Carina-Aries Gas Development

Total S.A.
24 June 2005


 

                  Carina-Aries Gas Development Brought on Stream 
                        in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina

Paris - June 24, 2005 - Total announces that the Carina-Aries gas fields,
located offshore the Tierra del Fuego province, Argentina, have been brought on
stream. Total operates the project with a 37.5% interest, alongside partners
Wintershall and Pan American Energy.

Carina and Aries are located 80 and 40 kilometers offshore in a water depth of
80 and 60 meters respectively. The gas is produced from two unmanned platforms
and piped onshore, where it is processed in the Rio Cullen and Canadon Alfa
units.

Production of Carina-Aries will eventually ramp up to a plateau of 8 million
cubic meters per day allowing for a consolidated gas production of 11.5 million
cubic meters per day for the consortium in Tierra del Fuego.

Present in Argentina since 1978, Total is, through its subsidiary Total Austral,
the country's second-biggest gas operator, with fields operated in Tierra del
Fuego and the Neuquen region. The Group also holds interests in pipelines
serving the Argentinean market and neighbouring countries. Furthermore, Total is
Argentina's second largest electricity producer with interests in the Central
Puerto and Hidroelectrica Piedra del Aguila power plants.

Total is the fourth largest oil and gas company in the world with operations in
more than 130 countries. Total's activities cover the whole energy chain of the
petroleum industry:exploration, oil and gas production, refining and marketing,
trading and power generation. The Group is also a major player in chemicals.
Total has more than 111,000 employees worldwide. More information can be found
on the company's website: www.total.com


                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange