Communicating with devices positioned outside a liner in a wellbore

Abstract

A downhole string includes a liner and devices positioned outside the liner. One or more control lines extend from the liner devices along the exterior of the liner to one or more connectors that provide connection points inside the liner. The one or more connectors may include electrical connectors (e.g., direct contact connectors), inductive connectors (e.g., inductive couplers), optical connectors (e.g., fiber optic connectors), and hydraulic connectors. The one or more control lines may be electrical lines, fiber optic lines, or hydraulic lines. The downhole string may also be used with a cement protector during cementing operations to protect both the inside of the liner as well as the one or more connectors attached to the liner. The cement protector includes a sleeve that isolates cement from the inside of the liner during a cementing operation so that a liner wiper plug is not needed. The cement protector is engageable to a pulling tool that is attached to a running tool. The running tool in turn is connected to a pipe through which a cement slurry can be pumped. The cement slurry pumped through the inner bore of the pipe enters the sleeve of the cement protector. One or more ports are provided in the cement protector sleeve to enable communication of the cement slurry to an annulus region between the outer wall of the liner and the inner wall of the wellbore. If the apparatus and method is used with a casing, then a running tool may be omitted.