Punch and cut system for tubing

A method, comprising:

• conveying a puncher and a tool, located below the puncher, downhole into a borehole in a single run of a well string;
• detonating a shaped charge of the puncher, in response to a communication signal received via a communications line, to perforate through a tubing in the borehole;
• subsequently operating the tool in the borehole in response to a subsequent communication signal received via the communications line, and
• routing at least a portion of the communications line externally of the puncher and past the puncher along a side protected from detonation of the shaped charge,
• wherein subsequently operating the tool comprises subsequently operating a cutter to sever the tubing.

A system, comprising:

• a puncher having a shaped charge oriented outwardly to enable punching of a hole through a surrounding tubing;
• a cutter coupled to the puncher and having a plurality of cutter shaped charges oriented to enable severing of the surrounding tubing;
• and
• a communications line coupled to both the puncher and the cutter to provide signals for controlling detonation of the shaped charge and the plurality of cutter shaped charges at separate times,
• wherein the puncher and the cutter are deployed along a well string comprising at least one additional tool located below the cutter, the communications line also being operatively coupled with the at least one additional tool.