Snub friendly wellhead hanger

A system comprising:

• a wellhead housing;
• a tubing hanger positioned at a location in an axial bore of the wellhead housing;
• a snubbing unit coupled to the wellhead housing to allow the tubing hanger to be snubbed into the wellhead housing to the location in the axial bore from the snubbing unit, wherein the wellhead housing and the tubing hanger are sized such that an annular gap between an exterior of the tubing hanger and an interior surface of the wellhead housing allows fluid in the axial bore to pass along the exterior of the tubing hanger through the annular gap as the tubing hanger is snubbed into the wellhead housing;
• and
• a gripping device that, when engaged, applies a radially inward compression force that elastically deforms the wellhead housing inward so as to apply a radial load to the tubing hanger that securely holds the tubing hanger at the location in the axial bore.

A system comprising:

• a wellhead housing;
• a tubing hanger positioned at a location in an axial bore of the wellhead housing;
• a snubbing unit coupled to the wellhead housing to allow the tubing hanger to be snubbed into the wellhead housing to the location in the axial bore from the snubbing unit, wherein the wellhead housing and the tubing hanger are sized such that an annular gap between an exterior of the tubing hanger and an interior surface of the wellhead housing allows fluid in the axial bore to pass along the exterior of the tubing hanger through the annular gap as the tubing hanger is snubbed into the wellhead housing;
• and
• a clamp encircling the wellhead housing and the tubing hanger positioned at the location in the axial bore, wherein the clamp is arranged to elastically deform the wellhead housing from a first state that allows the tubing hanger to be snubbed into the wellhead housing to the location in the axial bore without interference from the wellhead housing to a second state in which the wellhead housing grips the tubing hanger in an interference fit that securely holds the tubing hanger at the location in the axial bore.