Porous sedimentary rocks are of great importance for numerous technical applications like the efficient
production of natural energy carriers (oil and gas), the utilization of geothermal energy, as well as the
secondary storage of energy carriers (e.g., hydrogen) or climate active pollutants (CO2) in geological
formations. The suitability of such geological production and storage targets for the aforementioned
purposes is strongly controlled by the pore space characteristics of the respective rocks, delivering
storage space for the liquid and gaseous fluids of interest. Furthermore, the natural barrier effect of fine-
grained sedimentary rocks is controlled by their capillary behaviour as well. This project aims at a better
understanding of the interdependency of different geological factors (e.g., the type of depositional
environment and resulting sediment composition) and the preservation of primary accessible (effective)
porosity within the sediment. Furthermore, secondary changes in pore space distribution during ongoing
burial of the sediment in the subsurface will be covered. To do so, a broad array of modern analytical
techniques will be applied. High-resolution imaging techniques such as transmission electron
microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and micro computed tomography allow a spatially resolved
characterization of pores, as well as the calculation of geometry factors, etc. even at smallest length
scales (micrometers to nanometers). Highly resolved structural information can furthermore be derived
from petrophysical techniques such as gas adsorption or small angle X-ray/neutron scattering tests. By
the application of theoretical models to the acquired data, pore size distributions down to the nanometer-
scale can be obtained. Furthermore, these techniques deliver knowledge on the relative adsorptive
storage capacity for different gas molecules, an important information with respect to secondary storage
purposes. Finally, the pore space development in sedimentary rocks is strongly controlled by the
prevailing geomechanical stress regime, which gradually changes during deep burial within a
sedimentary basin, but is also influenced by other geological factors such as tectonic reactivation or
hydrocarbon generation. Therefore, micromechanical models will be established in order to test the
sensitivity of pore space characteristics to changing effective stress conditions. These models will be
based on empirical data collected in micromechanical tests (nano-indentation), which allow the
determination of single-phase mechanical properties of rock minerals and organic constituents at sub-
micrometer scale. In summary, this project should deliver a comprehensive understanding of the pore
space evolution in sedimentary rocks as a response to a complex geological framework.