 Decreased water-wetness: As kerogen matures thermally, its wettability tends to shift from water-wet to more oil-wet conditions ( These specific findings emphasize that the thermal maturity of kerogen significantly influences its wettability, transitioning from water-wet to more oil-wet conditions as maturity increases. The changes in surface chemistry, aromaticity, pore structure, and overall hydrophobicity play key roles in determining the wettability characteristics of mature kerogen.