a submersible pump housing with seal bleed ports is provided . in an implementation , a pump housing for electric submersible pumps , such as a centrifugal esp , has end seals that are located inside or further inboard toward the high thrust pressure generated by the pump , than the threaded ends of the pump housing . the inboard seals contain and seal off the pump pressure and spare the threaded regions that are more pressure - vulnerable from the pump &# 39 ; s high pressure interior , thereby increasing the pressure rating of the entire housing . leak ports or bleed ports are provided further outboard of the end seals to relieve fluid seeping from inside the submersible pump housing past each end seal . a plate may be added to direct small amounts of fluid escaping from the end seals away from the wellbore casing in which an esp is situated .