Memory  540  comprises a plurality of storage locations that are addressable by processor  520  for storing software programs and data structures  545  associated with the embodiments described herein. An operating system  542 , portions of which may be typically resident in memory  540  and executed by processor  520 , functionally organizes the device by, inter alia, invoking operations in support of software processes and/or services  544  executing on controller  500 . These software processes and/or services  544  may perform processing of data and communication with controller  500 , as described herein. Note that while process/service  544  is shown in centralized memory  540 , some examples provide for these processes/services to be operated in a distributed computing network. 
     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that other processor and memory types, including various computer-readable media, may be used to store and execute program instructions pertaining to the fluidic channel evaluation techniques described herein. Also, while the description illustrates various processes, it is expressly contemplated that various processes may be embodied as modules having portions of the process/service  544  encoded thereon. In this fashion, the program modules may be encoded in one or more tangible computer readable storage media for execution, such as with fixed logic or programmable logic (e.g., software/computer instructions executed by a processor, and any processor may be a programmable processor, programmable digital logic such as field programmable gate arrays or an ASIC that comprises fixed digital logic. In general, any process logic may be embodied in processor  520  or computer readable medium encoded with instructions for execution by processor  520  that, when executed by the processor, are operable to cause the processor to perform the functions described herein. 
       FIG.  6    is an example method  600  for supporting tubing of a wellhead using a pivoting guide arch, in accordance with various aspects of the subject technology. The method  600  is provided by way of example, as there are a variety of ways to carry out the method. The method  600  described below can be carried out using the configurations illustrated in  FIGS.  1 - 5   , for example, and various elements of these figures are referenced in explaining example method  600 . Each block shown in  FIG.  6    represents one or more processes, methods or subroutines, carried out in the example method  600 . Furthermore, the illustrated order of blocks is illustrative only and the order of the blocks can change according to the present disclosure. Additional blocks may be added or fewer blocks may be utilized, without departing from this disclosure. The method  600  can begin at block  610 . 
     At block  610 , a guide arch is disposed onto a wellhead. The guide arch includes a curved portion to guide tubing from a reel into a wellbore. At block  620 , the guide arch is supported with a support structure. The support structure extends from the guide arch to the wellhead so that the guide arch is mechanically supported by an arm extending from a first end of the guide arch to a point on the wellhead that is below an injector. The injector is configured to move the tubing into and out of the wellbore. At block  630 , an end of the support structure is rotatably coupled to the wellhead using a swivel mount. The swivel mount enables the guide arch and support structure to pivot about an axis of the wellhead. The axis may be a center axis of the wellhead, wellbore, or a component of the wellheads, such as a pipe, lubricator, injector, or other component having an opening through which fluid flows. 
     The method may also include measuring at least one of a strain, load and force using a sensor disposed on the support structure. The sensor may be communicatively coupled to a controller to provide data representing at least one of a strain, load and force acting on the support structure, to the controller. In response, the controller may be configured to process the data and determine that an actuator of the support structure requires adjustment. For example, if the sensor detects a load that exceeds a predetermined amount indicative of deflection that is outside a predetermined range, the controller may send a signal to cause the actuator to apply a force or load against the guide arch to counter the load being applied to the guide arch so that continual deflection of the guide arch is minimized, prevented, or reversed. In another example, data from the sensor representing strain on the guide arch may be utilized by the controller to inform an operator that the guide arch may be overloaded, thereby enabling the operator to take actions to reduce the load on the guide arch, by for example, moving the injector with respect to the reel. 
     As described above, the swivel mount enables the guide arch and injector to pivot about the axis so that the guide arch may self-align to the reel storing the tubing. As the tubing is unreeled from the reel, a side to side motion of the tubing as the tubing tracks along the reel causes the guide arch and injector to pivot about the swivel mount to reduce or eliminate a side load acting on the guide arch. In other words, the swivel mount enables the guide arch to maintain a more direct angle of approach over conventional guide arches that are not capable of pivoting. By reducing the side load on the tubing, wear on the tubing is reduced or minimized thereby extending the lifespan or longevity of the tubing. In another example, by allowing the guide arch and injector to pivot about the axis, the likelihood of the tubing slipping off of the guide arch is also minimized or eliminated because the guide arch is capable of self-aligning with the tubing as the tubing tracks from side to side along the reel. 
     In yet another example, the swivel mount enables the injector and the guide arch to pivot about the Y axis to align with a different reel when necessary, without requiring movement of the reel. Alignment of the injector and guide arch with respect to a particular reel is handled by the swivel mount, in that the injector and the guide arch can be rotated as a unit, toward the desired reel without having to move the reel into alignment with the injector. 
     In some examples, the support structure is configured to mechanically support the guide arch so that the guide arch is capable of handling larger-diameter tubing, such as tubing having an outside diameter exceeding 2 inches. By transferring a load acting upon the first end of the guide arch to another portion of the wellhead (e.g., to a section of the wellhead in contact with the swivel mount), a load capacity of the guide arch is increased. In yet another example, because the support structure connects the first end of the guide arch to a portion of the wellhead below the injector, a center of gravity of the guide arch, injector and support structure is shifted to be closer to the axis, thereby making lifting and handling of the assembly easier when lifted overhead, such as during installation or removal of the assembly from the wellhead. 
     Numerous examples are provided herein to enhance understanding of the present disclosure. A specific set of statements are provided as follows. 
     Statement 1: A pivoting guide arch comprising: a guide including a curved portion, the guide receiving a coiled tubing at a first end, and guiding the coiled tubing along the curved portion to change a direction of the coiled tubing; a support structure extending from the first end of the guide and mechanically supporting the guide; and a swivel mount coupled to an end of the support structure, the swivel mount rotatably coupled to a wellhead to enable the guide and support structure to pivot about an axis of the wellhead. 
     Statement 2: A pivoting guide arch is disclosed according to Statement 1, wherein a second end of the guide is rotatably coupled to the wellhead such that the guide pivots about the axis of the wellhead. 
     Statement 3: A pivoting guide arch is disclosed according to Statements 1 or 2, wherein the support structure includes a first arm and a second arm, the first and second arms forming a v-shape. 
     Statement 4: A pivoting guide arch is disclosed according to any of preceding Statements 1-3, wherein the support structure includes an actuator to adjust a length of the support structure. 
     Statement 5: A pivoting guide arch is disclosed according to any of preceding Statements 1-4, wherein the support structure includes an actuator to apply a force against the guide to counteract a load applied to the guide. 
     Statement 6: A pivoting guide arch is disclosed according to any of preceding Statements 1-5, wherein the support structure includes a sensor to measure at least one of a strain, load, and force. 
     Statement 7: A pivoting guide arch is disclosed according to any of preceding Statements 1-6, wherein the sensor includes at least one of a load cell and a strain gauge. 
     Statement 8: A pivoting guide arch is disclosed according to any of preceding Statements 1-7, wherein the sensor is communicatively coupled to a controller, the controller adjusting the actuator based on data supplied by the sensor. 
     Statement 9: A wellhead system is disclosed comprising: a coiled tube configured to be disposed in a wellbore; a reel storing the coiled tube; a guide arch including a curved portion, the guide arch receiving the coiled tube at a first end, and guiding the tube along the curved portion and into the wellbore, the guide arch rotatably coupled to a wellhead at a second end; a support structure extending from the first end of the guide arch and mechanically supporting the guide arch; and a swivel mount coupled to an end of the support structure, the swivel mount rotatably coupled to the wellhead to enable the guide arch and support structure to pivot about an axis of the wellhead. 
     Statement 10: A wellhead system is disclosed according to Statement 9, wherein the support structure includes an actuator to adjust a length of the support structure. 
     Statement 11: A wellhead system is disclosed according to Statements 9 or 10, wherein the support structure includes an actuator to apply a force against the guide arch to counteract a load applied to the guide arch. 
     Statement 12: A wellhead system is disclosed according to any of preceding Statements 9-11, wherein the support structure includes a sensor to measure at least one of a strain, load, and force. 
     Statement 13: A wellhead system is disclosed according to any of preceding Statements 9-12, wherein the sensor is communicatively coupled to a controller, the controller adjusting the actuator based on data supplied by the sensor. 
     Statement 14: A wellhead system is disclosed according to any of preceding Statements 9-13, wherein the wellhead includes an injector, a stripper disposed below the injector, and a blowout preventer disposed below the stripper; wherein the swivel mount is rotatably coupled to the wellhead between the stripper and the blowout preventer. 
     Statement 15: A wellhead system is disclosed according to any of preceding Statements 9-14, wherein the wellhead comprises an injector, a stripper disposed below the injector, and a blowout preventer disposed below the stripper; wherein the swivel mount is rotatably coupled to the wellhead between the injector and the stripper. 
     Statement 16: A wellhead system is disclosed according to any of preceding Statements 9-15, wherein the coiled tube has an outer diameter in a range of about 2 inches to about 5 inches 
     Statement 17: A wellhead system is disclosed according to any of preceding Statements 9-16, wherein the curved portion of the guide arch has a radius in a range of about 120 inches to about 180 inches. 
     Statement 18: A method for supporting tubing of a wellhead using a pivoting guide arch is disclosed comprising: disposing a guide arch onto a wellhead, the guide arch including a curved portion to guide tubing from a reel into a wellbore; supporting the guide arch with a support structure, the support structure extending from the guide arch; and rotatably coupling an end of the support structure to the wellhead using a swivel mount, the swivel mount enabling the guide arch and support structure to pivot about an axis of the wellhead. 
     Statement 19: A method is disclosed according to Statement 18, further comprising: measuring, by a sensor disposed on the support structure, at least one of a strain, load, and force. 
     Statement 20: A method is disclosed according to Statements 18 or 19, further comprising: adjusting an actuator of the support structure based on data supplied by the sensor. 
     The embodiments shown and described above are only examples. Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present technology have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the present disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in the detail, especially in matters of shape, size and arrangement of the parts within the principles of the present disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms used in the attached claims. It will therefore be appreciated that the examples described above may be modified within the scope of the appended claims.