PE-310 Natural Gas Engineering

Example 3 Relating downhole rate with the rate at standard conditions

For a production rate of 10 MMscf/d (million cubic feet per day), calculate the downhole rate
if downhole p = 1,500 psi, T = 180F, and gas gravity is 0.64 (assume there are no nonhydrocarbon gases).
Solution
Gas gravity is 0.64, (from graph), ppc = 670 psia and Tpc = 370 R. If p = 1,500 psi and T =
180F, then ppr = 1,500/670 = 2.25 and Tpr = (180 + 460)/370 =1.73. Z = 0.89.

At a surface flow rate of 10 MMscf/d, the downhole flow rate is:

q = 10 (MMscf/d) 0.0107 = 107 Mresft3/d.

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PE-310 Natural Gas Engineering

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PE-310 Natural Gas Engineering

GAS VISCOSITY
The viscosity of a fluid is a measure of the internal fluid friction (resistance) to flow. If the
friction between layers of the fluid is small, i.e., low viscosity, an applied shearing force will
result in a large velocity gradient.
As the viscosity increases, each fluid layer exerts a larger frictional drag on the adjacent
layers and velocity gradient decreases.
The viscosity of a fluid is generally defined as the ratio of the shear force per unit area to the
local velocity gradient. Viscosities are expressed in terms of poises, centipoise, or
micropoises. One poise equals a viscosity of 1 dyne-sec/cm2 and can be converted to other
field units by the following relationships:
1 poise = 100 centipoises
= 1 106 micropoises
= 6.72 102 lb mass/ft-sec
= 2.09 103 lb-sec/ft2
The gas viscosity is not commonly measured in the laboratory because it can be estimated
precisely from empirical correlations. Like all intensive properties, viscosity of a natural gas
is completely described by the following function:
g = (p,T,yi)
where g = the viscosity of the gas phase. The above relationship simply states that the
viscosity is a function of pressure, temperature, and composition. Many of the widely used
gas viscosity correlations may be viewed as modifications of that expression.

METHODS OF CALCULATING THE VISCOSITY OF NATURAL

GASES
Two popular methods that are commonly used in the petroleum industry are the:

Carr-Kobayashi-Burrows Correlation Method

Lee-Gonzalez-Eakin Method

The Carr-Kobayashi-Burrows Correlation Method

Carr, Kobayashi, and Burrows (1954) developed graphical correlations for estimating the
viscosity of natural gas as a function of temperature, pressure, and gas gravity. The
computational procedure of applying the proposed correlations is summarized in the
following steps:
Step 1. Calculate the pseudo-critical pressure, pseudo-critical temperature, and apparent
molecular weight from the specific gravity or the composition of the natural gas. Corrections
to these pseudocritical properties for the presence of the nonhydrocarbon gases (CO2, N2,
and H2S) should be made if they are present in concentrations greater than 5 mole percent.
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PE-310 Natural Gas Engineering

Step 2. Obtain the viscosity of the natural gas at one atmosphere and the temperature of
interest from Figure 2-5. This viscosity, as denoted by 1, must be corrected for the presence
of nonhydrocarbon components by using the inserts of Figure 2-5. The nonhydrocarbon
fractions tend to increase the viscosity of the gas phase. The effect of nonhydrocarbon
components on the viscosity of the natural gas can be expressed mathematically by the
following relationships:
1 = (1)uncorrected + ()N2 + ()CO2 + ()H2S
where
1 = corrected gas viscosity at one atmospheric pressure and reservoir temperature,
cp
()N2 = viscosity corrections due to the presence of N2
()CO2 = viscosity corrections due to the presence of CO2
()H2S = viscosity corrections due to the presence of H2S
(1)uncorrected = uncorrected gas viscosity, cp
Step 3. Calculate the pseudo-reduced pressure and temperature.
Step 4. From the pseudo-reduced temperature and pressure, obtain the viscosity ratio (g/1)
from Figure 2-6. The term g represents the viscosity of the gas at the required conditions.
Step 5. The gas viscosity, g, at the pressure and temperature of interest is calculated by
multiplying the viscosity at one atmosphere and system temperature, 1, by the viscosity
ratio.

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PE-310 Natural Gas Engineering

The Lee-Gonzalez-Eakin Method

Lee, Gonzalez, and Eakin (1966) presented a semi-empirical relationship for calculating the
viscosity of natural gases. The authors expressed the gas viscosity in terms of the reservoir
temperature, gas density, and the molecular weight of the gas. Their proposed equation is
given by:

where

g = gas density at reservoir pressure and temperature, lb/ft3

T = reservoir temperature, R
Ma = apparent molecular weight of the gas mixture

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PE-310 Natural Gas Engineering

The proposed correlation can predict viscosity values with a standard deviation of 2.7% and a
maximum deviation of 8.99%. The correlation is less accurate for gases with higher specific
gravities. The authors pointed out that the method cannot be used for sour gases.

Standing (1977) proposed a convenient mathematical expression for calculating the viscosity
of the natural gas at atmospheric pressure and reservoir temperature, 1. Standing also
presented equations for describing the effects of N2, CO2, and H2S on 1. The proposed
relationships are:

where:

where
1 = viscosity of the gas at atmospheric pressure and reservoir temperature, cp
T = reservoir temperature, R
g = gas gravity
yN2, yCO2, yH2S = mole fraction of N2, CO2, and H2S, respectively

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PE-310 Natural Gas Engineering

Example 01
A gas well is producing at a rate of 15,000 ft3/day from a gas reservoir at an average
pressure of 2,000 psia and a temperature of 140F. The specific gravity is 0.72.
Calculate the viscosity of the gas.
Solution
Step 1. Calculate the apparent molecular weight of the gas:
Ma = (0.72) (28.96) = 20.85
Step 2. Determine the viscosity of the gas at 1 atm and 140F from Figure 2-5:
1 = 0.0113
Step 3. Calculate the pseudo-critical properties from Equations, to give:

TPc = 395.5 R ppc = 668.4 psia

Step 4. Calculate ppr and Tpr:
ppr = 2.99
Tpr = 1.52
Step 4. Determine the viscosity rates from Figure 2-6:

Step 5. Solve for the viscosity of the natural gas:

Example 2
Rework Example 1 and calculate the gas viscosity by using the Lee-Gonzalez-Eakin
method.
Step 1. Calculate the gas density from Equation:

Step 2. Solve for the parameters K, X, and Y by using Equations,

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PE-310 Natural Gas Engineering

Step 3. Calculate the viscosity from Equation.

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