Tubular handling device and methods

A tubular handling apparatus, comprising:

• an actuator;
• a running tool comprising an opening at an axial end of the running tool sized to allow entry of at least a tubular section of a tubular into the running tool, and a gripping portion;
• and
• a tubular member elevator coupled with the actuator, the tubular member elevator configured to:
• grasp the tubular;
• and
• orient the tubular relative to the running tool in response to the actuator pivoting the tubular from a first position out of alignment with an axis parallel to a centerline of the running tool to a second position in alignment with the axis,
• wherein the actuator is coupled between the tubular member elevator and the running tool, the actuator being configured to retract to cause the tubular section to move along the axis to enter the running tool, and
• wherein the gripping portion is configured to frictionally engage and grip the tubular section, the tubular section being retained solely in response to a force created by a weight of the tubular section interacting with the running tool sufficient to apply a rotational force to the tubular section to connect the tubular to a tubular string.

A method, comprising:

• gripping, by a running tool, a tubular section comprising a tubular, the tubular section being retained solely in response to a force created by a weight of the tubular interacting with the running tool;
• applying a rotational force to the tubular section, at least one surface of which is engaged with and gripped by a portion of the running tool, to at least partially disconnect the tubular section from a tubular string;
• gripping, by a tubular member elevator coupled with an actuator, a portion of the tubular while the tubular section is gripped by the running tool, the actuator being coupled between the tubular member elevator and the running tool;
• retracting the actuator to cause the tubular member elevator and the tubular section to raise relative to the running tool and separate the tubular section from the tubular string;
• disengaging, in response to the retracting, the engaged and gripped at least one surface of the tubular section from the portion of the running tool;
• and
• orienting the tubular relative to the running tool based on the actuator pivoting the tubular from a first position in alignment with an axis parallel to a centerline of the running tool to a second position out of alignment with the axis.