Pipe drive sealing system and method

A gripping device, comprising:

• a housing including a receptacle, wherein the receptacle includes an axial receptacle face and a receptacle boundary extending from a perimeter of the axial receptacle face;
• an engagement feature coupled with the housing and configured to be actuated to engage an outer circumferential area of a drillpipe element to be positioned within a wellbore when the housing is extending over a distal end of the drillpipe element;
• and
• a seal positioned within an inner boundary of the housing, wherein the seal is arranged to engage with an axial drillpipe face of the distal end of the drillpipe element and the axial receptacle face within the housing relative to a longitudinal axis of the gripping device.

A method of assembling or disassembling a drill string, comprising:

• extending a housing of a gripping device over a distal end of a drillpipe element to be positioned within a wellbore such that a boundary of the housing extending from a perimeter of an axial face of the gripping device surrounds a circumferential area of the drillpipe element;
• pressing a seal between the axial face of the gripping device and an axial face of the drillpipe element relative to a longitudinal axis of the gripping device;
• and
• engaging the circumferential area of the drillpipe element with an engagement feature of the gripping device.