External gap assembly

A gap sub comprising:

• a tubular comprising an upper conductive portion and a lower conductive portion that are electrically insulated from one another;
• an external gap assembly comprising a plurality of non-conductive spacer rings and a plurality of high-strength conductive spacer rings arranged in an alternating pattern about an exterior of the tubular;
• and
• a non-conductive external gap seal sleeve disposed beneath the spacer rings that electrically insulates the conductive spacer rings from the upper conductive portion and the lower conductive portion of the tubular;
• a plurality of interior seals disposed on an internal diameter of the corresponding plurality of non-conductive spacer rings in between the non-conductive spacer rings and a first side of the non-conductive external gap seal sleeve;
• a first seal disposed between an internal diameter of the upper conductive portion and the first side of the non-conductive external gap seal sleeve;
• and
• a second seal disposed between an internal diameter of the lower conductive portion and a second side of the non-conductive external gap seal sleeve,
• wherein the arrangement of the plurality of interior seals, the first seal, and the second seal prevent all internal fluid pathways between all high-strength conductive spacer rings and both the upper conductive portion and the lower conductive portion.