2.6.

3 Determination of z-factor

Experimental Determination

Some quantity of gas (n moles) is charged into a cylinder, the volume of which can be altered by the
movement of a piston. The container is maintained at the desired temperature T throughout the
experiment. If V0 is the gas volume at an atmospheric pressure of 14.7 psia then, applying the real gas
law Eq. 2.17, 14.7 V0 = nRT since z = 1 at atmospheric pressure. At any higher pressure p for which the
corresponding volume of the gas is V, pV = ZnRT. Dividing these equations gives z = pV/14.7 V0

By varying p and measuring V, the isothermal Z(p) function can be readily obtained. This is the
most satisfactory method of determining the function; but in the majority of cases, the time and
expense involved are not warranted since reliable methods of direct calculation are available.

The z-factor Correlation of Standing and Katz

In 1941, Standing and Katz presented a z-factor chart (Fig. 2.4) base on binary mixtures and saturated
hydrocarbon vapor data. Figure 2.4 is a correlation of the z-factor as a function of reduced temperature
and pressure. This chart is generally reliable for sweet and natural gases and correctable for those
containing hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide. It has become one of the most widely accepted
correlations in the petroleum industry. This correlation requires a knowledge of the composition of the
gas or, at least, the gas gravity.

In order to use the Standing--Katz correlation, it is first necessary—from a knowledge of the gas
composition—to determine the pseudo critical pressure and temperature, or the apparent molecular
weight of the mixture. These pseudo-properties are given by Kay’s mixing rules as

Pseudocritical pressure ….

Pseudocritical temperature …..

Apparent molecular weight …..

Where

Yi = mole fraction of component I in gaseous state

Pci = pseudocritical pressure of component i

Tci = pseudocritical temperature of component i

Fig 2.4 Gas deviation factor for natural gases (After Standing dan Katz)

In cases where the composition of a natural gas is not available, the pseudocritical pressure and
pseudocritical temperature may be approximated from Fig. 2.5 and a knowledge of the gas gravity
(Brown et al., Carr et al.). Useful corelations derived from Fig. 2.5 and more recent data from other
sources by Thomas, Hankinson, and Philips are :

The allowable concentrations of sour gases and other nonhydrocarbons for the above equations are 3%
H2S, 5% N2, or a total impurity content of 7%

Fig. 2.5 Pseudocritical properties of miscellaneous natural gases.

The next step is to calculate the pseudoreduced pressure and temperature :

Where p and T are the absolute pressure and absolute temperature at which z-factor is required. With
these two reduced parameters the Standing—Katz correlation, which consists of a set of isotherms
giving z as a function of the pseudoreduced pressure, can be used to determine the z-factor.