Electric submersible pumping system with gas vent

Abstract

A technique is provided for pumping fluids from a wellbore. An electric submersible pumping system is deployed in a wellbore on a tubing. Free gas can potentially accumulate around the electric submersible pumping system, but a gas vent is positioned to remove free gas.

1 . A system, comprising:
 a well completion having:   an electric submersible pumping system suspended in a wellbore by a tubing through which fluid is produced from the electric submersible pumping system;   a power cable to provide power to the electric submersible pumping system; and   a packer having at least three separate pass-through passages to accommodate the tubing, the power cable, and a gas vent valve, respectively, wherein the gas vent valve is positioned to vent gas accumulated beneath the packer.   
   
   
       2 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a secondary tubing coupled to the gas vent valve and extending to a surface location externally of the tubing suspending the electric submersible pumping system. 
   
   
       3 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the gas vent valve vents gas into an annulus surrounding the tubing above the packer. 
   
   
       4 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a subsurface safety valve positioned in the tubing below the packer. 
   
   
       5 . A system, comprising:
 a well completion having:   an electric submersible pumping system suspended in a wellbore by a tubing through which a fluid is produced by the electric submersible pumping system;   a packer through which the tubing extends; and   a gas inlet extending through a side wall of the tubing between the packer and the electric submersible pumping system, the gas inlet comprising a check valve that allows a gas accumulated beneath the packer to flow into the tubing for production with the fluid.   
   
   
       6 . The system as recited in  claim 5 , further comprising a subsurface safety valve positioned in the tubing above the packer. 
   
   
       7 . The system as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the fluid and the gas are produced through the tubing to a surface location. 
   
   
       8 . The system as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the tubing comprises production tubing, and the gas inlet and the check valve are formed in a tubing joint.