Absolute permeability is an important parameter in the evaluation of the performance of geothermal and hydrocarbon reservoirs. The primary production of oil and gas reservoirs normally is isothermal. This is not the case for geothermal reservoirs or for many enhanced oil recovery projects. In these reservoirs the temperature of the formation changes, and as a result, many of the formation properties change. Absolute permeability is an essential parameter, and it is important to study the effect of temperature on absolute permeability.

Experiments investigating the effect of temperature on absolute permeability have been carried out during the last decade. These experiments covered a range of rock types, fluids, confining pressures, and several other system parameters. It is evident that not all results are in agreement. In some cases the same observation yielded different interpretations. The investigation of the effect of temperature on the permeability to distilled water of Berea sandstones is an example of interpretation disagreement. Certain researchers claim fine sand migration causes an apparent change in the permeability, while others attribute changes to elevated temperature effects.

The work presented herein is a study of the effect of temperature on the absolute permeability to distilled water of unconsolidated sandstones at one confining pressure.

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