Patent ID: 6948565

Claim:
An apparatus for selectively supporting a tubing string suspended in a wellbore comprising: a spool having a bottom flange for mounting to a pressure containment spool above a tubing head spool of a wellhead, the spool having an axial passage to be aligned with the wellbore for permitting the tubing string to extend therethrough, and at least two radial passages extending through a sidewall of the spool and communicating with the axial passage, each of the radial passages extending inwardly and downwardly at a first angle relative to a central axis of the axial passage; a slip assembly slidably received within each of the respective radial passages, each slip assembly including a slip jaw pivotally mounted to and slidable together with a slip jaw anchor; and means for moving the respective slip assemblies between an extended position in which the slip jaws are inserted into an annulus between the tubing string and the sidewall for gripping the tubing string, and a retracted position in which the slip jaws clear the axial passage of the spool.