hydraulic power tong made in korea free sample

A two-speed Hydra-Shift® motor coupled with a two-speed gear train provides (4) torque levels and (4) RPM speeds. Easily shift the hydraulic motor in low speed to high speed without stopping the tong or tublar rotation, saving rig time.

Used on corrosion resistant alloys (CRA) and fiberglass tubulars where reduced markings on the tubular is desired. Eckel"s Coated True Grit® Dies utilize Tungsten Carbide grit which provides many more points of contact on the surface of the tubular than our Pyramid Fine Tooth dies.

A patented door locking system (US Patent 6,279,426) for Eckel tongs that allows for latchless locking of the tong door. The tong door swings easily open and closed and locks when torque

is applied to the tong. When safety is important this locking mechanism combined with our safety door interlock provides unparalleled safety while speeding up the turn around time between connections. The Radial Door Lock is patented protected in the following countries: Canada, Germany, Norway, United Kingdom, and the United States.

The WD Tri-Grip® Backup is a high performance no compromise backup that is suitable for make-up and break-out of the most demanding connections. The WD Tri-Grip®Backup features a three head design that encompasses the tubular that applies an evenly distributed gripping force. The WD Tri-Grip®is a high performance backup with no compromises that is available for specific applications that provdies exceptional gripping capabilities with either Eckel True Grit® dies or Pyramid Fine Tooth dies.

The field proven Tri-Grip® Backup features a three head design that encompasses the tubular that applies an evenly distributed gripping force. The Tri-Grip®Backup provides exceptional gripping capabilities with either Eckel True Grit® dies or Pyramid Fine Tooth dies. The hydraulic backup is suspended at an adjustable level below the power tong by means of three hanger legs and allowing the backup to remain stationary while the power tong moves vertically to compensate for thread travel of the connection.

Eckel offers several models of torque control systems that are used to monitor the torque turn values when making up tubular connections (Tubing, Casing, & Drill Pipe). Any flaws in the make-up process will be readily shown in a graph.

Eckel offers a full range of high-quality casing and tubing, drill pipe tongs for use in all types of oil and gas drilling, well completion, and well-servicing activities. Our tongs have been engineered for the high operational torques today"s that premium connections require. Eckel tongs continue to advance the technology of tool service and setting industry standards. Our tongs have improved crew efficiencies, such as our easy to open and close Radial Lock Door and our Hydra-Shift® speed shifting for speeding up turnaround time between connections. Eckel"s Torque turn control systems that monitor torque turn values when making up the tubular connection with any flaws in the make-up process are displayed.

The KT20000 casing tong can handle tubulars as small as 7″ and as large as 20″ in diameter. Tong can be mounted on either a CLINCHER® or a FARR® hydraulic backup. Available with McCoy’s patented WinCatt® data acquisition and torque control system for the make-up of tubular connections.

A hydraulic power tong is a type of equipment used for work. Experienced hydraulic power tongs, also called as hydraulic power tanks, are different types of equipment that is used to work on pressure-sensitive surfaces.

Explore different kinds of hydraulic power tongs on Alibaba.com, including wholesale hydraulic power tongs for excavator power tongs for sale, include hydraulic power tongs for small, medium, and large-scale work.

This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data.

Seoul (Korean:lit."Capital"), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Seoul Capital Area with the surrounding Incheon metropolis and Gyeonggi province. Considered to be a global city and rated as an Alpha – City by Globalization and World Cities Research Network (GaWC),fourth largest metropolitan economy in 2014, following Tokyo, New York City and Los Angeles.

Seoul was rated Asia"s most livable city with the second highest quality of life globally by Arcadis in 2015, with a GDP per capita (PPP) of around $40,000. With major technology hubs centered in Gangnam and Digital Media City,Fortune Global 500 companies, including Samsung,LG, and Hyundai. Ranked seventh in the Global Power City Index and Global Financial Centres Index, the metropolis exerts a major influence in global affairs as one of the five leading hosts of global conferences.1986 Asian Games, 1988 Summer Olympics, and the 2010 G20 Seoul summit.

Seoul was the capital of various Korean states, including Baekje, Joseon, the Korean Empire, Goryeo (as a secondary capital), and presently South Korea. It is strategically located along the Han River. Seoul"s history stretches back over two thousand years, when it was founded in 18 BC by the people of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. The city was later designated the capital of Korea under the Joseon dynasty. Seoul is surrounded by a mountainous and hilly landscape, with Bukhan Mountain located on the northern edge of the city. The Seoul Capital Area contains five UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Changdeok Palace, Hwaseong Fortress, Jongmyo Shrine, Namhansanseong and the Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty.N Seoul Tower, the 63 Building, the Lotte World Tower, the Dongdaemun Design Plaza, Lotte World, Trade Tower, COEX, IFC Seoul, and the Parc1. Seoul was named the 2010 World Design Capital. It is the birthplace of K-pop and the Korean wave, as it is the heart of Korean culture and massive medias, entertainment firms, and broadcasters.

The city has been known in the past by the names Wiryeseong (위례성; 慰禮城, during the Baekje era), Namcheon (남천; 南川,Silla era), Hanyang (한양; 漢陽, during the Goryeo era), Hanseong (한성; 漢城, during the Joseon era), and Keijō (京城) or Gyeongseong (경성; 京城) during Japanese rule.

During Japan"s annexation of Korea, Hanseong (漢城) was renamed Keijō(京城) by the Imperial authorities to prevent confusion with the hanja "Han (Han dynasty in Chinese and in Japanese is a term for "China".

After World War II and Korea"s liberation, the city took its present name, which originated from the Korean word meaning "capital city", which is believed to have descended from an ancient word, Seorabeol (Korean: 서라벌; Hanja: 徐羅伐), which originally referred to Gyeongju, the capital of Silla.Geumseong (金城, literally "Gold Castle or City" or "Metal Castle or City"), but it is unclear whether the native Korean-style name Seorabeol had the same meaning as Geumseong.

Unlike most place names in Korea, "Seoul" has no corresponding hanja (Chinese characters used in the Korean language). On January 18, 2005, the Seoul government changed its official name in Chinese characters from the historic Hancheng (simplified Chinese: 汉城; traditional Chinese: 漢城; pinyin: Hànchéng) to Shou"er (simplified Chinese: 首尔; traditional Chinese: 首爾; pinyin: Shǒu"ěr).

Seoul is first recorded as Wiryeseong, the capital of Baekje (founded in 18 BC) in the northeastern area of modern Seoul.Pungnaptoseong, an earthen wall located southeast Seoul, is widely believed to have been at the main Wiryeseong site.Three Kingdoms competed for this strategic region, control passed from Baekje to Goguryeo in the 5th century.

However, according to Samguk Sagi, both Baekje and Silla described the land as frontier border of Baekje, not as the capital region.Bukhansan tells that the place was underdeveloped as of 6th century AD,

In 568, Jinheung Taewang made another royal visit to the northern border, visited Hanseong, and stayed in Namcheon on his way back to the capital. During his stay, he set Jinheung Taewang Stele, abolished Bukhansan Province, and established Namcheon Province (남천주; 南川州; South River Province), appointing the city as the provincial capital.Pyongyang), thus Bukhansan has to be located north of Hanseong. Modern day Pyongyang was not Pyongyang, Taedong River was likely Han River, and Bukhansan was not Bukhansan during the three kingdoms period.

In the 11th century Goryeo, which succeeded Unified Silla, built a summer palace in Seoul, which was referred to as the "Southern Capital". It was only from this period that Seoul became a larger settlement.Joseon replaced Goryeo, the capital was moved to Seoul (also known as Hanyang or Hanseong), where it remained until the fall of the dynasty. The Gyeongbok Palace, built in the 14th century, served as the royal residence until 1592. The other large palace, Changdeokgung, constructed in 1405, served as the main royal palace from 1611 to 1872.Joseon changed its name to the Korean Empire in 1897, Hwangseong also designated Seoul.

Originally, the city was entirely surrounded by a massive circular stone wall to provide its citizens security from wild animals, thieves and attacks. The city has grown beyond those walls and although the wall no longer stands (except along Bugaksan Mountain (Korean: 북악산; Hanja: 北岳山), north of the downtown areaNamdaemun) and Heunginjimun (commonly known as Dongdaemun).Joseon dynasty, the gates were opened and closed each day, accompanied by the ringing of large bells at the Bosingak belfry.East Asia to introduce electricity in the royal palace, built by the Edison Illuminating Company

Much of the development was due to trade with foreign countries like France and the United States. For example, the Seoul Electric Company, Seoul Electric Trolley Company, and Seoul Fresh Spring Water Company were all joint Korean–U.S. owned enterprises.

After the annexation treaty in 1910, Japan annexed Korea and renamed the city Gyeongseong ("Kyongsong" in Korean and "Keijo" in Japanese). Japanese technology was imported, the city walls were removed, some of the gates demolished. Roads became paved and Western-style buildings were constructed. The city was liberated by U.S. forces at the end of World War II.

During the Korean War, Seoul changed hands between the Soviet/Chinese-backed North Korean forces and the American-backed South Korean forces several times, leaving the city heavily damaged after the war. The capital was temporarily relocated to Busan.

Following the war, Seoul began to focus on reconstruction and modernization. As South Korea"s economy started to grow rapidly from the 1960s, urbanization also accelerated and workers began to move to Seoul and other larger cities.

South Korea"s 2019 population was estimated at 51.71 million, and according to the 2018 Population and Housing Census, 49.8% of the population resided in the Seoul metropolitan area. This was up by 0.7% from 49.1% in 2010, showing a distinct trend toward the concentration of the population in the capital.Fortune Global 500 companies, including Samsung, SK Holdings, Hyundai, POSCO and LG Group headquartered there.

On 29 October 2022, at least 153 people were crushed to death when a crowd surged in an alleyway during Halloween festivities in Seoul"s Itaewon district. President Yoon declared a state of official national mourning.

Seoul is in the northwest of South Korea. Seoul proper comprises 605.25 km2 (233.69 sq mi),Han River. The Han River and its surrounding area played an important role in Korean history. The Three Kingdoms of Korea strove to take control of this land, where the river was used as a trade route to China (via the Yellow Sea).estuary is located at the borders of the two Koreas, with civilian entry barred. Historically, the city was during the Joseon dynasty bounded by the Seoul Fortress Wall, which stretched between the four main mountains in central Seoul: Bugaksan, Inwangsan, Naksan and Namsan. The city is bordered by eight mountains, as well as the more level lands of the Han River plain and western areas. Due to its geography and to economic development policies, Seoul is a very polycentric city. The area that was the old capital in the Joseon dynasty, and mostly comprises Jongno District and Jung District, constitutes the historical and political center of the city. However, for example, the city"s financial capital is widely considered to be in Yeouido, while its economic capital is Gangnam District.

Seoul has a humid continental climate influenced by the monsoons (Köppen: Dwa). Being in the extreme East Asia, the climate can be described as humid subtropical (Cwa, by -3 °C isotherm) with great variation in temperature and precipitation throughout the year.urban heat island effect.East Asian monsoon taking place from June until September. August, the hottest month, has average high and low temperatures of 32.6 and 23.4 °C (91 and 74 °F) with higher temperatures possible. Heat index values can surpass 40 °C (104.0 °F) at the height of summer.

Winters are usually cold to freezing with average January high and low temperatures of 1.5 and −5.9 °C (34.7 and 21.4 °F), and are generally much drier than summers, with an average of 24.9 days of snow annually. Sometimes, temperatures drop dramatically to below −10 °C (14 °F), and on some occasions as low as −15 °C (5 °F) in the mid winter period of January and February. Temperatures below −20 °C (−4 °F) have been recorded.

GoodAccording to the Environmental Performance Index 2016, South Korea ranked 173rd out of 180 countries in terms of air quality. More than 50 percent of the populations in South Korea are exposed to dangerous levels of fine dust.

Air pollution is a major issue in Seoul.World Health Organization Global Urban Ambient Air Pollution Database,PM2.5 concentration in 2014 was 24 micrograms per cubic meter (1.0×10−5 gr/cu ft), which is 2.4 times higher than that recommended by the WHO Air Quality GuidelinesSeoul Metropolitan Government monitors and publicly shares real-time air quality data.

Since the early 1960s, the Ministry of Environment has implemented a range of policies and air pollutant standards to improve and manage air quality for its people.PM10 and nitrogen dioxide by reducing emissions.3 in 2001 to 44.4 μg/m3 in 20113 in 2014.ozone to its list of managed pollutants.

Besides air quality, greenhouse gas emissions represent hot issues in South Korea since the country is among top-10 strongest emitters in the world. Seoul is the strongest hotspot of greenhouse gas emissions in the country and according to satellite data, the persistent carbon dioxide anomaly over the city is one of the strongest in the world.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government is the local government for Seoul, and is responsible for the administration and provision of various services to the city, including correctional institutions, education, libraries, public safety, recreational facilities, sanitation, water supply, and welfare services. It is headed by a mayor and three vice mayors, and is divided into 25 autonomous districts and 522 administrative neighborhoods.

Seoul is divided into 25 gu (Korean: 구; Hanja: 區) (district).gu vary greatly in area (from 10 to 47 km2 or 3.9 to 18.1 sq mi) and population (from fewer than 140,000 to 630,000). Songpa has the most people, while Seocho has the largest area. The government of each gu handles many of the functions that are handled by city governments in other jurisdictions. Each gu is divided into "동; 洞) or neighborhoods. Some gu have only a few dong while others like Jongno District have a very large number of distinct neighborhoods. Gu of Seoul consist of 423 administrative dongs (행정동) in total.Dong are also sub-divided into 13,787 tong (통; 統), which are further divided into 102,796 ban in total.

Seoul proper is noted for its population density, which is almost twice that of New York City and eight times greater than Rome. Its metropolitan area was the most densely populated among OECD countries in Asia in 2012, and second worldwide after that of Paris.

As of 2016, the number of foreigners living in Seoul was 404,037, 22.9% of the total foreign population in South Korea.Chinese citizens of Korean ancestry. This was an 8.84% increase from the end of 2010 and a 12.85% increase from June 2010. The next largest group was Chinese citizens who are not of Korean ethnicity; 29,901 of them resided in Seoul. The next highest group consisted of the 9,999 United States citizens who were not of Korean ancestry. The next highest group were Taiwanese citizens, at 8,717.

The two major religions in Seoul are Christianity and Buddhism. Other religions include Muism (indigenous religion) and Confucianism. Seoul is home to one of the world"s largest Christian congregations, Yoido Full Gospel Church, which has around 830,000 members.

Seoul is the business and financial hub of South Korea. Although it accounts for only 0.6 percent of the nation"s land area, 48.3 percent of South Korea"s bank deposits were held in Seoul in 2003,Worldwide Centers of Commerce Index ranked Seoul No.9.Global Financial Centres Index in 2015 listed Seoul as the 6th financially most competitive city in the world.The Economist Intelligence Unit ranked Seoul 15th in the list of "Overall 2025 City Competitiveness" regarding future competitiveness of cities.

The traditional, labor-intensive manufacturing industries have been continuously replaced by information technology, electronics and assembly-type of industries;Samsung, LG, Hyundai, Kia and SK. Notable food and beverage companies include Jinro, whose soju is the most sold alcoholic drink in the world, beating out Smirnoff vodka;Hite (merged with Jinro) and Oriental Brewery.Seoul Dairy Cooperative, Nongshim Group, Ottogi, CJ, Orion, Maeil Holdings, Namyang Dairy Products and Lotte.

Seoul hosts large concentration of headquarters of International companies and banks, including 15 companies on Fortune 500 list such as Samsung, LG and Hyundai.Korea Exchange are located in Yeouido (Yeoui island),Wall Street" and has been serving as the financial center of the city since the 1980s.

The largest wholesale and retail market in South Korea, the Dongdaemun Market, is located in Seoul.Myeongdong is a shopping and entertainment area in downtown Seoul with mid- to high-end stores, fashion boutiques and international brand outlets.Namdaemun Market, named after the Namdaemun Gate, is the oldest continually running market in Seoul.

Insadong is the cultural art market of Seoul, where traditional and modern Korean artworks, such as paintings, sculptures and calligraphy are sold.Hwanghak-dong Flea Market and Janganpyeong Antique Market also offer antique products.Samcheong-dong, where numerous small art galleries are located. While Itaewon had catered mainly to foreign tourists and American soldiers based in the city, Koreans now comprise the majority of visitors to the area.Gangnam district is one of the most affluent areas in SeoulApgujeong-dong and Cheongdam-dong areas and the COEX Mall. Wholesale markets include Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market and Garak Market.

The Yongsan Electronics Market is the largest electronics market in Asia. Electronics markets are Gangbyeon station metro line 2 Techno mart, ENTER6 MALL & Shindorim station Technomart mall complex.

Korea World Trade Center Complex, which comprises COEX mall, congress center, 3 Inter-continental hotels, Business tower (Asem tower), Residence hotel, Casino and City airport terminal was established in 1988 in time for the Seoul Olympics. The 2nd World trade trade center is being planned at Seoul Olympic stadium complex as MICE HUB by Seoul city. Ex-Kepco head office building was purchased by Hyundai motor group with 9billion USD to build 115-storey Hyundai GBC & hotel complex until 2021. Now ex-kepco 25-storey building is under demolition.

Seoul is among the world leaders in Internet connectivity, being the capital of South Korea, which has the world"s highest fiber-optic broadband penetration and highest global average internet speeds of 26.1 Mbit/s.Wi-Fi access in outdoor spaces through a 47.7 billion won ($44 million) project with Internet access at 10,430 parks, streets and other public places.Gbit/s connections at the equivalent of US$20 per month.KTX high-speed rail and the Seoul Subway, which provides 4G LTE, WiFi and DMB inside subway cars. 5G will be introduced commercially in March 2019 in Seoul.

The traditional heart of Seoul is the old Joseon dynasty city, now the downtown area, where most palaces, government offices, corporate headquarters, hotels, and traditional markets are located. Cheonggyecheon, a stream that runs from west to east through the valley before emptying into the Han River, was for many years covered with concrete, but was recently restored by an urban revival project in 2005.Jongno street, meaning "Bell Street", has been a principal street and one of the earliest commercial streets of the city,Bosingak, a pavilion containing a large bell. The bell signaled the different times of the day and controlled the four major gates to the city. North of downtown is Bukhan Mountain, and to the south is the smaller Namsan. Further south are the old suburbs, Yongsan District and Mapo District. Across the Han River are the newer and wealthier areas of Gangnam District, Seocho District and surrounding neighborhoods.

Seoul has many historical and cultural landmarks. In Amsa-dong Prehistoric Settlement Site, Gangdong District, neolithic remains were excavated and accidentally discovered by a flood in 1925.

Urban and civil planning was a key concept when Seoul was first designed to serve as a capital in the late 14th century. The Joseon dynasty built the "Five Grand Palaces" in Seoul – Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung, Gyeongbokgung and Gyeonghuigung – all of which are located in Jongno and Jung Districts. Among them, Changdeokgung was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997 as an "outstanding example of Far Eastern palace architecture and garden design". The main palace, Gyeongbokgung, underwent a large-scale restoration project.Unhyeongung is known for being the royal residence of Regent Daewongun, the father of Emperor Gojong at the end of the Joseon Dynasty.

Seoul has been surrounded by walls that were built to regulate visitors from other regions and protect the city in case of an invasion. Pungnap Toseong is a flat earthen wall built at the edge of the Han River, which is widely believed to be the site of Wiryeseong. Mongchon Toseong (Korean: 몽촌토성; Hanja: 蒙村土城) is another earthen wall built during the Baekje period that is now located inside the Olympic Park.Fortress Wall of Seoul was built early in the Joseon dynasty for protection of the city. After many centuries of destruction and rebuilding, about 2⁄3 of the wall remains, as well as six of the original eight gates. These gates include Sungnyemun and Heunginjimun, commonly known as Namdaemun (South Great Gate) and Dongdaemun (East Great Gate). Namdaemun was the oldest wooden gate until a 2008 arson attack, and was re-opened after complete restoration in 2013.Namdaemun Market and Dongdaemun Market.

There are also many buildings constructed with international styles in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Independence Gate was built in 1897 to inspire an independent spirit. Seoul Station was opened in 1900 as Gyeongseong Station.

Various high-rise office buildings and residential buildings, like the Gangnam Finance Center, the Tower Palace, Namsan Seoul Tower, and the Lotte World Tower, dominate the city"s skyline. The tallest building is Lotte World Tower, reaching a height of 555m. It opened to the public in April 2017. It is also the 4th highest building in the world.

The World Trade Center Seoul, located in Gangnam District, hosts various expositions and conferences. Also in Gangnam District is the COEX Mall, a large indoor shopping and entertainment complex. Downstream from Gangnam District is Yeouido, an island that is home to the National Assembly, major broadcasting studios, and a number of large office buildings, as well as the Korea Finance Building and the Yoido Full Gospel Church. The Olympic Stadium, Olympic Park, and Lotte World are located in Songpa District, on the south side of the Han River, upstream from Gangnam District. Three new modern landmarks of Seoul are Dongdaemun Design Plaza & Park, designed by Zaha Hadid, the new wave-shaped Seoul City Hall, by Yoo Kerl of iArc, and the Lotte World Tower, the 5th tallest building in the world designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox.

Seoul is home to 115 museums,National Museum of KoreaSouth Korea. Since its establishment in 1945, the museum has built a collection of 220,000 artifacts.

The National Folk Museum is located on the grounds of the Gyeongbokgung Palace in the district of Jongno District and uses replicas of historical objects to illustrate the folk history of the Korean people.National Palace Museum of Korea is also located on the grounds of the Gyeongbokgung Palace. Finally, the Seoul branch of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, whose main museum is located in Gwacheon, opened in 2013, in Sogyeok-dong.

Bukchon Hanok Village and Namsangol Hanok Village are old residential districts consisting of hanok Korean traditional houses, parks, and museums that allows visitors to experience traditional Korean culture.

The War Memorial, one of nine municipal museums in Seoul, offers visitors an educational and emotional experience of various wars in which Korea was involved, including Korean War themes.Seodaemun Prison is a former prison built during the Japanese occupation, and is used as a historic museum.

The Seoul Museum of Art and Ilmin Museum of Art have preserved the appearance of the old building that is visually unique from the neighboring tall, modern buildings. The former is operated by Seoul City Council and sits adjacent to Gyeonghuigung Palace, a Joseon dynasty royal palace. Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art, is widely regarded as one of Seoul"s largest private museum. For many Korean film lovers from all over the world, the Korean Film Archive is running the Korean Film Museum and Cinematheque KOFA in its main center located in Digital Media City(DMC), Sangam-dong. The Tteok & Kitchen Utensil Museum and Kimchi Field Museum provide information regarding Korean culinary history.

There are also religious buildings that take important roles in Korean society and politics. The Wongudan altar was a sacrificial place where Korean rulers held heavenly rituals since the Three Kingdoms period. Since the Joseon dynasty adopted Confucianism as its national ideology in the 14th century, the state built many Confucian shrines. The descendants of the Joseon royal family still continue to hold ceremonies to commemorate ancestors at Jongmyo. It is the oldest royal Confucian shrine preserved and the ritual ceremonies continue a tradition established in the 14th century. Sajikdan, Munmyo and Dongmyo were built during the same period. Although Buddhism was suppressed by the Joseon state, it has continued its existence. Jogyesa is the headquarters of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. Hwagyesa and Bongeunsa are also major Buddhist temples in Seoul.

The Myeongdong Cathedral is a landmark of the Myeongdong, Jung District and the biggest Catholic church in Seoul established in 1883. It is a symbol of Catholicism in Korea. It was also a focus for political dissent in the 1980s. In this way the Roman Catholic Church has a very strong influence in Korean society. And Yakhyeon Catholic Church in Jungnim-dong, Jung District is first Catholic parish in Korea. It has been the first Gothic church ever built in Korea.

There are many Protestant churches in Seoul. The most numerous are Presbyterian, but there are also many Methodist and Baptist churches. Yoido Full Gospel Church is a Pentecostal church affiliated with the Assemblies of God on Yeouido in Seoul. With approximately 830,000 members (2007), it is the largest Pentecostal Christian congregation in the world, which has been recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records.

The St. Nicholas Cathedral, but sometimes called bald church, is the only Byzantine-style church in Seoul. It is located in Ahyeon-dong, Mapo District, and is cathedral of the Orthodox Metropolis of Korea. In 2015, it was designated as a Seoul Future Heritage.

In October 2012, KBS Hall in Seoul hosted major international music festivals – First ABU TV and Radio Song Festivals within frameworks of Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union 49th General Assembly.Hi! Seoul Festival is a seasonal cultural festival held four times a year every spring, summer, autumn, and winter in Seoul, South Korea since 2003. It is based on the "Seoul Citizens" Day" held on every October since 1994 to commemorate the 600 years history of Seoul as the capital of the country. The festival is arranged under the Seoul Metropolitan Government. As of 2012Ultra Music Festival Korea, an annual dance music festival that takes place on the 2nd weekend of June.

Despite the city"s population density, Seoul has a large quantity of parks. One of the most famous parks is Namsan Park, which offers recreational hiking and views of the downtown Seoul skyline. The N Seoul Tower is located at Namsan Park. Seoul Olympic Park, located in Songpa District and built to host the 1988 Summer Olympics is Seoul"s largest park. Among the other largest parks in the city are Seoul Forest, Dream Forest, Children"s Grand Park and Haneul Park. The Wongaksa Pagoda 10 tier pagoda is located In Tapgol Park, a small public park with an area of 19,599 m2 (210,962 sq ft). Areas around streams serve as public places for relaxation and recreation. Tancheon stream and the nearby area serve as a large park with paths for both walkers and cyclists.

Cheonggyecheon, a stream that runs nearly 6 km (4 mi) through downtown Seoul, is popular among both Seoul residents and tourists. In 2017 the Seoullo 7017 Skypark opened, spanning diagonally overtop Seoul Station.

The Seoul National Capital Area also contains a green belt aimed at preventing the city from sprawling out into neighboring Gyeonggi Province. These areas are frequently sought after by people looking to escape from urban life on weekends and during vacations.

There are also various parks under construction or in project, such as the Gyeongui Line Forest Trail, Seoul Station 7017, Seosomun Memorial Park and Yongsan Park.

Seoul is also home to the world"s largest indoor amusement park, Lotte World. Other recreation centers include the former Olympic and World Cup stadiums and the City Hall public lawn.

Seoul is home of the major South Korean networks KBS, SBS, and MBC. The city is also home to the major South Korean newspapers Chosun Ilbo, Donga Ilbo, Joongang Ilbo, and Hankook Ilbo.

In the history of South Korea"s major professional sports league championships, which include the K League, KBO League, KBL, and V-League, Seoul had multiple championship winners during the same season twice; in 1990, when Lucky-Goldstar FC (currently FC Seoul) won the 1990 K League and the LG Twins won the 1990 KBO League, and in 2016, when FC Seoul won the 2016 K League Classic and the Doosan Bears won the 2016 KBO League.

Seoul hosted the 1986 Asian Games, also known as Asiad, 1988 Olympic Games, and Paralympic Games. It also served as one of the host cities of the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Seoul World Cup Stadium hosted the opening ceremony and first game of the tournament.

Taekwondo is South Korea"s national sport and Seoul is the location of the Kukkiwon, the world headquarters of taekwondo, as well as the World Taekwondo Federation.

Seoul has a well developed transportation network. Its system dates back to the era of the Korean Empire, when the first streetcar lines were laid and a railroad linking Seoul and Incheon was completed.Euljiro, Teheranno, Sejongno, Chungmuro, Yulgongno, and Toegyero. There are nine major subway lines stretching for more than 250 km (155 mi), with one additional line planned. As of 2010

Seoul"s bus system is operated by the Seoul Metropolitan Government (S.M.G.), with four primary bus configurations available servicing most of the city. Seoul has many large intercity/express bus terminals. These buses connect Seoul with cities throughout South Korea. The Seoul Express Bus Terminal, Central City Terminal and Seoul Nambu Terminal are located in the district of Seocho District. In addition, East Seoul Bus Terminal in Gwangjin District and Sangbong Terminal in Jungnang District handles traffics mainly from Gangwon and Chungcheong provinces.

Seoul has a comprehensive urban railway network of 21 rapid transit, light metro and commuter lines that interconnects every district of the city and the surrounding areas of Incheon, Gyeonggi province, western Gangwon province, and northern Chungnam province. With more than 8 million passengers per day, the subway is one of the busiest subway systems in the world and the largest in the world, with a total track length of 940 km (580 mi). In addition, in order to cope with the various modes of transport, Seoul"s metropolitan government employs several mathematicians to coordinate the subway, bus, and traffic schedules into one timetable. The various lines are run by Korail, Seoul Metro, NeoTrans Co. Ltd., AREX, and Seoul Metro Line 9 Corporation.

Seoul is connected to every major city in South Korea by rail. Most major South Korean cities are linked via the KTX high-speed train, which has a normal operation speed of more than 300 km/h (186 mph). The Mugunghwa and Saemaeul trains also stop at all major stations. Major railroad stations include:

Gimpo International Airport opened in 1939 as an airfield for the Japanese Imperial Army and opened for civil aircraft in 1957. Since the opening of Incheon International, Gimpo International handles domestic flights along with some short haul international flights to Tokyo Haneda, Osaka Kansai, Taipei Songshan, Shanghai Hongqiao, and Beijing Capital although flights to Osaka Kansai and Beijing Capital also operate from Incheon International.

Incheon International Airport opened in March 2001 in Yeongjong island. It is now responsible for major international flights. Incheon International Airport is Asia"s eighth busiest airport in terms of passengers, the world"s fourth busiest airport by cargo traffic, and the world"s eighth busiest airport in terms of international passengers in 2014. In 2016, 57,765,397 passengers used the airport. Incheon International Airport opened terminal 2 on January 18, 2018.

Incheon and Gimpo are linked to Seoul by expressway, and to each other by the AREX to Seoul Station. Intercity bus services are available to various destinations around the country.

Cycling is becoming increasingly popular in Seoul and in the entire country. Both banks of the Han River have cycling paths that run all the way across the city along the river. In addition, Seoul introduced in 2015 a bicycle-sharing system named Ddareungi (and named Seoul Bike in English).

Seoul is home to the majority of South Korea"s most prestigious universities, including Seoul National University, Yonsei University, Korea University.

Compulsory education lasts from grade 1–9 (six years of elementary school and 3 years of middle school).College Scholastic Ability Test that is held every November. Although there is a test for non-high school graduates, called school qualification exam, most Koreans take the test.

Seoul is home to various specialized schools, including three science high schools, and six foreign language High Schools. Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education comprises 235 College-Preparatory High Schools, 80 Vocational Schools, 377 Middle Schools, and 33 Special Education Schools as of 2009

Seoul is a member of the Asian Network of Major Cities 21 and the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group. In addition, Seoul hosts many embassies of countries it has diplomatic ties with.

Before 1972, Seoul was the de jure capital of the Democratic People"s Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated in Article 103 Archived 14 September 2016 at the Wayback Machine of the 1948 constitution.

"The World According to GaWC 2020". GaWC - Research Network. Globalization and World Cities. Archived from the original on 24 August 2020. Retrieved 26 August 2020.

Yu, Woo-ik; Lee, Chan (6 November 2019). "Seoul". Encyclopædia Britannica. Archived from the original on 9 June 2015. Retrieved 4 July 2020. The city was popularly called Seoul in Korean during both the Chosŏn (Yi) dynasty (1392–1910) and the period of Japanese rule (1910–45), although the official names in those periods were Hansŏng (Hanseong) and Kyŏngsŏng (Gyeongseong), respectively.

Kim, Dong Hoon (22 March 2017). Eclipsed Cinema: The Film Culture of Colonial Korea. ISBN 9781474421829. Archived from the original on 14 July 2022. Retrieved 21 November 2020.

서울특별시표기 首爾로...중국, 곧 정식 사용키로 :: 네이버 뉴스 (in Korean). News.naver.com. 23 October 2005. Archived from the original on 25 January 2016. Retrieved 10 February 2012.

Characters, Good. "Chinese Naming Crisis Danger Opportunity Summer 2006 – Good Characters". goodcharacters.com. Archived from the original on 30 September 2018. Retrieved 18 November 2018.

Nam Moon Hyon. "Early History of Electrical Engineering in Korea: Edison and First Electric Lighting in the Kingdom of Corea" (PDF). Promoting the History of EE Jan 23–26, 2000. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 7 February 2014.

Kyung Moon Hwang (2010). A History of Korea. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 142. ISBN 9780230364523. Archived from the original on 25 January 2016. Retrieved 9 November 2015.

Bruce Cumings (2005). Korea"s Place in the Sun: A Modern History. W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 9780393347531. Archived from the original on 30 September 2022. Retrieved 21 November 2020.

Stephen Hamnett, Dean Forbes, ed. (2012). Planning Asian Cities: Risks and Resilience. Routledge. p. 159. ISBN 9781136639272. Archived from the original on 25 January 2016. Retrieved 9 November 2015.

"Korean Cultural Centre India New Delhi". Korean Cultural Centre India New Delhi. Archived from the original on 20 July 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2021.

Peterson, Adam (31 October 2018), English: Data sources: Köppen types calculated from data from WorldClim.org, archived from the original on 10 October 2020, retrieved 9 June 2019

Lee, Sang-Hyun; Baik, Jong-Jin (1 March 2010). "Statistical and dynamical characteristics of the urban heat island intensity in Seoul". Theoretical and Applied Climatology. 100 (1–2): 227–237. Bibcode:2010ThApC.100..227L. doi:10.1007/s00704-009-0247-1. S2CID 120641921. Archived from the original on 10 October 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2018.

"Climatological Normals of Korea (1991 ~ 2020)" (PDF) (in Korean). Korea Meteorological Administration. pp. II-27, II-28, II-465. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 January 2022. Retrieved 31 January 2022.

"Climatological Normals of Korea" (PDF). Korea Meteorological Administration. 2011. p. 499 and 649. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 December 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2016.

"South Korea near bottom of world survey of air quality". The Korea Herald. 16 May 2016. Archived from the original on 2 April 2017. Retrieved 4 May 2017. South Korea ranked 173rd out of 180 countries in terms of air quality, the Environmental Performance Index 2016 rankings showed Monday. ... A report said that 1.3 billion people exposed to poor air quality lived in East Asian countries, with more than 50 percent of the populations in South Korea and China exposed to dangerous levels of fine dust.

Lee, Hyun-jeong. "Korea Wrestles with Growing Health Threat from Fined Dust" Archived 9 April 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Korea Herald. 23 March 2015. Retrieved 8 April 2017.

Global Urban Ambient Air Pollution Database. Archived 19 April 2019 at the Wayback Machine World Health Organization. May 2016. Retrieved 8 April 2017.

Yu-Jin Choi; Woon-Soo Kim (25 June 2015). "Changes in Seoul"s Air Quality Control Policy". Seoul Solution. Archived from the original on 6 September 2017. Retrieved 12 April 2017.

1st Seoul Metropolitan Air Quality Improvement Plan. Archived 27 April 2017 at the Wayback Machine Ministry of Environment, Republic of Korea. Retrieved 21 April 2017.

Kim, Honghyok; Kim, Hyomi; Lee, Jong-Tae (2015). "Effects of ambient air particles on mortality in Seoul: Have the effects changed over time?". Environmental Research. 140: 684–690. Bibcode:2015ER....140..684K. doi:10.1016/j.envres.2015.05.029. PMID 26079317.

2nd Seoul Metropolitan Air Quality Improvement Plan. Archived 26 April 2017 at the Wayback Machine Ministry of Environment, Republic of Korea. Retrieved 21 April 2017.

Labzovskii, Lev; Jeong, Su-Jong; Parazoo, Nicholas C. (2019). "Working towards confident spaceborne monitoring of carbon emissions from cities using Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2". Remote Sensing of Environment. 233. 111359. Bibcode:2019RSEnv.233k1359L. doi:10.1016/j.rse.2019.111359. S2CID 202176909.

"Seoul"s Population Drops Below 10 Million for First Time in 25 Years". Chosun Ilbo. 14 February 2014. Archived from the original on 4 March 2014. Retrieved 16 February 2014.

"1.76 million foreigners live in South Korea; 3.4% of population". 17 November 2017. Archived from the original on 21 December 2017. Retrieved 20 December 2017.

"South Korean mega-churches. For God and country". Economist. 15 October 2011. Archived from the original on 15 January 2018. Retrieved 11 February 2014.

"2015 Census – Religion Results" (in Korean). KOSIS KOrean Statistical Information Service. Archived from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 10 March 2021.

Yim, Seok-hui. "Geographical Features of Social Polarization in Seoul, South Korea" (PDF). In Mizuuchi, Toshio (ed.). Representing Local Places and Raising Voices from Below. Osaka City University. p. 34. Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 April 2016. Retrieved 19 April 2016.

"It"s official: Jinro soju is the world"s best-selling liquor". CNNTravel. 12 June 2012. Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2013.

"Largest Permanent 35mm Cinema Screen". Guinnessworldrecords.com. 18 August 2009. Archived from the original on 16 January 2013. Retrieved 7 August 2013.

"KOREA: Future is now for Korean info-tech". AsiaMedia. Regents of the University of California. 14 June 2005. Archived from the original on 16 December 2008.

"Tech capitals of the world – Technology". The Age. Melbourne, Australia. 18 June 2007. Archived from the original on 12 September 2009. Retrieved 18 June 2009.

akamai"s [state of the internet] Q4 2016 report (PDF) (Report). Akamai Technologies. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 May 2018. Retrieved 18 December 2017.

Vinayak Bharne, ed. (2013). The Emerging Asian City: Concomitant Urbanities and Urbanisms. Routledge. p. 59. ISBN 9780415525978. Archived from the original on 25 January 2016. Retrieved 9 November 2015.

"Sungnyemun to open to great fanfare after more than five years of renovation". The Korea Herald. 30 April 2013. Archived from the original on 30 April 2013. Retrieved 1 May 2013.

"Sister & Friendship Cities -". Official Website of the Seoul Metropolitan Government. Archived from the original on 30 September 2022. Retrieved 30 September 2022.

"Exchange Cities of Seoul Metropolitan Council". Seoul Metropolitan Council. Archived from the original on 7 September 2022. Retrieved 7 September 2022.

The export-oriented policies of South Korea are one of the most important factors of its economic success. The country is the world"s seventh largest exporter of goods and the ninth largest importer (World Trade Organisation, 2021). In 2020 trade represented almost 70.1% of its GDP (World Bank, 2022). The country exports mainly Electrical and electronic equipment (31% of total exports in 2021), machinery, nuclear reactors, boilers (13%), vehicles other than railway, tramway (11%), plastics (6.2%), Mineral fuels, oils, distillation products (5%) and optical, photo, technical, medical apparatus (3.9%). Its main imports are Electrical and electronic equipment (20%), Mineral fuels, oils, distillation products (19%), machinery, nuclear reactors, boilers (12%), optical, photo, technical, medical apparatus (4.1%), vehicles other than railway, tramway (3.9%) and iron ores slag and ash (3.4%). The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is forecasting a rebound of 9,2% in the volume of exports of goods and services of this country in 2022, after an increse of 10.5% in 2021 and 0,9% in 2020 due to the COVID pandemic, and an increase of 2.2% of its imports, after a fall of 0.8% in 2020 and 0% in 2021 (IMF Country Report, 2021).

South Korea is heavily integrated into international trade and finance and is subsequently highly vulnerable to external influences, especially from China, which is its main trade partner (27% of total exports in 2021), followed by United States (15%), Vietnam (9.8%), Hong Kong (6.2%) and Japan (5.1%). Its main suppliers are China (24%), United States (13%), Japan (10%), Germany (4.6%) and Vietnam with 4.2% (Comtrade, 2021). South Korea has concluded free-trade agreements with many countries (the last one with five Central American countries) representing more than 70% of the global economy. The country is still considering joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which was signed by 11 Asia-Pacific countries in March 2018. On the 15th of November 2020 South Korea has signed the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) with 14 other Indo-Pacific countries. This free trade agreement is the largest trade deal in history, covering 30 per cent of the global economy. It includes the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN : Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam) and ASEAN’s free trade agreement partners (Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand and Republic of Korea). The RCEP covers goods, services, investment, economic and technical cooperation. It also creates new rules for electronic commerce, intellectual property, government procurement, competition, and small and medium sized enterprises.

According to WTO, exports of goods amounted to USD 512.49 billion in 2020, while imports amounted to USD 467.63 billion. Exports of services amounted to USD 86.14 billion, while imports amounted to USD 101.58 billion. Since February 2012, the country"s trade balance has been in high surplus and is expected to remain so in the coming years. According to WTO, trade surplus including services amounted to USD 29.42 billion in 2020.

South Korea is a member of the following international economic organisations: IMF, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), OECD, G-20, Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) (dialogue partner), ICC, WTO, among others. For the full list of economic and other international organisations in which participates South Korea click here. International organisation membership of South Korea is also outlined here.

South Korea is a member of Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) signed on 15 November 2020. The complete and up-to-date list of Free Trade Agreements signed by South Korea can be consulted here.

This invention is directed to apparatus and methods for aligning wellbore tubulars; and to power tongs used in making and breaking joints of tubular members such as wellbore casing and tubing; to parts thereof; including, but not limited to gripping elements, and methods of their use.

During the drilling of oil and gas wells and the production of materials therefrom, various operations require the connection and disconnection of successive lengths of threaded tubulars such as pipe, casing, or tubing. Tools known as tongs are used to "make" and "break" such connections. Certain known power tongs have a body, a rotary rotatably mounted in said body and at least one active jaw which, on rotation of the rotary is cammed against a pipe in the rotary and grips it for rotation with the rotary. In known arrangements the camming action is generated by a cam member which is bolted to the rotary and is shaped so that the active jaw is cammed against the pipe on rotation of the rotary relative to the active jaw in one sense and will be released on rotation of the rotary relative to the active jaw in the opposite sense.

With known tongs high torques are applied to tubulars due to combinations of factors such as thread sealing requirements, the presence of corrosion, the existence of distortion, and pipe size and weight. Both in the "make" direction of rotation when a shoulder is suddenly encountered, and in the "break" direction at initial engagement of the tong and disengagement of the threads high shock forces may arise; e.g., with a power-driven tong, in excess of 50,000 foot-pounds of torque may be exerted, while relatively small die elements on jaws of the tong engage the pipe with extremely high force loadings. Slippage occurs and pipe surfaces become marred, marked, indented, or otherwise damaged.

Dies for gripping jaws have been provided with multiple serrations, or penetration features, to provide the interference contact at the joint surface. Grip element penetration into the joint surface is limited and controlled. The distribution and balance of grip element energizing forces are critical factors in the design, development and evaluation of such tong mechanisms. Linkages, levers, wedges, and cams are used to balance force components. Grip elements, or dies, are accurately disposed within carrier bodies, or jaws, which span a circumferential segment of the joint surface.

Uneven die loading can cause excessive indentation, marring or damage to a tubular surface. Drag or braking devices are used in certain tongs to effect proper biting of the dies relative to the pipe. The head or other member supporting the dies is frictionally restrained to insure that the dies do not simply rotate with the rotary as the rotary is driven.

Other tongs use an endless belt, chain or flexible material loop for gripping a tubular. Such tongs are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,799,010; 3,906,820; 3,892,140; 4,079,640; 4,099,479; and 4,212,212. There are a variety of problems associated with certain of these tongs:

Endless chain is changed to accommodate tubulars of different size or apparatus is provided to maintain tubulars on a centered position for torque monitoring.

Slippage (which can cause galling and other damage to tubulars) occurs if the gripping element (belt, chain, etc.) loading mechanism does not maintain an adequate pre-load force on the tubular.

Jaw/die tongs and the belt/chain tongs are used with relatively hard and rigid metal tubulars such as casing and tubing. If these tongs are used with thick tubulars or tubulars made from relatively "softer" metals or from premium metals such as high alloy steels or low carbon steels or tubulars made from non-metal materials such as fiber glass, they often literally chew up the tubular. The use of strap wrenches is inadequate since the torque applied with such wrenches cannot be precisely controlled.

Certain tubulars are treated with a rust or corrosion resistant material or coating. If the coating is indented, gouged, or broken, its protective purpose is defeated. Producing enough force in a tong to join such tubulars while not injuring a protective coating presents a dilemma.

The present invention, in certain embodiments, discloses a power tong for joining tubulars so that marking of, indentation of, and surface injury to tubulars are reduced or eliminated. In one aspect a power tong is provided and a method of its use for handling tubulars coated with a corrosion-resistant material which should not be broken or penetrated. In one embodiment such a tong has one or more gripping jaws with gripping elements made of aluminum alloys, zinc, zinc alloys, aluminum, brass, bronze, cermet, plastic, fiberglass, metal alloys, or a combination thereof which present a smooth face (straight or curved) to a tubular without any teeth, pointed projections, or toothed dies. In one aspect the gripping elements are releasably connected directly to jaws. In another aspect the gripping elements are releasably connected to a jacket or holder which itself is releasably connected to a jaw.

In certain aspects to achieve desired gripping forces, the gripping elements are relatively long longitudinally and the jaws are correspondingly enlarged or appropriate extension apparatus is connected thereto. With certain gripping elements the surface for contacting the tubular is flat; with other elements the surface is radiused to correspond to the curve of an outer tubular surface of a tubular to be rotated.

In order to effectively grip a tubular with gripping elements without teeth, points, or projections so that slippage is prevented, a larger normal force between the jaw and the tubular is needed to maintain gripping-element pipe contact. Pre-loading of jaws with one or more of these gripping elements is achieved, in certain embodiments of this invention, with a pre-load cylinder connected between a fixed gripping jaw and a movable gripping jaw. The cylinder applies a continuous pre-load force on the movable jaw which is not concentrated enough to injure the tubular but is large enough to develop sufficient friction to prevent slippage. In one aspect the force applied by the cylinder is controllable and is adjustable as desired. In one aspect two pre-load cylinders are used, each connected to a different fixed jaw and one at each end of a movable jaw, so that no cylinder movement is required to change modes, e.g. from make-up to breakout. In one aspect one cylinder is used which can be switched from one end of a movable jaw to the other to switch modes of operation.

In one aspect the cylinder(s) are powered by a small air-driven hydraulic pump with an hydraulic fluid reservoir mounted on a plate on the movable or fixed jaw. Air is supplied to activate a motor of the pump and the pump then provides hydraulic fluid to move a piston of the hydraulic cylinder(s). The motion of the cylinder moves the movable jaw on its roller to travel to a pre-load position on the cam. The cylinder applies pressure until the hydraulic pressure is released. A hydraulic fluid accumulator and a valve may be used to maintain hydraulic pressure at all times so that the cylinder(s) continuously maintain the desired load on the jaw until the air supply to the pump is removed.

In another aspect the cylinders are connected to a rotary of the tong or to any other member that rotates with the rotary rather than to a fixed jaw. Such a pre-load system may, according to this invention, be used with any tong including a tong that does use toothed dies.

In one embodiment the present invention discloses a gripping arrangement for a tong with a sheet of grit which is preferably bonded to a carrier plate. In another embodiment the gripping arrangement comprises a layer of flexible material having a smooth flat surface or a surface with ridges and valleys, for example in the fashion of the surface of a file. The flexible material, in one aspect, is metal, for example sheet aluminum, zinc, brass, bronze, zinc alloy, aluminum alloy, stainless steel, or steel having a thickness of about 1.5 mm. The layer of flexible material may be used in conjunction with a carrier plate or on its own. In a further embodiment the gripping arrangement may comprise a layer of perforate material one of both surfaces of which are preferably coated with grit to facilitate adhesion. The layer will typically be formed from metal having a thickness of about 1.5 mm. The layer may be used in conjunction with a carrier plate or used on its own. In yet another embodiment the gripping arrangement may comprise a layer of expanded mesh, e.g. metal mesh, which has been flattened. One or both surfaces of the expanded mesh may be coated with grit and the layer may be used in conjunction with a carrier plate or used on its own. The grit may comprise, for example, diamond dust, particles of silicon, zircon, tungsten carbide and mixtures thereof. The gripping arrangement may comprise end plates which are attached to the carrier plate. Preferably, the carrier plate is provided with side flanges for insertion into a jaw holder. The present invention also provides a jaw assembly fitted with a gripping arrangement in accordance with the present invention. Preferably, the jaw assembly includes a jaw holder having an arcuate recess which accommodates an arcuate pad of resilient elastomeric material which supports said gripping arrangement. Advantageously, at least one shim is provided which is disposed between said arcuate pad of resilient elastomeric material and said gripping arrangement. The shim will be flexible and generally from 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm thick and made from sheet metal. The present invention also provides a tong fitted with at least two such jaw.

In one embodiment the present invention discloses an apparatus for aligning tubulars and includes a guide on one of a power tong and a backup tong. In one embodiment the apparatus has a socket centralizer mounted on said one of said power tong and said backup tong. In one aspect, said one of said power tong and said backup tong is said power tong. In another embodiment, the apparatus includes a power tong and a backup tong, and the guide is mounted on the power tong and apparatus is provided to maintain the power tong and the backup tong in a certain juxtaposition during a stabbing operation. Preferably, said apparatus includes locating rods on one of the power tong and the backup tong and blocks shaped to receive at least the ends of the locating rods on the other of the power tong and the backup tong. Advantageously, the backup tong is provided with at least two prismatic jaw assemblies to locate the backup tong in fixed juxtaposition with respect to a tubular being gripped.

The present invention, in one aspect, provides a jaw unit for use in a tong, which jaw unit comprises a jaw holder and a jaw movable with respect to said jaw holder, characterized in that said jaw is slidably mounted on said jaw holder. Preferably, said jaw is slidable with respect to said jaw holder about an arcuate path. Advantageously, said jaw has a gripping surface which is substantially arcuate for gripping the surface of a tubular and the center of curvature of such arcuate path lies between the center of curvature of said grip ping surface and said arcuate path. The gripping surface may be a continuous surface or defined by several spaced apart gripping elements. Preferably, the center of curvature of said arcuate path lies between the center of curvature of said grip ping surface and said gripping surface. Advantageously, the center of curvature of said arcuate path is substantially midway between the center of curvature of said gripping surface and said gripping surface. Preferably, one of said jaw and said jaw holder is provided with an arcuate track which defines said arcuate path, and the other of said jaw and said jaw holder is slidably mounted in said arcuate track.

The present invention also provides a jaw assembly comprising two jaw units in accordance with the present invention. Preferably, said jaw units are mounted for pivotal movement about a common pivot shaft. Advantageously, said jaw assembly includes means which bias said jaw units apart. The present invention also provides a rotary fitted with a jaw unit in accordance with the present invention, a rotary fitted with a jaw assembly in accordance with the present invention, and a tong fitted with a rotary in accordance with the present invention.

Traditionally, a rotary is made from three separate pieces, i.e. a top section, a bottom section and a peripheral wall. Each section has to be carefully made and machined to ensure that all three sections can be bolted together. This involves considerable skilled work and consequently a rotary is a relatively expensive item. In order to help overcome this the present invention provides a rotary formed as a one piece casting.

One of the features of existing tongs is that their rotaries are difficult to furnish. Thus, routine maintenance usually involves dismantling the whole rotary, checking the parts and reassembling the whole. While this is a straightforward procedure in the clean conditions of a workshop it can be problematic when carried out in a muddy field, in sand or in snow. The present invention aims to help solve this problem and provides a rotary which comprises a top section, a bottom section, and a peripheral wall therebetween, characterized in that at least one of said top section and said bottom section is provided with an elongate slot which, when said rotary is in use, accommodates a pivot shaft on which a jaw assembly can be pivotally mounted.

Jaw holders and jaws for tongs are traditionally machined from a solid piece. This is a comparatively expensive procedure. The present invention proposes to make such parts from a stack of individually cut laminations.

In one aspect, the laminations are cut with a laser from sheet steel. The stack of laminations is then, for many purposes, welded together along their sides and/or bolted together and/or glued together. Mass produced laminations are relatively inexpensive and an acceptable final product is produced at a fraction of the cost of a product machined from the whole.

Such methods and devices including a power tong with at least one jaw with at least one tubular gripping element having a smooth gripping surface (flat or curved) and, in one aspect, such an element which is flexible;

Such methods and devices including apparatus to apply a pre-load to a gripping element carrier or jaw so the gripping element will adequately grip the tubular without slipping on it or damaging it; and

Such methods and devices wherein a single pre-load apparatus is movable to provide a pre-load on multiple jaws or gripping elements; or each such jaw or gripping element has its own pre-load apparatus;

Certain embodiments of this invention are not limited to any particular individual feature disclosed here, but include combinations of them distinguished from the prior art in their structures and functions. Features of the invention have been broadly described so that the detailed descriptions that follow may be better understood, and in order