The main application of the FT is within the area of flow assurance, which is essential for all aspects of the petroleum industry. The flexibility and accuracy that the FT models deliver can, therefore, provide essential evaluation tools for flow assurance as well as many other potential applications where viscosity is a key parameter. The FT models can be applicable to the full range of temperature and pressure conditions typically found in the oil industry (i.e. from low- to high-temperature and pressures up to around 100 MPa).

In this work, several representative examples covering wide ranges of conditions are studied. Starting from the basic standard information that is found in regular laboratory reports, full thermodynamic and viscosity modeling is achieved. Subsequently, the stability and consistency of the developed models is shown even beyond tuning conditions. In essence, the approach has two possible modes of application: 1) prediction and 2) tuning. The use of generalized parameters can deliver results that go from the accurate viscosity predictions of light fluids to reasonable predictions in the case of heavy oils having viscosities in ranges as high as thousands of cP. Alternatively, if viscosity data is available highly accurate FT models can be derived. The FT models can also be combined giving sensible predictions for oil blends or even for applications involving strong compositional changes such as VAPEX processes.

The present work demonstrates how thermodynamic fluid models can be used for the accurate modeling of not only typical thermodynamic properties but also transport properties and viscosity in particular. The approach links fundamental thermodynamics to viscosity in a unique way. This work will, therefore, present an integrated alternative for the modeling of a number of thermophysical properties that are highly relevant to engineering developments in the oil and gas industry applicable to a wide range of conditions as well as fluids.