U.S. Energy Information Administration logo
Skip to sub-navigation

Glossary

This page has no sub-navigation. Skip to page content.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W XYZ

Browse terms related to these fuel groups:alternative fuels|coal|electricity|natural gas|nuclear|petroleum|renewable

Permeability

Permeability:  The ability of a rock formation to transmit fluids. A measure of how much resistance a rock formation has to the movement of fluids through it. Formations where fluids readily move through them are permeable and typically have many large, well-connected pores. Low-permeability formations typically are made up of finer grains or mixed grains with smaller, fewer, or less-interconnected pores. Permeability is measured in darcys.

Top