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Natural Gas Industry B 4 (2017) 100e105
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Research Article

A new model for the accurate calculation of natural gas viscosity

Yang Xiaohong*, Zhang Shunxi, Zhu Weiling
School of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan, Hubei 430023, China
Received 5 September 2016; accepted 25 December 2016
Available online 18 August 2017

Abstract

Viscosity of natural gas is a basic and important parameter, of theoretical and practical significance in the domain of natural gas recovery,
transmission and processing. In order to obtain the accurate viscosity data efficiently at a low cost, a new model and its corresponding functional
relation are derived on the basis of the relationship among viscosity, temperature and density derived from the kinetic theory of gases. After the
model parameters were optimized using a lot of experimental data, the diagram showing the variation of viscosity along with temperature and
density is prepared, showing that: ① the gas viscosity increases with the increase of density as well as the increase of temperature in the low
density region; ② the gas viscosity increases with the decrease of temperature in high density region. With this new model, the viscosity of 9
natural gas samples was calculated precisely. The average relative deviation between these calculated values and 1539 experimental data
measured at 250e450 K and 0.10e140.0 MPa is less than 1.9%. Compared with the 793 experimental data with a measurement error less than
0.5%, the maximum relative deviation is less than 0.98%. It is concluded that this new model is more advantageous than the previous 8 models in
terms of simplicity, accuracy, fast calculation, and direct applicability to the CO2 bearing gas samples.
© 2017 Sichuan Petroleum Administration. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND
license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Keywords: Natural gas; Viscosity; New model; Temperature; Density; Composition; Kinetic theory of gases; Relative deviation; Accurate calculation

Experimental measurement of viscosity is the most direct
and reliable method. In practice, however, the composition,
temperature and pressure of natural gas vary greatly, and this
method only cannot meet the needs of engineering calculation.
Moreover, many practical difficulties in engineering sites also
limit viscosity measurement. Therefore, it is necessary to
establish a fast, simple and accurate calculation model for
natural gas viscosity calculation.
1. A calculation model
The viscosity of natural gas (h) is a function of temperature
(T ), density (r) and composition ( y).
h ¼ f ðT; r; yÞ
* Corresponding author.
E-mail address: yangxhong88@163.com (Yang X.).
Peer review under responsibility of Sichuan Petroleum Administration.
As density (r) and pressure ( p) can be calculated by each
other through natural gas state equation, pressure can be
regarded as an independent variable, which is as follows:
h ¼ f ðT; p; yÞ ð2Þ
The calculation model of natural gas viscosity was built to
clarify the relationship of the above functions. Thus, natural
gas viscosity can be calculated according to its other physical
parameters for theoretical analysis and engineering applica-
tion. For this purpose, many scholars have made considerable
and sustained efforts.
1.1. The Dempsey model
ð1Þ
Carr et al. [1] created a two-step method to calculate nat-
ural gas viscosity in 1954, namely, a plate or equation was
used to determine natural gas viscosity at atmospheric pres-
sure, and then another plate was used to determine the vis-
cosity at other temperatures and pressures. Later, Dempsey [2]

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ngib.2017.07.011
2352-8540/© 2017 Sichuan Petroleum Administration. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
 Yang XH. et al. / Natural Gas Industry B 4 (2017) 100e105 101

fitted the viscosity plates published by Carr et al., and obtained in which,
the following equations (the Dempsey model):

 ð9:379 þ 0:016 07Mw Þð1:8TÞ1:5
h1 ¼ 1:709  105  2:062  106 gg ð1:8T þ 32Þ þ 8:188 K¼ ð12Þ
209:2 þ 19:26Mw þ 1:8T
 103  6:15  103 lggg ð3Þ
986:4

 X ¼ 3:448 þ þ 0:010 09Mw ð13Þ
F ¼ a0 þ a1 pr þ a2 p2r þ a3 p3r þ a4 þ a5 pr þ a6 p2r þ a7 p3r Tr 1:8T



þ a8 þ a9 pr þ a10 p2r þ a11 p3r Tr2 þ a12 þ a13 pr þ a14 p2r Y ¼ 2:447  0:222 4X ð14Þ

þ a15 p3r Tr3
ð4Þ where, rg is natural gas density, g/cm3; Mw is gas molecule
weight; T is temperature, K; mg is natural gas viscosity, mPa$s.
h1
h¼ expðFÞ ð5Þ
Tr 1.4. The VesoviceWakeham (VW) model
where, h is natural gas viscosity, mPa$s; h1 is natural gas
In 1989, based on the molecular rigid sphere formalism (the
viscosity at the atmosphere, mPa$s; T is temperature,  C; Tr is
steel ball model) and a single component of low-density vis-
dimensionless temperature; pr is dimensionless pressure; gg is
cosity as known quantity, Vesovic and Wakeham [5,6] built the
relative density of gas; a0ea15 are constants.
VW model of natural gas viscosity. This model considers the
intermolecular weak interaction and introduces fluid properties
1.2. The LBC model
in a self-compatible way. Moreover, it discussed, for the first
time, the relationship between natural gas viscosity and ther-
Lohrenz et al. [3] proposed a high pressure gas viscosity
modynamic parameters at the molecular level.
equation in 1964, as follows:
In 2002, Z
eberg-Mikkelsen et al. [7,8] split the natural gas
h

viscosity into the sum of the zero-density limit viscosity (h0)
h ¼ h* þ x1 0:102 3 þ 0:023 364rr þ 0:058 533r2r
4 i ð6Þ and the residual viscosity (Dh).
0:040 758r3r þ 0:009 332 4r4r 104
h ¼ h0 þ Dh ð15Þ
where, Zero-density limit viscosity can take the atmospheric
1
pressure (ideal gas) viscosity. According to the classical me-
Tc6 chanical law of friction, the residual viscosity equation is
x¼ 1 2 ð7Þ expressed as follows:
Mw2 p3c
Dh ¼ ka pa þ kr pr þ krr p2r ð16Þ
0:27pr
rr ¼ ð8Þ
ZTr where, pa and pr represent van der Waals attractive and
when repulsive forces respectively; kr, ka and krr represent
temperature-related parameters.
Tr  1:5 h* x ¼ 34:0  105 Tr0:94 ð9Þ
5 1.5. The SLP model
Tr  1:5 h* x ¼ 17:78  105 ð4:58Tr  1:67Þ8 ð10Þ

where, h is natural gas viscosity to be calculated, mPa$s; h* is In 2011, based on experimental data, Sanjari et al. [9]
low pressure mixed gas viscosity, mPa$s; rr is dimensionless proposed the following equations to calculate the viscosity
density; x is mixed gas viscosity parameter; Mw is natural gas of natural gas:
molecular weight; Z is natural gas compressibility factor. This
Aðpr Þ þ BðTr Þ
model, based on low pressure (Zero density limit) natural gas h¼ ð17Þ
Cðpr Þ þ DðTr Þ
viscosity, is used to calculate high pressure (or high density)
natural gas viscosity.
in which,
1.3. The LGE model A ¼ a1 þ a2 pr þ a3 p2r þ a4 lnðpr Þ þ a5 ln2 ðpr Þ ð18Þ
Lee et al. [4] presented a different type of gas viscosity a6
equation in 1966 as follows: B¼ þ a7 ln2 ðTr Þ ð19Þ
Tr
 
mg ¼ 104 K exp XrYg ð11Þ
C ¼ 1 þ a8 p2r ð20Þ
102 Yang XH. et al. / Natural Gas Industry B 4 (2017) 100e105

a9 a10 a11 X
n
D¼ þ þ ð21Þ Mmix ¼ Mi yi ð28Þ
Tr Tr2 Tr3
i¼1

where, a1ea11 are constants. This model can be used to Therefore, its critical density is:
calculate viscosity directly by dimensionless temperature and
dimensionless pressure which act as independent variables.
Mmix
1.6. The HEM model rc ¼ ð29Þ
Vc

In 2013, Heidaryan et al. [10] proposed the following where, Tc, Vc, rc and Mmix represent critical temperature,
natural gas viscosity calculation equation by revising the volume, density, and average molecular weight respectively;
critical temperature and pressure expression: Tci, Vci, Mi and yi represent the corresponding values of the “i”

"

 #
h 1 þ A1 Tr þ A2 pr þ A3 2Tr2  1 þ A4 2p2r  1
¼ exp



 ð22Þ
h1 A5 Tr þ A6 pr þ A7 2Tr2  1 þ A8 2p2r  1 þ A9 4Tr3  Tr þ A10 4p3r  3pr

where A1eA10 are constants, and other independent variables' component. Based on critical parameters, dimensionless var-
definitions are the same as before. iables can be defined as follows:

1.7. The JAH model T

Tr ¼ ð30Þ
Tc
In 2015, Jarrahian et al. [11] proposed following natural gas
viscosity calculation equation: r
    rr ¼ ð31Þ
h A2 A3 A5 2 A 5 A6 5 rc
¼ 1 þ A1 þ þ 3 rR þ A4 þ r þ r Based on dimensionless variables, the average attracting
h1 Tr Tr Tr R Tr R
energy of natural gas molecule is expressed as:
A7


þ 3 r2R 1 þ A8 r2R exp A8 r2R ð23Þ
Tr a
pr 4att
r ¼ ðAb þ Ak Tr Þrr ð32Þ
rR ¼
 ð24Þ
B1 þ B2 gg ZTr
where, Ab, Ak and a represent constants that are irrelevant to
temperature and density. Finally, the expression of natural gas
1

h1 ¼ C1 TrC2 þ C3 expðC4 Tr Þ þ C5 expðC6 Tr Þ þ C7 viscosity is derived as follows:
x
!    att 
þ DhðH2 Þ ð25Þ Xn
pffiffiffiffiffiffi pffiffiffiffi q 4
h¼B yi Mi Tr exp ð1 þ krr Þexp r ð33Þ
Tr Tr
where, A1eA8, B1eB2, and C1eC7 are constants. i¼1

where, B, q and k all represent parameters that are irrelevant to

1.8. The Yang's theory
temperature and density. This equation quantifies the variation
of natural gas viscosity with temperature, density and
The calculation models of natural gas viscosity above are
composition.
basically empirical or semi-theoretical models. Based on the
For further simplifying the calculation method and facili-
kinetic theory of gas, Yang et al. [12] established a new theory
tating the application on engineering, the following variables
about the relationship between natural gas viscosity and
can be defined:
temperature/density, which is introduced below.
The average critical temperature, volume and molecular pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi X
n
pffiffiffiffiffiffi
weight of natural gas are the weighted average of mole per- Msqrt ¼ Mi yi ð34Þ
i¼1
centages of each component ( yi)
pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
X
n
hB ¼ B Msqrt ð35Þ
Tc ¼ Tci yi ð26Þ
i¼1 Eq. (34) represents the mean square root of molecular
X
n weight, and Eq. (35) represents a viscosity reference parameter
Vc ¼ Vci yi ð27Þ that is irrelevant to temperature and density. By adjusting the
i¼1 coefficients appropriately, the variation of (1 þ krr) in the
 Yang XH. et al. / Natural Gas Industry B 4 (2017) 100e105 103

equation can be merged into the index, and finally the

following expression can be obtained:

pffiffiffiffi q þ ðAb þ Ak Tr Þrar

h ¼ hB Tr exp ð36Þ
Tr
Equation (36) is a new calculation model of natural gas
viscosity, with the parameters as B ¼ 3.142, q ¼ 0.551,
Ak ¼ 0.172, Ab ¼ 0.621, a ¼ 1.273. These optimized new
values can be applied to a wider range. According to Equation
(36) and the relation equations between the mole fractions of
each component and the parameter value, average critical
parameter or correlation coefficients respectively (i.e. Equa-
tion (26) to (29), (34) and (35)), the numerical changes of
natural gas viscosity which are along with composition, tem-
perature, and density changes can be easily calculated on the
Fig. 1. Variation of natural gas viscosity with dimensionless temperature and
platforms such as Excel. density.

2. Results and discussions

For quantifying and evaluating the established new model,
The sources of the selected data for natural gas viscosity
the absolute percent deviation (APD) between the predicted
experiment are shown in Table 1. Fig. 1 shows the variation
value and the experimental data is calculated when the opti-
surface diagram of natural gas dimensionless viscosity (hr)
mized parameters is used in Equation (36):
changing with dimensionless temperature (Tr) and dimen-
 
sionless density (rr). This diagram is calculated by Equation  hpredicted 
APD ¼ 1   100 ð37Þ
(36), in which the above-mentioned parameters are used. hmeasured 
Fig. 1 shows the viscosity increasing with the increase of
density. Viscosity increases with the increase of temperature in
the low-density area, but decreases with the increase of the
temperature in the high-density area.
In order to evaluate and verify the correctness of Equation
(36), it is necessary to collect and select experimental data
according to some principles. First, the measured experimental
data should be non-calculated values. Second, the data are
obtained from advanced experimental devices or instruments.
Third, the data are compatible. The sources of data that meet
these three principles are shown in Table 1, where the data are
measured after 2000 and the total number of data points is
1539 which involves 9 samples and the maximum measure-
ment error rate is 3%. The variations of these experimental
data with the change of pressure are shown in Fig. 2. It can be
seen that the graphs of the same sample at different temper-
atures are basically similar. For the different samples that are
at the same temperature but in the different pressure areas,
their extension lines are fit in with each other, and thus they
have compatibility. Fig. 2. Summarization of 1539 selected data points for natural gas viscosity
experiments.

Table 1
Sources of the selected data for natural gas viscosity experiments.
References Number of samples Number of data points Temperature range/K Pressure range/MPa Measuring error
Schley et al. [13] 3 793 260e360 0.10e20.00 0.5%
Assael et al. [14] 1 40 241e454 0.24e14.00 1.0%
Yu Zhong [15] 1 78 313e423 3.50e15.50 3.0%
Atilhan et al. [16] 3 573 250e450 10.00e65.00 2.0%
Canet et al. [17] 1 55 293e373 20.00e140.00 3.0%
Total 9 1539
104 Yang XH. et al. / Natural Gas Industry B 4 (2017) 100e105

where, hpredicted and hmeasured are the model calculated vis-

Fig. 3. Variation of methane APD with temperature.
cosity value and the experimental measurement viscosity
value, respectively.
Figs. 3 and 4 show the calculation of the APD value of
methane changing with temperature and pressure. It can be
seen that the viscosity of methane is estimated accurately at a
temperature range of 250e450 K and a pressure range of
0.1e70.0 MPa. The APD value is 0.59% averagely and 3.3%
at maximum. The APD of methane increases with the increase
of temperature, but it is basically similar with the changes of
pressure. Since the error of the Schley experimental data
concentrated in the range of 0.1e30.0 MPa is lower than that
of Atilhan, the data points of APD are concentrated in the low
value area (near zero), which indicates that the APD is
generally positively correlated with the experimental data
error.
The composition of other selected gas samples is shown in
Table 2. The main parameters calculated based on this
composition and the average and maximum APD values cor-
responding to 1539 data points are shown in Table 3. It can be
seen from Table 3 that Equation (36) predicts the viscosity of
the given gas samples; the weighted average APD value of
1539 data points is 1.9%, and the maximum APD is 3.1%.
Below 30 MPa, the calculation results are more accurate and
the APD value is positively correlated with the experimental
data error.
Compared with the previous calculation model (Table 4),
the new calculation model is advantageous in simplicity, ac-
curacy, fast calculation and availability of theoretical basis.

Fig. 4. Variation of methane APD with pressure.

Table 2
Compositions of 9 selected gas samples.a
Compositions Schley Methane Schley Gas H Schley Gas L Assael Atilhan Methane Atilhan QNG-S1 Atilhan QNG-S2 Canet Yu Zhong
He 0.0137% 0.0520%
CO2 0.7740% 1.4523% 0.66% 2.3310% 10%
N2 1.5324% 9.7520% 5.60% 3.4960%
O2 0.0419% 0.0100%
H2 0.0007% 0.0005%
CH4 100% 89.5670% 84.3320% 84.84% 100% 84.9900% 90.260% 95.75% 90%
C2H6 6.1464% 3.4085% 8.40% 5.5290% 5.828%
C3H8 1.2532% 0.6023% 0.50% 2.0080% 2.106%
n-C4H10 0.1924% 0.1282% 0.5850% 0.641%
Iso-C4H10 0.2857% 0.1033%
n-C5H12 0.0324% 0.0350% 0.1470% 0.162%
Iso-C5H12 0.0565% 0.0357% 0.1690% 0.214%
Neo-C5H12 0.0032% 0.0056%
C6H14 0.0572% 0.0388%
C7H16 0.0340% 0.0174%
C8H18 0.0038% 0.0041% 0.1520% 0.161%
C9H20 0.0010% 0.0021%
C10þ 0.0009% 0.0013% 4.25%
C6H6 0.0021% 0.0250%
C6H5CH3 0.0009% 0.0031% 0.0009% 0.110%
C8H10 0.0006% 0.0010%
C6H12 0.1020% 0.111%
a
Natural gas composition in mole fraction.
 Yang XH. et al. / Natural Gas Industry B 4 (2017) 100e105 105

Table 3
Calculated parameters and APD values of 9 selected gas samples.
Calculated parameters Schley Methane Schley Gas H Schley Gas L Assael Atilhan Methane Atilhan QNG-S1 Atilhan QNG-S2 Canet Yu Zhong
Mw/g 16.043 17.993 18.468 18.216 16.043 19.154 18.248 21.408 18.839
(Msqrt)0.5/g0.5 4.005 4.197 4.252 4.232 4.005 4.300 4.196 4.342 4.268
Tc/K 190.56 201.38 191.94 198.24 190.56 204.16 204.31 208.72 201.92
rc/(kg$m3) 162.658 173.260 183.469 177.666 162.658 181.734 171.862 176.988 191.891
Avg. APD 0.37% 0.30% 0.34% 0.81% 1.80% 3.80% 3.90% 4.00% 1.70%
Max. APD 0.92% 0.97% 0.98% 4.20% 3.30% 5.30% 5.10% 8.90% 4.50%

Table 4
APD values and key features of relevant calculation models.
Models Avg. APD Number of equations Number of parameters Theoretical basis
The new model in the paper 1.9% 1 5 Kinetic theory of gas
Dempsey 7.9% 3 20 Empirical equation
LBC 4.9% 5 11 Empirical equation
LGE 6.2% 3 10 Empirical equation
VW 2.8% 6 Positively correlated with the composition number Rigid sphere formalism
F-theory 3.5% 5 13 Friction theory
SLP 2.2% 5 11 Empirical equation
HEM 3.0% 5 10 Empirical equation
JAH 2.4% 5 19 Empirical equation

3. Conclusions
Based on the relationship among viscosity, temperature and
density which are derived from the kinetic theory of gas, a new
model for calculating the viscosity of natural gas was estab-
lished. The model quantifies the functional relationship be-
tween the viscosity of natural gas and its composition,
temperature and density. According to this function, the dia-
grams showing the variation of viscosity with temperature and
density can be obtained. These diagrams reveal that the vis-
cosity increases with the increase of density. The viscosity
increases with the rise of temperature in low-density area, but
decreases with the rise of temperature in the high-density area.
According to the comparison between the calculated values
via this model and 1539 experimental data points which were
measured under 250e450 K and 0.10e140.0 MPa, the relative
error is less than 1.9%. Specifically, the maximum relative
error is less than 0.98% compared to the Schley's 793 exper-
imental data points with a measurement error less than 0.5%.
In contrast with the previous models, this new model is more
advantageous in terms of simplicity, accuracy, fast calculation,
theoretical support and direct applicability to the gas samples
bearing CO2. It is recommended that this model be used for
the analysis, calculation and design of viscosity in practical
natural gas engineering applications.
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