A method of assessing the response of a reservoir rock to low salinity water comprising: obtaining a formation core sample of a reservoir rock from a reservoir; sequentially washing the formation core sample with a first series of solvents comprising a nonpolar solvent followed by a polar solvent to form a first series of solvent extracts and an extracted formation core sample; sequentially washing the extracted formation core sample with a treating solution to form a second series of solvent extracts and a cleaned formation core sample; generating a series of mass spectra of the second series of solvent extracts, wherein the relative abundance of the catecholamine-type structures is determined using the series of mass spectra, wherein the CTS comprise organic molecules comprising an aromatic core consisting of one or more aromatic rings and four or more functional groups on the aromatic core, and wherein the CTS is selected from the group consisting of compounds having a general formula C x H y N m O x-3 where x is from 10 to 30, y is from 22 to 62, and m is from 1 to 2 and compounds having a general formula C x H y O x-3 where x is from 10 to 30, and y is from 22 to 62; subjecting the formation core sample to analysis by X-ray diffraction to generate a diffraction pattern, wherein the relative abundance of kaolinite is determined using the diffraction pattern; and assessing a response of the reservoir rock to low salinity water based on the percentage of kaolinite and the relative abundance of CTS, wherein the reservoir rock having a CTS of greater than 25 mol% produces an additional 0.01% to 20% amount of the original oil in place when contacted with low salinity water. obtaining a formation core sample of a reservoir rock from a reservoir; sequentially washing the formation core sample with a first series of solvents comprising a nonpolar solvent followed by a polar solvent to form a first series of solvent extracts and an extracted formation core sample; sequentially washing the extracted formation core sample with a treating solution to form a second series of solvent extracts and a cleaned formation core sample; generating a series of mass spectra of the second series of solvent extracts, wherein the relative abundance of the catecholamine-type structures is determined using the series of mass spectra, wherein the CTS comprise organic molecules comprising an aromatic core consisting of one or more aromatic rings and four or more functional groups on the aromatic core, and wherein the CTS is selected from the group consisting of compounds having a general formula C x H y N m O x-3 where x is from 10 to 30, y is from 22 to 62, and m is from 1 to 2 and compounds having a general formula C x H y O x-3 where x is from 10 to 30, and y is from 22 to 62; subjecting the formation core sample to analysis by X-ray diffraction to generate a diffraction pattern, wherein the relative abundance of kaolinite is determined using the diffraction pattern; and assessing a response of the reservoir rock to low salinity water based on the percentage of kaolinite and the relative abundance of CTS, wherein the reservoir rock having a CTS of greater than 25 mol% produces an additional 0.01% to 20% amount of the original oil in place when contacted with low salinity water.