Interchangeable coiled tubing support block and method of use

A drive wheel assembly for use in a wheel-type coiled tubing injector, said wheel assembly comprising:

• (a) a drive wheel having a rim, the rim having an annular groove;
• (b) plurality of carrier blocks having a semicylindrical groove running along a length of an upper side of the carrier block and a stepped flat on an opposed lower side, wherein the stepped flat mates with the groove of the rim of the drive wheel;
• (c) plurality of insert blocks, wherein each insert block has a first semicylindrical side nestable into the semicylindrical groove of a corresponding carrier block and an opposed side with an arcuate surface for supporting a portion of coiled tubing in contact therewith;
• and
• (d) selectably operable retention means for structurally securing the insert blocks nested into the corresponding carrier blocks.

A drive wheel assembly for use in a wheel-type coiled tubing injector comprising:

• (a) a drive wheel having a concentric axis of rotation and a rim having an annular groove;
• (b) a carrier block having a stepped flat on a lower side, the stepped flat mates with the groove of the rim of the drive wheel, and an upper side comprising a semicylindrical groove along a length of the upper side, said semicylindrical groove has a transverse shouldering groove approximately midway along the length of the upper side of the carrier block, wherein multiple carrier blocks form a continuous array around the circumference of the rim;
• (c) an insert block having a semicylindrical exterior that mates with the semicylindrical groove of the carrier block, said semicylindrical exterior having a central upset portion that fits into the shouldering groove of the carrier block, and an arcuate interior for supporting a portion of a coiled tubing, wherein the radius of the arcuate interior is selected to correspond to the radius of the coiled tubing to be supported by the arcuate interior;
• and
• (d) an attachment element for reversibly attaching the insert block to the carrier block.

A method for replacing the coiled tubing contact surface of a drive wheel assembly for use in a wheel-type coiled tubing injector comprising the steps:

• (a) determining the radius of a coiled tubing to be injected or withdrawn from a well by a coiled tubing injector having a drive wheel assembly comprising
• (i) a drive wheel having a rim, the rim having an annular groove,
• (ii) plurality of carrier blocks having a semicylindrical groove running along a length of an upper side of the carrier block and a stepped flat on an opposed lower side, wherein the stepped flat mates with the groove of the rim of the drive wheel,
• (iii) plurality of removable insert blocks, wherein each insert block has a first semicylindrical side nestable into the semicylindrical groove of a corresponding carrier block and an opposed side with an arcuate surface for supporting a portion of the coiled tubing in contact therewith, and
• (iv) a selectably operable attachment element for securing the insert block to the carrier block;
• (b) releasing an original set of insert blocks from the carrier blocks, wherein the carrier blocks form a continuous array around the exterior circumference of the rim of the drive wheel;
• (c) removing the original set of insert blocks from the array of carrier blocks;
• (d) selecting a second set of insert blocks, wherein the arcuate surface of the second set of insert blocks has a radius substantially equal to the radius of the coiled tubing to be injected;
• (e) inserting the second set of insert blocks into the array of carrier blocks;
• and
• (f) securing the second set of insert blocks to the carrier blocks with the attachment element.