Gas dissipation chamber for through tubing conveyed ESP pumping systems

A well pumping apparatus, comprising:

• a production conduit suspended within casing in a well;
• a chamber coupled to a lower end of the conduit, the chamber having an inlet for receiving well fluid from the casing, the chamber having an inner diameter that is greater than an inner diameter of the production conduit;
• an electrical motor assembly coupled to a lower end of the chamber, the electrical motor assembly having an upward extending drive shaft and an outer diameter that is greater than an inner diameter of the chamber;
• a centrifugal pump having an upper end that discharges well fluid into the interior of the production conduit;
• a rotary gas separator that separates gas from liquid in the well fluid, the gas separator being attached to a lower end of the pump and lowered through the conduit into stabbing engagement with the drive shaft of the motor, the gas separator having an intake that receives well fluid from the chamber, a gas outlet that discharges gas separated from the well fluid into the chamber, and a liquid outlet that discharges liquid from the well fluid into the lower end of the pump;
• an annular flow area between the inner diameter of the chamber and an outer diameter of the gas separator for the passage of gas discharged by the separator;
• and
• an outlet in the chamber above the inlet for discharging gas flowing up the annular flow area into the casing.

A method for producing a well, comprising:

• (a) securing a chamber to a production conduit, and suspending the production conduit within casing in a well;
• (b) securing a gas separator to a pump, lowering the gas separator and the pump through the production conduit, and landing the gas separator in the chamber;
• (c) operating the pump to cause well fluid to flow into the chamber and into the gas separator;
• (d) separating gas from liquid in the well fluid with the gas separator;
• (e) discharging gas separated from the well fluid by the gas separator into the chamber, flowing the gas up the chamber alongside the gas separator, and discharging the gas from the chamber into the casing, and
• (f) discharging liquid separated by the gas separator from the well fluid into the pump, pumping the liquid with the pump, and discharging the liquid from the pump into the production conduit.

A method for producing a well, comprising:

• (a) securing a chamber to a production conduit, the chamber having a greater inner diameter than the production conduit, the chamber having a side wall with an inlet near a lower end of the chamber and an outlet near an upper end of the chamber;
• (b) coupling an electrical motor assembly to a lower end of the chamber, the motor assembly having an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of the chamber, and having an upward extending drive shaft;
• then
• (c) lowering and suspending the production conduit within casing in a well;
• then
• (d) securing a rotary gas separator to a centrifugal pump, lowering the gas separator and the pump through the production conduit, and landing the gas separator in the chamber with a drive shaft of the gas separator making a stabbing engagement with the drive shaft of the motor assembly;
• then
• (e) rotating the pump and the gas separator to cause well fluid to flow into the inlet of the chamber and into the gas separator;
• (f) separating gas from liquid in the well fluid with the gas separator, discharging gas separated from the well fluid by the gas separator into the chamber, flowing the gas up the chamber alongside the gas separator, and discharging the gas from the outlet of the chamber into the casing, and
• (g) discharging liquid separated by the separator from the well fluid into the pump, pumping the liquid with the pump, and discharging the liquid from the pump into the production conduit.