There is a disagreement in the literature on how the adsorption of crude oil on carbonate rock happens in the first place. This work investigates the role of carboxylic groups in depositing the asphaltenic part of crude oil on mineral surfaces including silica, clays and carbonates. We study the adsorption of crude-oil-like-substances in a system that mimics the deposition conditions. The study includes experimental and analytical approaches for acids, surfactants and polymers containing carboxylic groups.