The oil absorption rates are basically measured when a bowling ball is put in a bucket of oil for a couple hours and the total weight in grams is measured based on the ball's weight before and the weight after.
This rate is then used by Ebonite to advertise their balls. A ball's ability to absorb oil is important (to some) because if a ball aborbs oil (versus the oil just sitting on the cover) friction is created much sooner and more dramatically (when the ball is in the mid-lane and exiting the pattern) than if the oil stays on the cover and prevents the ball from grabbing the lane.
Every resin ball aborbs oil to some extent. I don't know Columbia's absorption rates. I'm sure the R&D department could do a study and find out if they felt it was important. Right now Ebonite is obviously selling a boat load of balls that use the rate as a means of advertising.
When a consumer sees a number like 11.5 on the One and then 12.7 on the Big One, it obviously means the ball with the higher number hooks more. At least that's the way they are marketed.
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Jon Brandon
Columbia Regional Staff 04-07
2003 PBA West Region Rookie of the Year
"You don't score, until you score......"