Statement re Usan Discovery

Total S.A.
14 October 2003


 
                Nigeria: Significant Extension of Usan Discovery


Paris, October 14, 2003 - Total announces that its Nigerian operating
subsidiary, Elf Petroleum Nigeria Ltd. (EPNL), has made a significant extension
of the Usan field discovery in deepwater Oil Prospecting License (OPL) 222,
offshore southeastern Nigeria.


The Usan-4 appraisal well, located around 110 kilometres offshore and 5
kilometres south of the Usan-1 well in water depths of approximately 750 metres,
is the third successful appraisal of the Usan field discovered in 2002.


Two zones were tested in the Usan-4 well and flowed at 4,400 and 6,300 barrels
of oil per day under restricted flow conditions. The well has confirmed the
presence of commercial quantities of oil, as well as additional potential in
previously untested reservoirs.


Nigerian National Petroleum Corp. (NNPC) is concessionaire for OPL 222 under a
production sharing contract operated by Elf Petroleum Nigeria Ltd. (20 percent),
in partnership with Chevron Petroleum Nigeria Ltd., Esso Exploration and
Production Nigeria (Offshore East) Ltd. and Nexen Petroleum Nigeria Ltd. 


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more than 120 countries. Total's activities cover the whole energy chain of the
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More information can be found on the company's website: www.total.com

                            


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