Method for monitoring physical parameters of well equipment

A method of monitoring deformation, strain, temperature or other physical characteristics of a casing, sandscreen, electrical heater or other tubular or cylindrical well equipment in a well traversing an underground formation, the method comprising:

• providing a carrier rod having at least one recess extending along at least part of the length of the rod, in which recess a optical fiber assembly for monitoring strain, temperature or other physical parameters is arranged, which optical fiber assembly is along at least part of the optical fiber assembly's length bonded within the recess;
• lowering the carrier rod and well equipment simultaneously into the well such that the carrier rod is arranged in an annular space between an outer surface of the well equipment and an inner surface of the wellbore;
• securing the carrier rod at a plurality of locations distributed along the length of the carrier rod to the well equipment;
• and
• connecting the optical fiber assembly to an optical signal transmission and reception assembly which is configured to transmit optical signals through the optical fiber assembly and to monitor deformation, strain, temperature or other physical parameters of the well equipment on the basis of any relationship between these parameters and reflection or modification of the optical signals at different locations along the length of the optical fiber assembly.