A New Correlation for Prediction of Undersaturated Light Oil

Viscosity
nikpoor_1985@yahoo.com
hadi.parvizi@gmail.com
javad.naseryan@gmail.com
Mohammad Hossain Nikpoor, PUT, Hadi Parvizi, PUT
Javad Naseryan, PUT

Abstract
Viscosity is one of the most important governing parameters of the fluid flow,
either in the porous media or in pipelines. Whenever laboratory data are obtained,
efforts are made to find a best-fit correlation, because demand for mathematical
equation of fluid flow for reservoir simulation, pressure traverse calculation and so on
compel the person to use empirical and semi-empirical correlations to find viscosity at
various points of the flow path (along which T, P, Rs and other parameters may vary).
This paper reviews the most widely used oil viscosity correlations and proposes a new
correlation to predict undersaturated light oil viscosity based on experimental data and
computer manipulations.
Keywords: viscosity; undersaturated, saturated and dead oil; API gravity

1. Introduction
Crude oil viscosity is an important physical property that controls and influences
the flow of oil through porous media and pipes. The viscosity, in general, is defined as
the internal resistance of the fluid to flow. Oil viscosity is a strong function of the
temperature, pressure, oil gravity, gas gravity, and gas solubility. Whenever possible,
oil viscosity should be determined by laboratory measurements at in situ temperature
and pressure. Viscosity is usually reported in standard PVT analyses. If such
laboratory data are not available, engineers may refer to published correlations, which
usually vary in complexity and accuracy depending upon the available data on the
crude oil.

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Viscosity -like other physical properties of liquids- is sensitive to changes in

pressure and temperature. Increasing temperature always causes a decrease in liquid
viscosity. Increasing pressure always causes increase in viscosity above the bubble
point. However below the bubble point, increasing pressure causes an increase in
solution gas, which in turn decreases the oil viscosity. Thus, oil viscosity correlations
all belong to three categories: dead oil, saturated oil and undersaturated oil viscosity
correlation.
2. Viscosity correlations
Numerous viscosity-correlations have been proposed. None, however, has been
used as a standard method in the oil industry. Most correlation methods can be
categorized either as black oil or as compositional type. Black oil type correlations
predict viscosities from available field-measured variables by fitting of an empirical
equation. The second method derives mostly from the principle of corresponding
states and its extensions and customarily called compositional models.
In black oil models, the correlating variables traditionally include a combination of
solution gas/oil ratio, bubble point pressure, oil API gravity, temperature, specific gas
gravity, and/or the dead oil viscosity. Beal [1], Beggs-Robinson [2],Glaso [3],
Egbogah-Ng [4], Labedi correlation [5].
Compositional models include Petrosky and Farshad [6], Lohrenz et al. [7], Little
and Kennedy [8], Saeedi et al. [9] correlations.
The proposed method is a black oil type correlation for prediction of
undersaturated oil viscosity.
3. Results
86 data points have been used which are obtained from southwest Iranian Ahwaz
oilfield. After a thorough mathematical manipulation of data, author has reached the
following undersaturated oil viscosity correlation:
b1
b2
b3
b4
b5
b6
b7
= b + 0.001(P - Pb ) (a 1 b + a 2 b + a 3 b + a 4 Pb + a 5 Pb + a 6 Pb + a 7 Pb )

(1)

Where:
a1=0.05601
a2=0.47557
b1=1.45198 b2=0.35997
Error % =2.583%

a3 =-0.2257
b3=0.86389

a4 =-0.29598
b4 =-0.41866

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a5 =-0.07734
b5 =-0.29981

a6 =-0.42436
b6=-0.1946

a7 =-1.64149
b7 =-0.31339

Comparison between measured and calculated

20
18
16
14
(cp)

12
Measured

10

Calculated

8
6
4
2
0
0

1000

2000

3000 P (psia) 4000

5000

6000

7000

Figure 1. Comparison between measured and calculated viscosity by equation (1).

Viscosity vs. pressure. Average error = 2.58%

Error% = 100 {absolute value of {(measured calculated) /measured} average

But if we include the sign of errors, the average will be -0.856646019%. Now we
compare the introduced undersaturated oil viscosity correlation with other correlations
of the same types that are commonly in use.
a) Beal correlation [1]
This correlation proposes that for any specified oil, when only pressure is the
variable, viscosity varies linearly with the pressure.
= b + 0.001(

P Pb )(0.024

ob 1.6 + 0.038 ob

0.56

(2)

comparison between measured and calculated using Beal corr.

25

20

(cp)

15

10

Measured

Calculated

0
0

1000

2000

3000 P (psia) 4000

5000

6000

Figure 2. Measured values compared with calculated values calculated by Beal correlation.
Average error is 4.21%.

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7000

b) The Vasquez-Beggs Correlation [10]

p
o = ob
pb

m = 2 . 6 p 1 . 187 10

a = 3 . 9 10 5 p 5

(4)

This correlation ignores the effect of ob on the coefficient which is multiplied by

ob to predict o.
Comparison between measured and calculated using Vasquez-Beggs Corr.

25

20

(cp)

15
Measured
Calculated

10

0
0

1000

2000

3000

P (psia)

4000

5000

6000

7000

Figure 3. Measured values compared with calculated values calculated based on the Vasquez-Beggs
Correlation. Average error is 9.13%.

b) Khan Correlation [11]

= ob exp( 9 . 6 10 5 ( P Pb ))

(5 )

Like the previous case, this correlation ignores the effect of ob on the coefficient
which is multiplied by ob to predict o.

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Comparison between measured and calculated using Khan Corr.

25

20

(cp)

15
Measured
Calculated

10

0
0

1000

2000

3000 P (psia) 4000

5000

6000

7000

Figure 4. Measured values compared with calculated values calculated based on the Khan Correlation
Average error is 4.65%.

4. Conclusions
We presented a new viscosity correlation derived based on Iranian field data which
does not require compositional information and can be used for black oil type fluids.
The correlation can be used in black oil reservoir simulators, it can be easily tuned,
and it provides better estimates of oil viscosity than the previous existing correlations.
This is shown in the figure 5.
Comparison between all methods

25

Measured

20

Beal
Vasquez

(cp)

15

Khan
New corr.

10

0
0

10

20

30

40
50
60
No. of measurement

70

Figure 5. Comparison between all introduced methods

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80

90

100

List of symbols
API
P
Rs
T

oil gravity (API = 141.5/ (o 131.5))

pressure (psia)
solution gas/oil ratio (SCF/STB)
temperature (R)

Greek letters
o
ob

undersaturated oil viscosity (cp)

bubble point oil viscosity (cp)

List of subscripts
b
at bubble point

References
[1] Beal, C., 1946. The viscosity of air, water, natural gas, crude oil and its associated gases at oil field
temperature and pressures. Trans. AIME (Am. Inst. Min. Metall.) 165, 94 112.
[2] Beggs, H.D., Robinson, J.R., 1975. Estimating the viscosity of crude oil system. J. Pet. Technol.
9, 1140 1149.
[3] Glaso, O., 1980. Generalized pressure volume temperature correlations. J. Pet. Technol. 32 (5),
785 795.
[4] Ng, J.T.H., Egbogah, E.O., 1983. An improved temperature viscosity correlation for a crude oil
system. Presented at the Pet. Soc., Can. Inst. Min. Metall., Annu. Tech. Meet., Banff, Alta., May 10
13, 1983, Pap. CIM 83-34-32.
[5] Labedi, R., 1992. Improved correlations for predicting the viscosity of light crudes. J. Pet. Sci.
Eng. 8, 221 234.
[6] Petrosky Jr., G.E., Farshad, F.F., 1993. Pressure volume temperature correlation for the Gulf of
Mexico. Presented at 68th Soc. Pet. Eng. Annu. Tech. Conf., Houston, TX, Oct. 3 6, 1993, Pap. SPE
26644.
[7] J. Lohrenz, B.G Bray, C.R. Clark, J. Petr. Technol., 19641171.Calculating viscosities of reservoir
fluids having their compositions. Journal of Petroleum Technology, October 1966, p 1171.
[8] Little, .J. E. and Kennedy, H.T. A Correlation of the Viscosity of Hydrocarbon systems with
Pressure, Temperature and Composition. SPE 41st annual fall meeting June l968
[9] Khalaf, A.A.El.Emam, Y.Saeedi, Jawaid Viscosity correlations for compositional reservoir
simulators. SPE 9643. March 9-12. 1981.
[10] Vasquez, M. and Beggs, H.D., Correlations for Fluid Physical Property Prediction, JPT, June
1980, pp.968-970
[11] Khan, S. A., et al., Viscosity Correlations for Saudi Arabian Crude Oils, SPE Paper 15720,
Presented at the Fifth SPE Middle East Conference held in Manama, Bahrain, March 7-10, 1987.

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