Electrical submersible pump with gas venting system

Abstract

A system and method for receiving hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbon reservoir into a shroud that encapsulates an electrical submersible pump (ESP) system in a wellbore, wherein the hydrocarbons separate within the shroud into gaseous components and liquid components, and flowing via the ESP the liquid components through production tubing and a jet pump to the surface, and drawing by the jet pump the gaseous components into the production tubing towards the surface.

1 . A well tool system comprising:
 an electrical submersible pump (ESP) system comprising:
 an ESP configured to be positioned in a wellbore formed through a surface of Earth into a hydrocarbon reservoir, the ESP configured to receive hydrocarbons that enter the wellbore from the hydrocarbon reservoir and to flow the hydrocarbons through production tubing to the surface from an uphole end of the ESP; and 
 an ESP motor operatively coupled to the ESP to drive the ESP to flow the hydrocarbons through the production tubing to the surface; 
   a shroud configured to encapsulate and fluidically seal the ESP system in the wellbore, wherein an uphole end of the shroud is configured to couple to the production tubing, wherein gaseous components of the hydrocarbons separate from liquid components of the hydrocarbons in the shroud, and wherein the shroud comprises a sealing assembly to form a fluidic seal at the uphole end of the downhole shroud; and   a jet pump configured to be positioned uphole of the ESP along the production tubing to draw the gaseous components into the production tubing towards the surface.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the jet pump is configured to be positioned within the shroud downhole of the uphole end of the shroud, and wherein to draw the gaseous components into the production tubing comprises to draw the gaseous components from within the shroud. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the jet pump is configured to be positioned uphole of the shroud, wherein a top of the shroud comprises ports to leak the gaseous components that accumulate in the shroud to uphole of the shroud, and wherein to draw the gaseous components into the production tubing comprises to draw the gaseous components from uphole of the shroud. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the jet pump is configured to be positioned axially in-line with the production tubing, wherein the jet pump comprises a venturi configured to generate a pressure differential in response to the hydrocarbons comprising the liquid components flowing through the venturi, the pressure differential sufficient to draw the gaseous components into the production tubing towards the surface. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising:
 vent line tubing fluidically coupled to the shroud and the production tubing, the vent line tubing configured to flow the gaseous components from the shroud to the production tubing; and   a valve disposed along the vent line tubing between the shroud and the production tubing to control flow of the gaseous components through the vent line tubing from the shroud to the production tubing in response to pressure in the shroud or in response to volume percentage of gas in the hydrocarbons at an inlet of the ESP, or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the vent line tubing is fluidicially coupled to the jet pump. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising:
 vent line tubing fluidically coupled to the shroud and the jet pump, the vent line tubing configured to flow the gaseous components from the shroud to the jet pump for the jet pump to draw the gaseous components into the production tubing towards the surface; and   a valve disposed along the vent line tubing between the shroud and the production tubing to control flow of the gaseous components through the vent line tubing from the shroud to the jet pump in response to pressure in the shroud or in response to volume percentage of gas in the hydrocarbons at an inlet of the ESP, or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         8 . A method comprising:
 receiving hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbon reservoir into a shroud that encapsulates and fluidically seals an electrical submersible pump (ESP) system, the ESP system comprising an ESP and an ESP motor, wherein the ESP system is positioned in a wellbore that is formed through a surface of Earth into the hydrocarbon reservoir, and wherein the hydrocarbons separate within the shroud into gaseous components and liquid components;   sealing, by a sealing assembly, an uphole end of the shroud;   flowing, via the ESP, the liquid components through production tubing to the surface, wherein the liquid components flow through a jet pump disposed along the production tubing uphole of the ESP; and   drawing, by the jet pump, the gaseous components into the production tubing towards the surface.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the jet pump is positioned axially in-line with the production tubing, and wherein the jet pump comprises a venturi. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , comprising generating a pressure differential in response to the liquid components flowing through the venturi, wherein the pressure differential is sufficient to draw the gaseous components into the production tubing towards the surface. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the jet pump is positioned within the shroud downhole of the uphole end of the shroud, and wherein drawing, by the jet pump, the gaseous components into the production tubing comprises drawing, by the jet pump, the gaseous components from within the shroud. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , comprising leaking the gaseous components that accumulate in the shroud through ports in a top of the shroud into uphole of the shroud, wherein the jet pump is positioned uphole of the shroud, and wherein the jet pump drawing the gaseous components into the production tubing comprises the jet pump drawing the gaseous components from uphole of the shroud. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein drawing, by the jet pump, the gaseous components into the production tubing comprises flowing the gaseous components through vent line tubing from the shroud to the production tubing. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , comprising controlling, via a valve disposed along the vent line tubing, flow of the gaseous components through the vent line tubing in response to pressure in the shroud or in response to volume percentage of gas in the hydrocarbons at an inlet of the ESP, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the vent line tubing is fluidically coupled to the jet pump. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein drawing, by the jet pump, the gaseous components into the production tubing comprises flowing the gaseous components through vent line tubing from the shroud to the jet pump. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , comprising controlling, via a valve disposed along the vent line tubing, flow of the gaseous components through the vent line tubing in response to pressure in the shroud or in response to volume percentage of gas in the hydrocarbons at an inlet of the ESP, or a combination thereof.