ASSEMBLY AND METHOD FOR MULTI-ZONE FRACTURE STIMULATION OF A RESERVOIR USING AUTONOMOUS TUBULAR UNITS

• US 20130062055A1
• Filed: 05/26/2011
• Published: 03/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Abdel Wadood M. El-Rabaa, Dennis H. Petrie, Kevin H. Searles, Pavlin B. Entchev, Randy C. Tolman, Renzo M. Angeles Boza
• Original Assignee: Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company (Exxon Mobil Corporation)
• Inventors: Tolman, Randy C., Entchev, Pavlin B., Petrie, Dennis H., Searles, Kevin H., Angeles Boza, Renzo M., El-Rabaa, Abdel Wadood M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,284,819 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/250.01
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 23/00 Apparatus for displacing, setting, locking, releasing or removing tools, packers or the like in boreholes or wells setting of casings, screens or liners E21B43/10
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/134 Bridging plugs
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/116 Gun or shaped-charge perforators
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/1193 Dropping perforation guns after gun actuation
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/26 by forming crevices or fractures
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/09 Locating or determining the position of objects in boreholes or wells , e.g. the position of an extending arm; Identifying the free or blocked portions of pipes

Abstract

Autonomous units and methods for downhole, multi-zone perforation and fracture stimulation for hydrocarbon production. The autonomous unit may be a perforating gun assembly, a bridge plug assembly, or fracturing plug assembly. The autonomous units are dimensioned and arranged to be deployed within a wellbore without an electric wireline. The autonomous units may be fabricated from a friable material so as to self-destruct upon receiving a signal. The autonomous units include a position locator for sensing the presence of objects along the wellbore and generating depth signals in response. The autonomous units also include an on-board controller for processing the depth signals and for activating an actuatable tool at a zone of interest.

Claims

1. A tool assembly for performing a tubular operation, comprising:

an actuatable tool;

a location device for sensing the location of the actuatable tool within a tubular body based on a physical signature provided along the tubular body; and

an on-board controller configured to send an actuation signal to the tool when the location device has recognized a selected location of the tool based on the physical signature;

wherein;

the actuatable tool, the location device, and the on-board controller are together dimensioned and arranged to be deployed in the tubular body as an autonomously actuatable unit; and

the actuatable tool is designed to be autonomously actuated to perform the tubular operation in response to the actuation signal.

2. The tool assembly of claim 1, wherein the tubular body is (i) a wellbore constructed to produce hydrocarbon fluids, or (ii) a pipeline containing fluids.

3. The tool assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the location device is a collar locator; and

the signature is formed by the spacing of collars along the tubular body, with the collars being sensed by the collar locator.

4. The tool assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the location device is a radio frequency antenna; and

the signature is formed by the spacing of identification tags along the tubular body, with the identification tags being sensed by the radio frequency antenna.

5. The tool assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the location device comprises a pair of sensing devices spaced apart along the tool assembly as lower and upper sensing devices;

the signature is formed by the placement of tags spaced along the tubular body that are sensed by each of the sensing devices;

the controller comprises a clock that determines time that elapses between sensing by the lower sensing device and sensing by the upper sensing device as the tool assembly traverses across a tag; and

the tool assembly is programmed to determine tool assembly velocity at a given time based on the distance between the lower and upper sensing devices, divided by the elapsed time between sensing.

6. The tool assembly of claim 5, wherein a position of the tool assembly at the selected location along the tubular body is confirmed by a combination of (i) location of the tool assembly relative to the tags as sensed by either the lower or the upper sensing device, and (ii) velocity of the tool assembly as computed by the controller as a function of time.

7. The tool assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the tubular body is a wellbore constructed to produce hydrocarbon fluids;

the tool assembly is fabricated from a friable material; and

the tool assembly self-destructs in response to a designated event.

8. The tool assembly of claim 7, wherein the designated event is (i) the actuation of the actuatable tool, (ii) the passing of a selected period of time, or (iii) combinations thereof

9. The tool assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the tubular body is a wellbore constructed to produce hydrocarbon fluids;

the actuatable tool is a fracturing plug configured to form a substantial fluid seal when actuated within the tubular body at the selected location; and

the fracturing plug comprises an elastomeric sealing element and a set of slips for holding the location of the tool assembly proximate the selected location.

10. The tool assembly of claim 9, wherein:

the fracturing plug is fabricated from a friable material; and

the fracturing plug is configured to self-destruct a designated period of time after the fracturing plug is set in the tubular body.

11. The tool assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the tubular body is a wellbore constructed to produce hydrocarbon fluids;

the tool assembly is a perforating gun assembly; and

the actuatable tool comprises a perforating gun having an associated charge.

12. The tool assembly of claim 11, further comprising:

a fishing neck.

13. The tool assembly of claim 11, wherein:

the perforating gun assembly is substantially fabricated from a friable material; and

the perforating gun assembly self-destructs after the perforating gun is fired at the selected level.

14. The tool assembly of claim 13, further comprising:

a plurality of non-friable ball sealers; and

a container for temporarily holding the ball sealers, the container being part of the autonomous unit of the tool assembly and being designed to release the ball sealers in response to a command from the on-board controller proximate the time of the perforating gun being fired.

15. The tool assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the tubular body is a pipeline carrying fluids; and

the actuatable tool is a pig.

16. The tool assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the tubular body is a wellbore constructed to produce hydrocarbon fluids;

the actuatable tool is a bridge plug configured to form a substantial fluid seal when actuated within the tubular body at the selected location; and

the bridge plug comprises an elastomeric sealing element and a set of slips for holding the location of the tool assembly proximate the selected location.

17. The tool assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

an accelerometer in electrical communication with the on-board controller to confirm the selected location of the tool assembly.

18. The tool assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the tubular body is a wellbore constructed to produce hydrocarbon fluids;

the actuatable tool is a bridge plug configured to form a substantial fluid seal when actuated within the tubular body at the selected location; and

the bridge plug comprises an elastomeric sealing element and a set of slips for holding the location of the tool assembly proximate the selected location.

19. The tool assembly of claim 18, wherein the tool assembly is fabricated from a friable material or a millable material.

20. The tool assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the tubular body is a wellbore constructed to produce hydrocarbon fluids or inject fluids; and

the actuatable tool is a casing patch, a cement retainer, or a bridge plug; and

the actuatable tool is fabricated from a millable material.

21. An assembly for downhole fracture stimulation for hydrocarbon production, comprising:

a first perforating gun assembly for perforating a wellbore at a first selected zone of interest, the first perforating gun assembly being substantially fabricated from a friable material, and the first perforating gun assembly comprising;

a perforating gun having an associated charge for perforating the wellbore at the first selected zone of interest, the perforating gun being designed to cause the first perforating gun assembly to self-destruct upon detonation of its associated charge;

a first position locator for sensing the presence of objects along the wellbore and generating depth signals in response;

an on-board controller for processing the depth signals and for activating the perforating gun at the first selected zone of interest; and

a safety system for preventing premature detonation of the associated charge of the perforating gun;

wherein the first perforating gun assembly is dimensioned and arranged to be deployed within the wellbore as an autonomous unit.

22. The assembly of claim 21, further comprising:

a fishing neck, the fishing neck also being fabricated from a friable material.

23. The assembly of claim 21, wherein:

a physical signature is formed by the objects along the wellbore; and

the on-board controller is configured to send an actuation signal to the associated charge to fire the perforating gun when the first position locator has recognized a desired location of the first perforating gun assembly based on the physical signature.

24. The tool assembly of claim 21, wherein:

the first position locator is a casing collar locator; and

the objects along the wellbore are collars, with the collars being sensed by the collar locator.

25. The tool assembly of claim 21, wherein:

the objects along the wellbore are radio frequency tags selectively embedded and spaced along the wellbore; and

the first position locator is a radio frequency receiver that senses the radio frequency tags.

26. The assembly of claim 21, further comprising:

a second perforating gun assembly for perforating the wellbore at a second selected zone of interest, the second perforating gun assembly also being substantially fabricated from a friable material, and the second perforating gun assembly comprising;

a perforating gun having an associated charge for perforating the wellbore at the second selected zone of interest, the perforating gun being configured to cause the second perforating gun assembly to self-destruct upon detonation of its associated charge;

a second position locator for sensing the presence of the objects along the wellbore and generating depth signals in response;

an on-board controller for processing depth signals and for activating the perforating gun at the second selected zone of interest; and

a safety system for preventing premature detonation of the associated charge of the perforating gun;

wherein the second perforating gun assembly is dimensioned and arranged to be deployed within the wellbore as an autonomous unit, but separate from the autonomous unit that defines the first perforating gun assembly.

27. The assembly of claim 26, wherein the first and second perforating gun assemblies are deployed (i) by gravitational pull, (ii) by pumping, (iii) by tractor, or (iv) combinations thereof

28. The assembly of claim 27, further comprising:

a fishing neck, the fishing neck being fabricated from a friable material.

29. The assembly of claim 26, further comprising:

a fracturing plug assembly comprising;

a fracturing plug;

a setting tool;

a third position locator for sensing the presence of the objects along the wellbore and generating depth signals in response; and

an on-board controller for processing depth signals and for activating the setting tool at a selected location relative to the first zone of interest,

wherein the fracturing plug assembly is dimensioned and arranged to be deployed within the wellbore as an autonomous unit, but separate from the autonomous units that define the first perforating gun assembly.

30. The assembly of claim 29, wherein the fracturing plug assembly is substantially fabricated from a friable material.

31. The assembly of claim 29, wherein:

the third position locator is a casing collar locator; and

the objects along the wellbore are collars, with the collars being sensed by the collar locator.

32. The assembly of claim 29, wherein:

the objects along the wellbore are radio frequency tags selectively embedded and spaced along the wellbore; and

each of the first position locator, the second position locator, and the third position locator is a radio frequency receiver that senses the radio frequency tags.

33. The automated assembly of claim 27, wherein each of the first and second position perforating gun assemblies is substantially fabricated from a ceramic material.

34. The assembly of claim 21, wherein the safety system comprises a minimum of two barriers to premature firing of the perforating gun, the respective barriers comprising:

(i) a vertical position sensor;

(ii) a pressure sensor;

(iii) a velocity sensor; and

(iv) a clock for counting from a moment of arming

35. A method of perforating a wellbore at multiple zones of interest, comprising:

providing a first autonomous perforating gun assembly substantially fabricated from a friable material, the first perforating gun assembly being configured to detect a first selected zone of interest along the wellbore;

deploying the first perforating gun assembly into the wellbore;

upon detecting that the first perforating gun assembly has reached the first selected zone of interest, firing shots along the first zone of interest to produce perforations;

providing a second perforating gun assembly substantially fabricated from a friable material, the second perforating gun assembly being configured to detect a second selected zone of interest along the wellbore;

deploying the second perforating gun assembly into the wellbore;

upon detecting that the second perforating gun assembly has reached the second selected zone of interest, firing shots along the second zone of interest to produce perforations.

36. The method of perforating a wellbore of claim 35, wherein:

the first perforating gun assembly and the second perforating gun assembly each comprises;

a perforating gun having an associated charge for perforating the wellbore;

a position locator for sensing the presence of objects along the wellbore and generating depth signals in response;

an on-board controller for processing the depth signals and for activating the perforating gun at the selected zone of interest; and

a safety system for preventing premature detonation of the associated charge of the perforating gun,

wherein the each of the first and second perforating gun assemblies is dimensioned and arranged to be deployed within the wellbore as a separate autonomous unit.

37. The method of perforating a wellbore of claim 36, wherein the first perforating gun assembly and the second perforating gun assembly is each deployed into the wellbore (i) by gravitational pull, (ii) by pumping, (iii) by tractor, or (iv) by combinations thereof

38. The method of perforating a wellbore of claim 37, wherein the first perforating gun assembly and the second perforating gun assembly each further comprises:

a fishing neck fabricated from a friable material.

39. The method of perforating a wellbore of claim 37, further comprising:

releasing ball sealers from the second perforating gun assembly proximate the time that the perforating gun of the second perforating gun assembly is fired; and

causing the ball sealers to temporarily seal perforations created by the first perforating gun assembly.

40. The method of perforating a wellbore of claim 39, wherein the second perforating gun assembly further comprises:

a plurality of non-friable ball sealers; and

a container for temporarily holding the ball sealers, the ball sealers being released in response to a command from the on-board controller before the perforating gun of the second perforating gun assembly is fired.

41. The method of perforating a wellbore of claim 36, wherein:

a physical signature is formed by the objects along the wellbore; and

the on-board controller of the first perforating gun assembly is configured to send an actuation signal to the associated charge to fire the perforating gun when the position locator has recognized a desired location of the first perforating gun assembly corresponding to the first selected zone of interest based on the physical signature; and

the on-board controller of the second perforating gun assembly is configured to send an actuation signal to the associated charge to fire the perforating gun when the position locator has recognized a location of the second perforating gun assembly corresponding to the second selected zone of interest based on the physical signature.

42. The method of perforating a wellbore of claim 41, wherein:

each of the first and second position locators is a casing collar locator; and

the objects along the wellbore are collars, with the collars being sensed by the collar locator.

43. The method of perforating a wellbore of claim 41, wherein:

the objects along the wellbore are radio frequency tags selectively embedded and spaced along the wellbore; and

each of the first and second position locators is a radio frequency receiver that senses the radio frequency tags.

44. The method of perforating a wellbore of claim 36, further comprising:

providing an autonomous fracturing plug assembly, the fracturing plug assembly being configured to detect a selected location along the wellbore for setting;

deploying the fracturing plug assembly into the wellbore; and

upon detecting that the fracturing plug assembly has reached the selected location along the wellbore, actuating slips to set the fracturing plug assembly.

45. The method of perforating a wellbore of claim 44, wherein the fracturing plug assembly comprises:

a fracturing plug having an elastomeric seal and a set of slips;

a setting tool for expanding the seal and the slips;

a position locator for sensing the presence of the objects along the wellbore and generating depth signals in response; and

an on-board controller for processing depth signals and for activating the slops at the selected location along the wellbore; and

wherein the fracturing plug assembly is dimensioned and arranged to be deployed within the wellbore as an autonomous unit, but separate from the autonomous unit that defines the first perforating gun assembly.

46. The method of perforating a wellbore of claim 45, wherein the fracturing plug assembly is substantially fabricated from a friable material.

47. The method of perforating a wellbore of claim 46, further comprising:

causing the fracturing plug assembly to self-destruct after a designated period of time.

48. The method of claim 35, wherein the first zone is located above the second zone.

49. The method of claim 35, wherein the second zone is located above the first zone.

50. An integrated tool for downhole wellbore operations, comprising:

a plug body having a sealing element

a setting tool for setting the plug body within a tubular body;

a perforating gun for perforating the tubular body at a selected zone of interest, the perforating gun having an associated charge for perforating the tubular body at the selected zone of interest;

a position locator for sensing the presence of objects along the wellbore and generating depth signals in response;

an on-board controller for processing the depth signals and for activating at least one of the setting tool and the perforating gun at the selected zone of interest;

a safety system for preventing premature detonation of the associated charge of the perforating gun;

wherein the integrated tool is dimensioned and arranged to be deployed within the wellbore as an autonomously actuated unit, and at least one of the plug body and perforating gun is substantially fabricated from a friable material.

51. A tool assembly for performing a wellbore operation, comprising:

an actuatable tool configured to be run into a wellbore on a working line;

a location device for sensing the location of the actuatable tool within the wellbore based on a physical signature provided along the wellbore; and

an on-board controller configured to send an actuation signal to the tool when the location device has recognized a selected location of the tool based on the physical signature, the actuatable tool being designed to be actuated to perform the wellbore operation in response to the actuation signal.

52. The tool assembly of claim 51, wherein:

the wellbore is constructed to produce hydrocarbon fluids from a subsurface formation or to inject fluids into a subsurface formation; and

the working line is (i) a slickline, (ii) a wireline, or (iii) an electric line.

53. The tool assembly of claim 52, wherein:

the actuatable tool further comprises a detonation device;

the tool assembly is fabricated from a friable material; and

the on-board controller is further configured to send a detonation signal to the detonation device a designated time after the on-board controller is armed.

54. The tool assembly of claim 52, wherein:

the location device is a collar locator; and

the signature is formed by the spacing of collars along the tubular body, with the collars being sensed by the collar locator.

55. The tool assembly of claim 52, wherein:

the location device is a radio frequency antenna; and

the signature is formed by the spacing of identification tags along the tubular body, with the identification tags being sensed by the radio frequency antenna.

56. The tool assembly of claim 52, wherein:

the tool assembly is fabricated from a friable material; and

the tool assembly self-destructs in response to (i) the actuation of the actuatable tool, (ii) the passing of a selected period of time, or (iii) combinations thereof

57. The tool assembly of claim 52, wherein:

the actuatable tool is a fracturing plug configured to form a substantial fluid seal when actuated within the tubular body at the selected location; and

the fracturing plug comprises an elastomeric sealing element and a set of slips for holding the location of the tool assembly proximate the selected location.

58. The tool assembly of claim 52, wherein:

the tool assembly is a perforating gun assembly; and

the actuatable tool comprises a perforating gun having an associated charge.

59. The tool assembly of claim 52, wherein:

the actuatable tool is a bridge plug configured to form a substantial fluid seal when actuated within the tubular body at the selected location;

the tool assembly is fabricated from a millable material; and

the bridge plug comprises an elastomeric sealing element and a set of slips for holding the location of the tool assembly proximate the selected location.

60. The tool assembly of claim 52, wherein:

the actuatable tool is a casing patch, a fracturing plug, a bridge plug or a cement retainer; and

the actuatable tool is fabricated from a millable material.

61. The tool assembly of claim 60, wherein the millable material comprises ceramic, phenolic, composite, cast iron, brass, aluminum, or combinations thereof

62. A tool assembly for performing a tubular operation, comprising:

an actuatable tool configured to be run into a tubular body with a tractor;

a controller comprising;

a location device for sensing the location of the actuatable tool within the tubular body based on a physical signature provided along the tubular body; and

an on-board processor (i) configured to send an actuation signal to the tool when the location device has recognized a selected location of the tool based on the physical signature, the actuatable tool being designed to be actuated to perform the tubular operation in response to the actuation signal, and (ii) having a timer for self-destructing the tool assembly at a predetermined period of time after the tool assembly is set in the tubular body.

63. The tool assembly of claim 62, wherein the tubular body is a wellbore constructed to produce hydrocarbon fluids from a subsurface formation or to inject fluids into a subsurface formation.

64. The tool assembly of claim 62, wherein:

the tubular body is a pipeline carrying fluids; and

the actuatable tool is a pig.

65. A tool assembly for performing a wellbore operation, comprising:

an actuatable tool configured to be run into a wellbore on an electric line, the actuatable tool being fabricated from a friable material;

a detonation device; and

an on-board processor (i) configured to receive an actuation signal through the electric line for actuating the actuatable tool and perform the wellbore operation, and (ii) having a timer for self-destructing the tool assembly using the detonation device at a predetermined period of time after the tool assembly is actuated in the wellbore.

66. The tool assembly of claim 65, wherein the wellbore is constructed to produce hydrocarbon fluids from a subsurface formation or to inject fluids into a subsurface formation.

67. The tool assembly of claim 65, wherein:

the location device is a collar locator; and

the signature is formed by the spacing of collars along the tubular body, with the collars being sensed by the collar locator.

68. The tool assembly of claim 65, wherein:

the location device is a radio frequency antenna; and

the signature is formed by the spacing of identification tags along the tubular body, with the identification tags being sensed by the radio frequency antenna.

69. The tool assembly of claim 65, wherein:

the actuatable tool is a fracturing plug or a bridge plug configured to form a substantial fluid seal when actuated within the tubular body at the selected location; and

the fracturing plug comprises an elastomeric sealing element for holding the location of the tool assembly proximate the selected location.

70. The tool assembly of claim 65, wherein:

the tool assembly is a perforating gun assembly; and

the actuatable tool comprises a perforating gun having an associated charge.

71. A method for performing a wellbore completion operation, comprising:

running a tool assembly into a wellbore on a working line, the tool assembly being fabricated from a friable material, and the tool assembly comprising;

an actuatable tool,

a setting tool,

a detonation device, and

an on-board processor with a timer for self-destructing the tool assembly using the detonation device at a predetermined period of time after the tool is actuated in the wellbore; and

removing the working line after the tool assembly is set in the wellbore.

72. The method of claim 71, wherein the actuatable tool is a fracturing plug, a cement retainer, or a bridge plug.

73. The method of claim 71, wherein:

the wellbore is constructed to produce hydrocarbon fluids from a subsurface formation or to inject fluids into a subsurface formation; and

the working line is (i) a slickline, (ii) a wireline, or (iii) an electric line.

74. The method of claim 72, wherein:

the working line is a slickline;

the tool assembly further comprises a location device for sensing the location of the actuatable tool within the wellbore based on a physical signature provided along the wellbore; and

the onboard processor is configured to send an actuation signal to the tool when the location device has recognized a selected location of the tool based on the physical signature, the actuatable tool being designed to be actuated to perform the wellbore operation in response to the actuation signal.

75. The method of claim 74, wherein:

the tool assembly further comprises a set of slips for holding the tool assembly in the wellbore;

the actuation signal actuates the slips to cause the tool assembly to be set in the wellbore at the selected location; and

the on-board processor sends a signal to the detonation device a predetermined period of time after the tool assembly is set in the wellbore to self-destruct the tool assembly.

76. The method of claim 75, wherein the actuatable tool is a bridge plug or a fracturing plug.

77. The method of claim 75, wherein:

the actuatable tool is a perforating gun; and

the actuation signal actuates the perforating gun to create perforations along the wellbore at the selected location.

78. A tool assembly for autonomously performing an actuatable operation within a tubular body, the tool assembly comprising:

an actuatable tool;

a location device for sensing the location of the actuatable tool within a tubular body based on a physical signature determined by the location device along the tubular body; and

a controller configured to send an actuation signal to the actuatable tool in response to the physical signature when the location device recognizes a selected actuation location for the tool;

wherein;

the actuatable tool, the location device, and the on-board controller are deployable in the tubular body as an autonomously actuatable unit; and

the actuatable tool is autonomously actuatable to perform the tubular operation in response to receipt of the actuation signal from the controller.

79. The tool assembly of claim 78, wherein the tubular body is (i) a subterranean wellbore or (ii) a pipeline.

80. The tool assembly of claim 78, wherein:

the location device includes at least one of a collar locator, a gamma ray tool, an RFID device, and a radio frequency antenna.

81. The tool assembly of claim 78, wherein the actuatable tool comprises a friable material and at least a portion of the friable material is autonomously destroyed in response to a designated event.

82. The tool assembly of claim 78, wherein the tubular body is a wellbore constructed to produce hydrocarbon fluids, and the actuatable tool includes an autonomously actuatable plug configured to form a substantial fluid seal within the wellbore when actuated within the tubular body at the selected location.

83. The tool assembly of claim 78, wherein the tubular body is a wellbore constructed to produce hydrocarbon fluids and the actuatable tool includes an autonomously actuatable perforating gun.

84. The tool assembly of claim 83, wherein the tool assembly further comprises a plug mechanically connected with the perforating gun.

85. The tool assembly of claim 83, further comprising another autonomously actuatable perforating gun deployable and actuatable independent of the first autonomously actuatable perforating gun.

86. The tool assembly of claim 85, wherein the another autonomously actuatable perforating gun comprises at least one of a hydraulic cup and a fin to enhance conveyance of the another gun within the wellbore.

87. The tool assembly of claim 78, further comprising another autonomously actuatable tool deployable and actuatable independent of the first autonomously actuatable tool.

88. The tool assembly of claim 78, wherein the tubular body is a pipeline for carrying fluids, and the actuatable tool is a pig.

89. The tool assembly of claim 78, wherein the actuatable tool comprises a multiple-stage perforating gun assembly that autonomously fires one or more of selected stages of the multiple stages as the multiple-stage perforating gun assembly is conveyed along the tubular assembly.

90. A method for autonomously actuating a tool operation within a tubular body, the method comprising:

providing an autonomously actuatable tool assembly comprising;

an actuatable tool;

a location device for sensing the location of the actuatable tool within a tubular body based on a physical signature determined by the location device along the tubular body; and

a controller configured to send an actuation signal to the actuatable tool in response to the physical signature when the location device determines an actuation location for the tool;

deploying the actuatable tool assembly in the tubular body as an autonomously actuatable unit; and

autonomously actuating the actuatable tool in response to receipt by the tool of the actuation signal from the controller, to perform the tubular operation.

91. The method of claim 90, further comprising destroying at least a friable portion of the tool assembly with the autonomously actuatable signal or another autonomously actuatable signal.

92. A method for autonomously performing a subterranean wellbore operation, the method comprising:

providing an autonomously actuatable tool assembly comprising;

an actuatable tool comprising at least one of friable and millable components;

a location device for sensing the location of the actuatable tool assembly within a wellbore based on a physical signature determined by the location device along the wellbore; and

a controller configured to send an actuation signal to the actuatable tool assembly in response to the physical signature when the location device determines an actuation location for the tool;

deploying the actuatable tool assembly in the wellbore as an autonomously actuatable unit; and

autonomously actuating the actuatable tool in response to receipt by the tool of the actuation signal from the controller, to perform the wellbore operation.

93. The method of claim 92, wherein the actuatable tool includes a perforating gun and the method further comprising autonomously perforating a first set of perforations in the wellbore;

and

opening the first set of perforations to conduct a wellbore fluid from within the wellbore through the first set of perforations.

94. The method of claim 93, wherein the actuatable tool includes an autonomously actuatable plug comprising friable components and the method further comprises autonomously positioning the plug within the wellbore uphole from the first set of perforations;

and

conducting another autonomous wellbore operation uphole from the plug.

95. The method of claim 93, wherein the actuatable tool includes an autonomously actuatable plug engaged with another perforating gun and the method further comprises deploying the tool assembly within the wellbore and autonomously actuating the another perforating gun in response to the actuation signal to create another set of perforations.

96. The method of claim 95, further comprising autonomously actuating the plug to set the plug within the wellbore subsequent to actuating the perforating gun.

97. The method of claim 96, further comprising destroying at least a friable portion of the tool assembly with the autonomously actuatable signal or another autonomously actuatable signal.

98. The method of claim 96, further comprising the step of stimulating the another set of perforations created by actuating the another perforating guns.

99. The method of claim 97, further comprising removing friable debris from the wellbore.

100. The method of claim 96, further comprising the step of conveying still another perforating gun and another plug and autonomously perforating the wellbore uphole from the another set of perforations to create still another set of perforations and autonomously setting the another plug intermediate the another set of perforations and the still another set of perforations, and thereafter stimulating the still another set of perforations.

101. The method of claim 94, wherein the actuatable tool includes a second perforating gun and the method further comprises deploying the second perforating gun engaged with the plug and autonomously firing the second perforating gun in response to the actuation signal.

102. The method of claim 95, wherein the method of deploying the second perforating gun includes deploying multiple perforating guns or a multiple-stage gun and the method further comprises autonomously and selectively actuating each gun or stage to create multiple sets of perforations within the wellbore.

103. The method of claim 92, wherein the actuatable tool includes an autonomously actuatable plug and the method further comprises autonomously positioning the plug within the wellbore;

and conducting an autonomous wellbore operation uphole from the plug.

104. The method of claim 103, wherein the actuatable tool includes the autonomously actuatable plug mechanically engaged with an autonomously actuatable perforating gun and the method further comprises deploying the tool assembly within the wellbore and autonomously actuating the perforating gun in response to the actuation signal to create a set of perforations uphole from the plug.

105. The method of claim 104, further comprising conducting the step of autonomously actuating a perforating gun prior to setting the plug.

106. The method of claim 103, wherein the actuatable tool includes the autonomously actuatable plug and an autonomously actuatable perforating gun not mechanically engaged with the plug, and the method further comprises deploying the plug within the wellbore and autonomously actuating the plug and separately deploying the perforating gun within the wellbore and autonomously actuating the perforating gun in response to the actuation signal to create a set of perforations uphole from the plug.

107. The method of claim 106, further comprising conducting the step of autonomously activating a perforating gun prior to setting the plug.

108. The method of claim 92, further comprising autonomously destroying at least a friable portion of the tool assembly with the autonomously actuatable signal or another autonomously actuatable signal.

109. The method of claim 103, wherein the step of conducting an autonomous operation uphole from the plug further comprises the step of stimulating the autonomously created perforations.

110. The method of claim 108, further comprising removing friable debris from the wellbore.

111. The method of claim 104, further comprising the step of conveying still another perforating gun and another plug and autonomously perforating the wellbore uphole from the another set of perforations to create still another set of perforations and autonomously setting the another plug intermediate the another set of perforations and the still another set of perforations, and thereafter stimulating the still another set of perforations.

112. The method of claim 104, wherein the actuatable tool includes a second perforating gun and the method further comprises deploying the second perforating gun engaged with the plug and autonomously firing the second perforating gun in response to the actuation signal.

113. The method of claim 104, wherein the method of deploying the perforating gun includes deploying multiple perforating guns and the method further comprises autonomously actuating each gun to create multiple sets of perforations within the wellbore.

114. The method of claim 95, wherein the actuatable tool includes a still another perforating gun and the method further comprises deploying the still another perforating gun engaged with the plug and autonomously firing the still another perforating gun in response to the actuation signal.

115. The method of claim 114, wherein the method of deploying the still another perforating gun includes deploying a multiple perforating guns and the method further comprises autonomously and selectively actuating each gun to create multiple sets of perforations within the wellbore.

116. The method of claim 92, further comprising destroying at least a friable portion of the tool assembly with the autonomously actuatable signal or another autonomously actuatable signal.

117. The method of claim 92, wherein the tool assembly comprises at least two perforating guns, each of the at least two perforating guns independently deployable within the wellbore and each of the at least two perforating guns independently autonomously actuatable in response to receipt by the each of the at least two perforating guns of a respective independent actuation signal causing independent autonomous actuation of a respective each of the at least two perforating guns.

118. The method of claim 92, providing cups or fins on the tool assembly to enhance deployment of the tool assembly within the wellbore.

119. The method of claim 92, wherein the actuatable tool comprises a friable material and the method comprises autonomously destroying at least a portion of the friable material in response to a designated event.