Total to Participate in the Futurol Project to ...

TOTAL S.A.
                  

Total will be participating in Futurol, a second-generation bioethanol research
and development project.

Bringing together top-tier French research organizations, manufacturers and
financial institutions involved in this sector of activity, Futurol will develop
a process to produce bioethanol by fermenting non-food lignocellulosic biomass
and verify its industrial viability.

The estimated budget for this project is around EUR 74 million and should last 8
years.

In addition to providing Futurol with technical expertise and financing, Total
brings to the table its industrial expertise in blending biocomponents with
existing automotive fuels.

Futurol supplements Total's effort in the field of bio-dimethyl ether (bio-DME)
conducted at the European Union level with Volvo, as well as Group research and
development to develop thermochemical production--involving conversion by
heating and chemical reaction--of second-generation biofuels.

This array of initiatives reflects Total's commitment to serving the development
of new energy sources with its expertise, in order to expand its fuel solutions
and reduce the environmental impact of their use.

                                     *******

Total is one of the world's major oil and gas groups, with activities in more
than 130 countries. Its 96,000 employees put their expertise to work in every
part of the industry - exploration and production of oil and natural gas,
refining and marketing, gas & power and trading. Total is working to keep the
world supplied with energy, both today and tomorrow. The Group is also a first
rank player in chemicals. www.total.com