Maka-1 (Block 58, Suriname)
A Multi-Pulse Generation–Expulsion–Migration Model for the Golden Lane Petroleum System

Written by Marcel Chin-A-Lien – Petroleum & Energy Advisor – 9th February 2026

Guyana–Suriname Basin Golden Lane ACT Source System Basin Modelling Charge Risk Exploration Strategy

Companion paper statement.
This article is a companion contribution to my earlier publications on the Golden Lane and the Guyana–Suriname Basin petroleum system.

It focuses specifically on the temporal dynamics of hydrocarbon generation, expulsion, and migration, using a Maka-1–anchored basin model to demonstrate a three-pulse charge framework that explains the exceptional exploration success of Block 58.

Executive summary.
The Golden Lane petroleum system is not charged by a single event but by multiple, time-separated charge pulses sourced from stacked Cretaceous marine source rocks.

Using a physically based burial–thermal–kinetic model anchored to Maka-1, three major charge cycles are identified: Pulse 1 (55–45 Ma), Pulse 2 (35–25 Ma), and Pulse 3 (15–5 Ma).

Short vertical migration distances between source rocks and deep-water reservoirs make each pulse highly effective, dramatically reducing charge risk and explaining the high discovery rate in Block 58.

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1. Why Maka-1 is the anchor well for Golden Lane charge analysis

Maka-1 (Maka Central-1) is a historical well, drilled by Apache, as it was the first well that discovered an oil reservoir in offshore Suriname, shortly after and ignited by Liza-1 in Guyana, and that heralded the petroleum boom of Suriname.

It sits within the core of the Golden Lane fairway and typifies the deep-water stratigraphic architecture of Block 58: stacked Upper Cretaceous reservoirs directly underlain by multiple mature Cretaceous marine source intervals.

Although detailed well data remain proprietary, publicly available information constrains total depth, reservoir age, and depositional setting sufficiently to construct a credible 1D petroleum systems model.

The objective of this model is not detailed calibration, but to establish a robust, defensible temporal framework for understanding when and how hydrocarbons were generated, expelled, migrated, and repeatedly re-introduced into the Golden Lane system.

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2. The hero image — what it shows and why it matters

Figure 1 — Maka-1 (Block 58) burial, maturation and multi-pulse hydrocarbon charge history. Cretaceous source rocks (Aptian–Albian ACT, Cenomanian marine shale, Cenomanian–Turonian OAE-2, and Coniacian) were deposited between ~125 and ~86 Ma but are shown extending to the present to illustrate their post-depositional burial, heating, maturation, and hydrocarbon generation. Shaded vertical zones indicate three distinct charge cycles: Pulse 1 (55–45 Ma), Pulse 2 (35–25 Ma), and Pulse 3 (15–5 Ma).

Figure 1 shows that although the ACT source rocks in Block 58 were deposited in the Cretaceous, they generated and expelled hydrocarbons in three distinct charge pulses tens of millions of years later, repeatedly feeding the Golden Lane reservoirs.

2.1 Scientific interpretation (for geoscientists)

The diagram integrates burial trajectories, thermal evolution, and distributed-activation-energy kinetics (DAEM) to visualize transformation ratio and expulsion intensity through time.

Because the stacked source rocks occupy different depth levels and possess different kinetic properties (Type II vs. Type II-S), they enter peak generation and expulsion at different times.

Burial acceleration during the Paleocene–Eocene and continued maturation into the Neogene result in discrete expulsion maxima rather than a single event.

2.2 Plain-language interpretation (for non-geologists)

The source rocks are like several fuel tanks stacked underground.

They were all laid down long ago, but each heated up and released oil and gas at different moments.

Instead of one release, the system produced hydrocarbons in three major waves.

Because the reservoirs sit close above these rocks, each wave had a high chance of filling traps with oil and gas.

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3. The three charge pulses and their geological drivers

Pulse 1 — Primary oil charge (55–45 Ma)

• Driven by rapid Paleocene–Eocene burial and heating.
• Dominated by Lower ACT and OAE-2 source rocks.
• Establishes the first major oil columns in Campanian–Santonian reservoirs.

Pulse 2 — Recharge and remigration (35–25 Ma)

• Continued burial and kinetic contrasts between source intervals.
• Refills and tops up earlier accumulations.
• Critically reduces trap-timing risk.

Pulse 3 — Late cracking and gas overprint (15–5 Ma)

• Secondary cracking of retained oils in the deepest kitchen.
• Introduces gas and condensate into existing accumulations.
• Explains oil-to-gas gradients across the Golden Lane.

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4. Animated pulse sequence — visualizing charge through time

To complement the static hero image, a short three-frame animation was developed showing:

• Frame 1: Initial oil charge during Pulse 1.
• Frame 2: Trap refill and migration enhancement during Pulse 2.
• Frame 3: Late gas overprint and phase modification during Pulse 3.

This sequence makes the dynamic nature of the petroleum system intuitive and highlights why repeated charging dramatically increases exploration success.

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5. Why this explains the exceptional success rate in Block 58

Key insight.
Block 58 works because its traps sit in a petroleum system that was repeatedly energized.

• Multiple charge pulses mean multiple chances for success.
• Short vertical migration pathways ensure high charge efficiency.
• Stacked reservoirs capture hydrocarbons from different pulses.
• Late pulses modify but do not destroy earlier accumulations.

This combination explains the consistency, size, and stacking of discoveries in Block 58 better than any single-event charge model.

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6. Exploration and production implications

• Exploration: Lower charge risk, higher success rates, and strong justification for stratigraphic plays.
• Appraisal: Expect vertical and lateral compositional variability tied to pulse history.
• Development: Anticipate gas caps and evolving GOR where Pulse 3 influence is strong.

Pulse-based thinking shifts focus from “did the trap form in time?” to “how many times was the trap charged?”.

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Appendix — Scientific method (high-level overview)

The model is a 1D basin model representing a hypothetical Maka-1 well and includes:

• Physically plausible burial history with Paleocene–Eocene and Neogene loading phases.
• Post-rift heat-flow decay typical of passive margins.
• Distributed-activation-energy (DAEM) kinetics for primary generation.
• Secondary cracking kinetics for late gas generation.
• Expulsion represented by the time-derivative of transformation ratio above threshold.

The workflow is transparent and reproducible and can be fully calibrated when proprietary maturity and kinetic data become available.

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Author — Short CV

Petroleum & Energy Advisor
Founder — PetroleumEnergyInsights.com

• Independent petroleum geoscientist specializing in deep-water petroleum systems.
• Extensive experience in the Guyana–Suriname Basin and Atlantic margins.
• Advisor on exploration strategy, charge risk, and investor communication.

This article reflects independent technical interpretation based on established basin-modelling principles and publicly available information.