Viscosities for completion fluids at temperature and density

Brine viscosities are an important property in sand-control and coil-tubing operations. Viscosities are used to calculate sand settling rates for gravel-packing and frictional pressure losses. Because of limited brine-viscosity data, viscosites were determined for conventional completion fluids using an Oswald viscometer. Then, 3D equations were determined as a function of density and temperature for calcium chloride; calcium bromide; calcium chloride and calcium bromide; calcium bromide and zinc bromide; three-salt mixture of calcium chloride, calcium bromide, and zinc bromide; and sodium bromide solutions. All equations had an absolute average deviation from the measured values of less than 10%.