ON THE WETTING OF CARBONATE SURFACES BY OIL AND WATER.

The relaxation of initially advancing and receding contact angles has been studied for two basic systems, water/saturated air/marble, and aqueous solution/oil/,marble, and static advancing contact angles have been studied in the water/air/marble system. All experiments were conducted at room temperature, but other experimental conditions have been varied so as to permit comparisons between these laboratory results and certain aspects of the recovery of oil from limestone fields. A preliminary study also has been made to elucidate which components of crude oil affect the wettability of calcium carbonate, and to assess the stability of the adsorbed layers to solvent attack and to oxidation.