Abstract:
A system or method includes providing coupler portions along a structure. The coupler portions are communicatively engageable with equipment in the structure.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     A well can be drilled into a subterranean structure for the purpose of recovering fluids from a reservoir in the subterranean structure. Examples of fluids include hydrocarbons, fresh water, or other fluids. Alternatively, a well can be used for injecting fluids into the subterranean structure. 
     Once a well is drilled, completion equipment can be installed in the well. Examples of completion equipment include a casing or liner to line a wellbore. Also, flow conduits, flow control devices, and other equipment can also be installed to perform production or injection operations. 
     SUMMARY 
     In general, according to some implementations, a system or method includes providing coupler portions along a structure. The coupler portions are communicatively engageable with equipment in the structure. 
     Other or alternative features will become apparent from the following description, from the drawings, and from the claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Some embodiments are described with respect to the following figures: 
         FIGS. 1-5  illustrate example arrangements having coupler portions on a liner structure to allow for communicative engagement with equipment in a well, according to various embodiments; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates an example arrangement including equipment for deploying in a multilateral well, according to some embodiments; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates an example arrangement that includes a tie-back liner having an inductive coupler portion, according to further embodiments; 
         FIG. 8  illustrates an example arrangement in which jumpers are used to communicatively engage with coupler portions on a liner structure, according to further embodiments; 
         FIG. 9  illustrates an example arrangement in which jumpers are used to communicatively engage with coupler portions in an openhole section of a well, according to other embodiments; 
         FIG. 10  illustrates an example arrangement that includes a jumper for connecting coupler portions for lateral branches, according to further embodiments; 
         FIG. 11  illustrates an example arrangement that includes a tubular structure having coupler portions, and a tool in the tubular structure, according to yet further embodiments; and 
         FIG. 12  illustrates another example arrangement according to other embodiments. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As used here, the terms “above” and “below”; “up” and “down”; “upper” and “lower”; “upwardly” and “downwardly”; and other like terms indicating relative positions above or below a given point or element are used in this description to more clearly describe some embodiments of the invention. However, when applied to equipment and methods for use in wells that are deviated or horizontal, such terms may refer to a left to right, right to left, or diagonal relationship as appropriate. 
     Various types of components for use in well operations can employ any one or more of the following types of communications: electrical communications, hydraulic communications, and/or optical communications. Examples of components can include components of drilling equipment for drilling a well into a subterranean structure, or components of completion equipment for completing a well to allow for fluid production and/or injection operations. Examples of completion equipment components that can perform the various types of communications noted above include sensors, flow control devices, pumps, and so forth. 
     The various components can be provided at different points in the well. Due to configurations of equipment used for well operations, it can be challenging to deploy mechanisms for establishing electrical communication, hydraulic communication, and/or optical communication with some components. 
     In accordance with some embodiments, coupler portions can be provided along a well to provide discrete coupling points that can be selectively engaged to equipment for performing electrical communication, hydraulic communication, and/or optical communication. Such coupling points can be considered docking points (or docking stations) for docking or other engagement of a tool that has component(s) that is to communicate (electrically, hydraulically, and/or optically) with other equipment using respective coupler portion(s). In some implementations, the coupler portions can be inductive coupler portions. In further implementations, the coupler portions can include hydraulic coupler portions and/or optical coupler portions. 
     Electrical communication refers to electrical coupling between components to allow for communication of power and/or data between the components. As noted above, one type of electrical coupling is inductive coupling that is accomplished using an inductive coupler. An inductive coupler performs communication using induction. Induction involves transfer of a time-changing electromagnetic signal or power that does not rely upon a closed electrical circuit, but instead performs the transfer wirelessly. For example, if a time-changing current is passed through a coil, then a consequence of the time variation is that an electromagnetic field will be generated in the medium surrounding the coil. If a second coil is placed into that electromagnetic field, then a voltage will be generated on that second coil, which is referred to as the induced voltage. The efficiency of this inductive coupling generally increases as the coils of the inductive coupler are placed closer together. 
     Hydraulic communication between components refers to coupling hydraulic pressure between the components to allow for communication of hydraulic pressure for performing a hydraulic control operation. In some examples, hydraulic coupling can be accomplished by use of hydraulic communication ports in the coupler portions that can be sealingly engaged to allow for transfer of hydraulic fluid between the communication ports to respective hydraulic fluid paths. 
     Optical communication refers to communicating an optical signal between components. To perform optical communication, coupler portions can be provided with lenses and optical signal paths (e.g. optical fibers, optical waveguides, etc.) to communicate optical signals. 
       FIG. 1  schematically illustrates an example arrangement that includes a casing  102  that extends from an earth surface  104 . The casing  102  lines an inner wall of a well  106 . Wellhead equipment  108  is provided at the earth surface  104  above the well  106 . 
     As further depicted in  FIG. 1 , a liner hanger  110  is engaged to an inner wall of the casing  102 . The liner hanger  110  can have an anchoring element to anchor the liner hanger  110  against the inner wall of the casing  102 . A liner  112  is attached to the liner hanger  110 , and the liner  112  extends below the liner hanger  110  into a lower section  114  of the well  106 . The liner  112  lines an inner wall of a corresponding part of the lower well section  114 . An openhole section  116  of the well is provided below the bottom end of the liner  112 . 
     The casing  102  and liner  112  of  FIG. 1  are examples of liner structures, which are structures used to define an inner bore in which equipment can be deployed. In some cases, a liner structure lines an inner wall of a well. Note that there can be other cases in which a liner structure can be deployed concentrically inside another liner structure. 
     In accordance with some embodiments, coupler portions  118 ,  120 , and  122  are provided on the liner  112 . A coupler portion is provided “on” the liner  112  if the coupler portion is attached to or mounted to the liner  112 . 
     In some implementations, the coupler portions  118 ,  120 , and  122  are inductive coupler portions, and more specifically, female inductive coupler portions. Each female inductive coupler portion is to communicatively engage with a corresponding male inductive coupler portion—engagement of the female inductive coupler portion with a male inductive coupler portion forms an inductive coupler to allow for electrical coupling of power and/or data. 
     Instead of or in addition to inductive coupler portions, the coupler portions  114 ,  116 , and  118  can include hydraulic coupler portions and/or optical coupler portions. A hydraulic coupler portion allows for mating hydraulic engagement with another hydraulic coupler portion, such that hydraulic pressure can be communicated through the engaged hydraulic coupler portions. An optical coupler portion allows for communication of optical signals with a corresponding optical coupler portion. 
     More generally, communicative engagement of coupler portions can refer to aligning the coupler portions such that they are in position to communicate with each other, such as electrical communication, hydraulic communication, and/or optical communication. 
       FIG. 1  further shows a control line  124  that is connected to the coupler portions  118 ,  120 , and  122 . If the coupler portions  118 ,  120 , and  122  are inductive coupler portions, then the control line  124  includes an electrical cable, which is used to carry electrical power and/or data. 
     If the coupler portions  118 ,  120 , and  122  include hydraulic coupler portions, then the control line  124  can include a hydraulic control line that contains hydraulic fluids for delivering hydraulic pressure. If the coupler portions  118 ,  120 , and  122  include optical coupler portions, then the control line  124  can include a fiber optic cable. In some implementations, the control line  124  can include multiple ones of an electrical cable, hydraulic control line, and fiber optic cable. 
     In examples according to  FIG. 1 , the control line  124  extends inside the inner bore of the liner  112 . In other examples, the control line  124  can extend outside of the liner  112 , or the control line  124  can be embedded in the wall structure of the liner  112 . 
     Pre-equipping the equipment shown in  FIG. 1  with the coupler portions  118 ,  120 , and  122  allows for subsequently deployed components to establish communication with the coupler portions. Examples of components that can establish communication with the coupler portions include sensors (for sensing well characteristics such as temperature, pressure, fluid flow rate, etc.), control actuators (for actuating other components), and so forth. There is also flexibility in coupling different types of components to the coupler portions  118 ,  120 , and  122 —such flexibility allows different types of well operations to be performed to accomplish different goals. 
       FIG. 2  shows an example arrangement that includes the equipment depicted in  FIG. 1 , as well as additional equipment. The additional equipment includes a tubing string  202  that has a coupler portion  204  at a lower portion of the tubing string  202 , where the coupler portion  204  is for communicative engagement with the coupler portion  118  on the liner  112 . The tubing string has a tubing that defines an inner conduit, which can be used for fluid communication (production of fluids or injection of fluids). 
     In some implementations, the coupler portion  204  on the tubing string  202  includes a male inductive coupler portion for inductive engagement with the female inductive coupler portion  118  once the tubing string  202  is installed in the well. In further implementations, the tubing string coupler portion  204  can include a hydraulic coupler portion and/or an optical coupler portion for communicative engagement with the liner coupler portion  118 . 
     The tubing string  202  further includes a control line  206  that extends from the tubing string coupler portion  204  to earth surface equipment at the earth surface  104 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the control line  206  extends from the tubing string coupler portion  204  along an outer wall of the tubing string  202  through a feedthrough path of the wellhead equipment  108  to a surface control unit  208 . The surface control unit  208  can include devices to perform communication (e.g. electrical communication, hydraulic communication, and/or optical communication) with downhole components through the tubing string coupler portion  204  and liner coupler portions  118 ,  120 , and  122 . For example, the surface control unit  208  can include a computer and/or a power supply. In further examples, the surface control unit  208  can include an optical transceiver and/or hydraulic communication equipment. 
     Note that the control line  206  “extends” to the earth surface  104  if the control line  206  provides communication to the earth surface equipment without having to perform transformation or other type of coupling at any point in the well. For example, an electrical cable extends from a downhole location to the earth surface  104  if the electrical cable provides direct electrical communication from the downhole location (e.g. tubing string coupler portion  204 ) to surface equipment without passing through any intermediate inductive coupler portion or other intermediate device. Similarly, a hydraulic control line or fiber optic cable extends to the earth surface if the hydraulic control line or fiber optic cable is not passed through intermediate devices that perform some type of conversion on the hydraulic pressure or fiber optic signal. 
     Although the male coupler portion  204  is shown as being deployed by the tubing string  202  in  FIG. 2 , note that in other implementations the male coupler portion  204  can be deployed with another type of mechanism, such as a coil tubing, wireline, slickline, and so forth, which provides a control line extending to the earth surface  104 . 
     The equipment shown in  FIG. 2  also includes a tool  210  that has various sensors and/or actuators  214  deployed. The tool  210  has a coupler portion  214  for communicative engagement with the liner coupler portion  122 . As examples, the coupler portion  214  of the tool  210  can include any one or a combination of the following: inductive coupler portion, hydraulic coupler portion, optical coupler portion. 
     In examples according to  FIG. 2 , the tool  210  also includes a tubing section  216 , which defines an inner bore through which fluid can pass. In other examples, the tool  210  can be configured without the tubing section  216 . Communication with the sensors and/or actuators  212  of the tool  210  is accomplished using the control line  124  and the coupler portions  122  and  214 . For example, power can be delivered from the surface control unit  208  down the control line  206  and through the coupler portions  204  and  118  to the control line  124 . This power is then passed from the control line  124  through the coupler portions  214  and  122  to the sensors and/or actuators  212 . Data (either data from the surface control unit  208  to the sensors/actuators  212 , or data from the sensors/actuators  212  to the surface control unit  208 ) can pass through the same path. Hydraulic communication and/or optical communication would also pass through the same path between the surface control unit  208  and the sensors/actuators  212 . 
     Sensors of the tool  210  can be used to sense various characteristics, such as temperature, pressure, fluid flow rate, and so forth. Actuators of the tool  210  can be commanded (by sending commands to the actuators from the surface control unit  208 ) to actuate designated devices, such as flow control devices, sealing devices, pumps, and so forth. 
     Although the sensors/actuators  212  are shown placed relatively close to the liner coupler portion  122  in  FIG. 2 , note that in other examples, the sensors/actuators  212  can be placed farther away from the liner coupler portion  122 . 
     Installation of the tool  210  at the downhole location corresponding to the liner coupler portion  122  can be accomplished using any of various techniques, such as by use of coil tubing, a tractor, and so forth. Although not depicted in  FIG. 2 , similar tools can be deployed at other downhole locations corresponding to other liner coupler portions (such as  120  in  FIG. 2 ). 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a different example arrangement, in which coupler portions  302 ,  304 , and  306  are on a casing  308  that lines a well  310 . The coupler portions  302 ,  304 , and  306  (e.g. female coupler portions) are connected to a control line  312 , which extends to earth surface equipment including the surface control unit  208 . The control line  312  passes through a feedthrough path of the wellhead equipment  108 . 
     As with the implementations depicted in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the coupler portions  302 ,  304 , and  306  can each include one or more of: an inductive coupler portion, a hydraulic coupler portion, and an optical coupler portion. 
     In examples according to  FIG. 3 , the control line  312  can extend outside the casing  308 . In other examples, the control line  312  can extend inside the inner bore of the casing  308 , or can be embedded in the wall structure of the casing  308 . 
     As with the example arrangement shown in  FIG. 1 , additional components can be deployed that are able to communicate with the coupler portions  302 ,  304 , and  306 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates the arrangement of  FIG. 3  with a tool  402  positioned at a downhole location corresponding to the casing coupler portion  306 . The tool  402  has a male coupler portion  404  for communicatively engaging with the casing coupler portion  306  on the casing  308 . In addition, the tool  402  has sensors and/or actuators  406 , similar to the tool  210  shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     Communication between the tool  402  and the surface control unit  208  is accomplished using the control line  312  and coupler portions  404  and  306 . Other tools similar to tool  402  can also be deployed for communicative engagement with the other female coupler portions  302  and  304 . For example, as further shown in  FIG. 4 , another tool  410  can be deployed at a downhole location corresponding to the casing coupler portions  302  and  304 . The tool  410  has sensors/actuators  412  and a coupler portion  414 . The tool coupler portion  414  of the tool  410  is to communicatively engage with the casing coupler portion  302 . 
       FIG. 5  shows another example arrangement, which includes a casing  502  that lines a wellbore  504 . A lower portion of the casing  502  is provided with a coupler portion  506  (in other words, the coupler portion  506  is mounted or otherwise attached to the casing  502 ). The casing coupler portion  506  can be a female coupler portion. 
     Additionally, an upper portion of a liner  508  is mounted in the casing  502  using a liner hanger  511 . The upper portion of the liner  508  also has a coupler portion  510  (e.g. a male coupler portion) for communicatively engaging with the casing coupler portion  506 . In addition, the liner  508  has further coupler portions  512  and  514  provided at discrete positions below the upper coupler portion  510 . 
     A control line  520  extends from the casing coupler portion  506  to earth surface equipment. Another control line  522  is connected to the coupler portions  510 ,  512 , and  514 . 
     During operation, a tool can be lowered through the casing  502  and into the liner  508 , where the tool can include one or more coupler portions for communicatively engaging with respective one or more coupler portions  512  and  514  of the liner  508 . Communication between earth surface equipment and such a tool can be performed using the control line  520 , coupler portions  506  and  510 , the control line  522 , and a corresponding one of the liner coupler portions  512  and  514  to which the tool is engaged. 
     In accordance with further embodiments,  FIG. 6  illustrates an example arrangement for a multilateral well that has lateral branches  602  and  604 , which extend from a main wellbore  606 . A casing  608  lines the main wellbore  606 . 
     A liner  612  is mounted using a liner hanger  610 , which is engaged to an inner wall of the casing  608 . The liner  612  has coupler portions  614 ,  616 , and  618 . A control line  619  is connected to the coupler portions  614 ,  616 , and  618 . The liner  612  also has a window  620  through which a lateral tool  622  is able to extend. The window  620  in the liner  612  can be milled using drilling equipment for drilling into the lateral branch  604 . The lateral tool  622  extends through the window  620  and into the lateral branch  604 . 
     The lateral tool  636  also has sensors and/or actuators  638 , which can be connected by a control line  623  (e.g. electrical cable, hydraulic control line, and/or fiber optic cable) to a coupler portion  640  at an upper portion of the lateral tool  622 . The coupler portion  640  of the lateral tool  622  is communicatively engageable with the coupler portion  616  of the liner  612  once the lateral tool  622  is positioned through the window  620  into the lateral branch  604 . 
     As further shown in  FIG. 6 , another lateral tool  624  can be positioned in the lateral branch  602 . The lateral tool  624  has a coupler portion  626  for communicatively engaging with the coupler portion  618  of the liner  612 . The lateral tool  624  can also have sensors and/or control devices  628 . 
       FIG. 6  also shows a tubing string  630  deployed inside the casing  608 . The lower portion of the tubing string  630  has a coupler portion  632  for communicatively engaging with the coupler portion  614  of the liner  612 . A control line  634  extends from the coupler portion  632  of the tubing string  630  along an outer wall of the tubing string  630  and through the wellhead equipment  108  to the surface control unit  208 . 
     In operation, communication between the surface control unit  208  and the lateral tool  624  can be accomplished using the control line  634 , coupler portions  632  and  614 , control line  619 , and coupler portions  626  and  618 . Similarly, communication between the surface control unit  208  and the lateral tool  636  can be accomplished using the control line  634 , coupler portions  632  and  614 , control line  619 , and coupler portions  640  and  616 . 
       FIG. 7  shows a different example arrangement that uses a tie-back liner  702  deployed inside casing  704  that lines a well  706 . A tie-back liner can refer to a section of a liner that runs from a liner hanger (such as liner hanger  708 ) back to the earth surface. The tie-back liner  702  is deployed after a lower liner  710  has been deployed. The lower liner  710  is attached to the liner hanger  708 , and extends into a lower section of the well  706 . 
     The tie-back liner  702  may be installed for various reasons. For example, the tie-back liner  702  may provide enhanced pressure capacity (ability to handle elevated internal pressure) as compared to the casing  704 . Also, in some cases, the casing  704  may have questionable integrity, in which case the tie-back liner  702  can be installed to enhance integrity inside the well  706 . 
     The lower portion of the tie-back liner  702  has a coupler portion  712 . This coupler portion  712  can communicatively engage with a corresponding coupler portion  714  provided at the upper portion of equipment  716 . The equipment  716  can include various devices, such as sensors, actuators, and so forth. In some cases, the equipment  716  can be referred to as “intelligent equipment.” 
     A control line  718  extends from the coupler portion  712  of the tie-back liner  704  to earth surface equipment. Additionally, another control line  720  extends from the coupler portion  714  of the equipment  716  to various devices of the intelligent completion equipment  716 . 
     Although  FIG. 7  shows just one coupler portion  712  on the tie-back liner  704 , it is noted that the tie-back liner  704  can include multiple coupler portions in other examples. 
     A coupler portion on a liner structure (such as a liner or casing as depicted in the various figures discussed above) may no longer be able to communicate, due to component faults or damage caused by the passage of time or due to downhole well operations that may have caused damage.  FIG. 8  illustrates an example arrangement in which jumpers  802  and  804  are used to allow communication of coupler portions experiencing communication faults with a neighboring coupler portion. For example, in  FIG. 8 , coupler portions  806  and  808  on a liner  812  may not be able to communicate further uphole due to faulty components, such as due to a break in a control line (e.g. control line  834 ). The faulty liner coupler portions  806  and  808  can be female coupler portions. Additional liner coupler portions  814  and  830  on the liner  812  can also be female coupler portions. 
     To allow the faulty coupler portion  808  to communicate further uphole, the jumper  804  can be deployed into the bore of the liner  812 . The two ends of the jumper  804  can be provided with male coupler portions  816  and  818  that are to communicatively engage with respective liner coupler portions  814  and  808 . The male coupler portions  816  and  818  can be connected to each other (such as by an electrical cable, hydraulic control line, or optical fiber  811 ). In this way, the faulty coupler portion  808  can communicate through the jumper  804  with the neighboring uphole liner coupler portion  814 , which in turn is connected by the control line  834  to the liner coupler portion  806 . 
     As noted above, the liner coupler portion  806  can also be faulty, in which case the jumper  802  is deployed into the inner bore of the liner  812  to allow the faulty liner coupler portion  806  to communicate with a casing coupler portion  820  that is on a casing  822 . The jumper  802  has male coupler portions  832  and  826  at its two ends to allow the jumper  802  to communicatively engage with respective liner coupler portion  806  and liner coupler portion  830 . The male coupler portions  824  and  826  are connected to each other by a control line  810 , so that the liner coupler portion  806  can communicate through the jumper  802  to the liner coupler portion  830 . The liner coupler portion  830  is connected to another liner coupler portion  824  by a control line  831 . The liner coupler portion  824  is positioned adjacent a casing coupler portion  820  to allow for inductive coupling between the coupler portions  824  and  820 . The casing coupler portion  820  is electrically connected to a control line  828  to allow the casing coupler portion  820  to communicate with earth surface equipment. 
       FIG. 9  depicts a variant of the arrangement in  FIG. 8 . In  FIG. 9 , the liner  812  is omitted; instead, the coupler portions  806 ,  814 , and  808  are mounted in an openhole section of the well. The coupler portions  806 ,  814 , and  808  can be mounted to an inner surface  902  of the openhole section, such as by use of straddle packers or other mechanisms. 
     In the example of  FIG. 9 , the openhole coupler portions  806  and  808  are able to communicate with respective neighboring uphole coupler portions  814  and  820 , respectively, using the respective jumpers  804  and  802 . The openhole coupler portions  806  and  814  are connected by a control line  904 . 
     In other examples, a jumper can bypass at least one intermediate coupler portion. For example, in either  FIG. 8  or  9 , a jumper of increased length can be deployed to couple the coupler portion  808  to the coupler portion  820 , while bypassing coupler portions  806  and  814 . 
       FIG. 10  illustrates another example arrangement which includes equipment deployed in a multilateral well having later branches  1002  and  1004  that extend from a main wellbore  1006 . The equipment is similar in arrangement to that depicted in  FIG. 7 , and includes a casing  1020  and a liner  1022 . The equipment includes coupler portions  1008 ,  1010 , and  1012 . The coupler portion  1010  is to establish communication with a tool  1024  in the lateral branch  1002 , while the coupler portion  1012  is to establish communication with a tool  1026  in the lateral branch  1004 . 
     As further shown in  FIG. 10 , liner coupler portions  1040 ,  1042 , and  1044  are provided on the liner  1022 . The liner coupler portions  1040 ,  1042 , and  1044  are aligned with respective coupler portions  1008 ,  1010 , and  1012 . The liner coupler portions  1040 ,  1042 , and  1044  are connected by a control line  1046 . 
       FIG. 10  further depicts a jumper arranged outside the liner  1022 . The jumper includes coupler portions  1048  and  1050  that are interconnected by a control liner  1052 . The coupler portions  1048  and  1050  are aligned with respective coupler portions  1040  and  1044 . In case of a failure (such as failure of the control line  1046 ) that prevents communication with the lower coupler portion  1044 , the jumper can be used to establish communication with the lower coupler portion  1044 . 
     Although the foregoing example arrangements include equipment for deployment with a liner structure or for deployment in a well, mechanisms or techniques according to some embodiments can also be deployed with other structures or outside a well environment. For example, as shown in  FIG. 11 , female coupler portions  1104 ,  1106 , and  1108  are deployed at various discrete points along a tubular structure  1102  (the tubular structure  1102  can have a generally cylindrical shape, or can have any other shape). The tubular structure  1102  can be a production tubing (e.g. to produce fluids in a well). In other examples, the tubular structure  1102  can be a pipeline, such as one deployed on an earth surface or on a seafloor for carrying fluids (e.g. hydrocarbons, water, etc.). 
     The female coupler portions  1104 ,  1106 , and  1108  on the tubular structure  1102  can be connected to a control line  1110  (e.g. electrical cable, hydraulic control line, and/or fiber optic cable). As shown in  FIG. 11 , a tool  1112  can be run inside the inner bore of the tubular structure  1102 . The tool  1112  has a male coupler portion  1114  for communicatively engaging with any of the female coupler portions  1104 ,  1106 , and  1108 . The tool  1112  can be used to perform various operations in the inner bore of the tubular structure  1002 , such as to brush or clean the inner wall of the tubular structure  1102 . In other examples, the tool  1112  can include sensors to sense characteristics inside the tubular structure  1102  (e.g. check for corrosion, etc.). 
     During operation, communication (of power and/or data) can be performed using the control line  1110  and through one or more of the coupler portions  1104 ,  1106 , and  1108  with the coupler portion  1114  of the tool  1112 . 
       FIG. 12  shows another example arrangement, which includes equipment provided in a multilateral well. Liner coupler portions  1202 ,  1204 ,  1206 , and  1208  are arranged along a liner  1210 . The liner coupler portions  1202 ,  1204 ,  1206 , and  1208  can be coupled by a control line (not shown). In addition, coupler portions  1212 ,  1214 , and  1216  can be provided in a lateral branch  1218 . Lower completion equipment  1220  can be provided, which can be used that has respective coupler portions to communicate with coupler portion  1204  and the lateral coupler portions  1212 ,  1214 , and  1216 . 
     However, if liner coupler portion  1204  becomes defective for some reason, then the lower completion equipment  1220  can be removed, and re-installed with a jumper to allow communication with a further uphole coupler portion  1202 . 
     In the foregoing description, numerous details are set forth to provide an understanding of the subject disclosed herein. However, implementations may be practiced without some or all of these details. Other implementations may include modifications and variations from the details discussed above. It is intended that the appended claims cover such modifications and variations.