View source for Bemolanga

{{No footnotes|date=December 2015}}
{{Infobox oil field
| name        = Bemolanga
| image       = 
| caption     = 
| location_map       = Madagascar
| location_map_width = 
| location_map_text  = 
| coordinates = {{coord|17|47|19|S|45|07|15|E|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_ref    = 
| country     = [[Madagascar]]
| region      =
| location    = [[Morondava Basin]]
| block       = 
| offonshore  = Onshore
| operator    = [[Total S.A.]]
| partners    = [[Madagascar Oil]]<br/>Total S.A.
| contractors = 
| discovery   =
| start_development = 
| start_production = 
| peak_year   =
| abandonment =
| peak_of_production_oil_bbl/d =
| peak_of_production_oil_tpy =
| oil_production_bbl/d =
| oil_production_tpy =
| production_year_oil = 
| production_year_gas =
| est_oil_bbl = 16600
| est_oil_t   = 
| recover_oil_bbl = 9800
| recover_oil_t   =
| formations  = Isalo formation<br/>Amboloando formationbr/>Karoo formation
}}
'''Bemolanga'''  is a large [[oil sands]] deposit in the [[Onshore (hydrocarbons)|onshore]] [[Morondava Basin]] of [[Madagascar]]. The deposit was discovered in the early 1900s but was known to locals for centuries. The field is located north of the [[Tsimiroro]] [[Heavy crude oil|heavy oil]] field and east of the town of [[Morafenobe]]. The field is at {{convert|0|-|30|m}} depth and about {{convert|120|km}} from the coast.

[[Madagascar Oil]] is a license holder of the Bemolanga field with 40% stake belonging to [[Total S.A.]] Madagascar Oil describes the field as being a giant bitumen field of 8-13[[API gravity|ºAPI]] low [[sulphur]]&nbsp;(<1%) and low [[vanadium]] [[ultra heavy oil]]. According to [[DeGolyer and MacNaughton]], the field has {{bbl to t|16.6|API=13|mlt=G}} of [[oil in place]] (P-50) and {{bbl to t|9.8|API=13|mlt=G}} of recoverable oil (2P+3P).  In July 2018, Grynberg Petroleum, a US based company, started considering the acquiring of some interest in the Bemolanga field.

The [[source rock]]s for the Bemolanga oil is believed to be the Karoo formation of the Middle [[Sakamena]] Shale. The field was lifted to its present near surface location due to the renewed uplifting and seaward tilting of the island of Madagascar, which started in Late [[Cretaceous]] ([[Turonian]]) and continued throughout the [[Cenozoic]] era.

Thirteen [[oil well|wells]] and over 500&nbsp;core-holes were drilled from the 1950s to the early 1980s. The hydrocarbons are found in the Isalo and Amboloando formations over an area of approximately {{convert|400|km2}}. The prospective surface mining area is defined by wherever there is less than {{convert|40|m}} depth to top oil sand. The average [[overburden]] thickness in the [[surface mining]] area is around {{convert|15|m}} (considerably less than average overburden thickness in [[Canada]]) and oil saturation is up to 12%.

In September 2008, Total S.A. acquired a 60% interest and operatorship of Bemolanga. It agreed a 2-year program to drill 130&nbsp;additional core wells at a cost of US$200&nbsp;million. Total began its own field work in mid 2009, with the start-up of commercial production planned for 2018. If development of the field is successful, it is expected that {{convert|2.5|Goilbbl|m3}} of recoverable resources will be developed to produce {{convert|180000|oilbbl/d}} of oil for more than 30&nbsp;years.{{citation needed|date=March 2015}}

The Bemolanga field gives its name to the homonymous song by the Malagasy group, [[Mahaleo]].

==References==
* [http://www.madagascaroil.com/ Madagascar Oil website]
* [http://www.petromarex.com/projects/moz/Mozambique_Brochure.pdf Bemolanga brochure]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20081020092117/http://www.pj-exploration.com/madagascar.htm Pete Jeans (Exploration Consultant)]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110711161656/http://www.heavyoilinfo.com/newsitems/madagascar-oil-boosts-tsimiroro-heavy-oil-reserves-estimate Heavy Oil Info]
* [http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=74601 Rigzone]
* [http://www.xe.com/news/2009-09-18%2012:22:00.0/682493.htm?c=4&t=108 XE.com]{{dead link|date=March 2015}}
* [http://www.graftonresources.net/userfiles/file/Madagascar%20Oil%20Executive%20Summary%20August%202009.pdf Grafton Resources]{{dead link|date=May 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

==External links==
* [http://www.demac.com/ DeGolyer & MacNaughton (petroleum consultants)]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090906000543/http://www.graftonresources.net/ Grafton Resources website]

[[Category:Oil fields of Madagascar]]
[[Category:Bituminous sands]]