External sleeve cementer

A method comprising:

• providing a stage cementing tool comprising:
• a mandrel defining a central flow passage therethrough and having a plurality of circumferentially spaced first longitudinal slots and a plurality of circumferentially spaced second longitudinal slots defined therein, the plurality of circumferentially spaced second longitudinal slots being longitudinally spaced from the plurality of circumferentially spaced first longitudinal slots;
• an opening sleeve disposed in the mandrel in a first position covering the plurality of circumferentially spaced first longitudinal slots and movable relative to the mandrel to allow communication through the plurality of circumferentially spaced first longitudinal slots;
• a setting sleeve disposed about the mandrel and connected to the opening sleeve with drive pins extending through the circumferentially spaced first longitudinal slots;
• a drive sleeve disposed in the mandrel above the opening sleeve;
• and
• drive pins extending through at least some of the plurality of circumferentially spaced second longitudinal slots connecting the drive sleeve with a closing sleeve disposed about the mandrel, a portion of the closing sleeve being sandwiched between the mandrel and the setting sleeve;
• lowering the stage cementing tool into a wellbore on a casing to a desired location;
• and
• dropping a cancellation plug into the casing to cancel cementing through the stage cementing tool without establishing communication between the central flow passage and the well.

A stage cementing tool for use in a wellbore comprising:

• a casing, the casing and wellbore defining an annulus therebetween;
• a mandrel having a plurality of first longitudinal slots defined therein and a plurality of second longitudinal slots defined therein connected in the casing, the plurality of second longitudinal slots spaced longitudinally from the plurality of first longitudinal slots;
• a drive sleeve disposed in the mandrel;
• a closing sleeve disposed about the mandrel and connected to the drive sleeve through the first longitudinal slots;
• an opening sleeve disposed in the mandrel in a first position covering the first longitudinal slots to prevent communication from a central flow passage of the mandrel to the annulus;
• a setting sleeve connected to the opening sleeve with a plurality of opening sleeve pins extending through the plurality of first longitudinal slots, a portion of the closing sleeve being sandwiched between the mandrel and the setting sleeve;
• and
• a packer disposed about the mandrel, the drive sleeve engageable with the opening sleeve and operable to move the opening sleeve and the setting sleeve to a second position in which the setting sleeve moves the packer to a set position against the wellbore.