Stmnt re Hazira LNG Project

Total S.A.
21 April 2005


        India: Inauguration of the Hazira LNG Re-gasification terminal   
  
Paris April 21, 2005 - Total announces the inauguration today of the Hazira
liquefied natural gas (LNG) re-gasification terminal located in Hazira in the
Gujarat state on the northwest coast of India. 

Partnered with Shell, Total has a 26% interest in the three companies involved
in the Hazira LNG  project: the port company, the terminal company and the
marketing company.  The Hazira project has an initial capacity of 2.5 million
tons per annum with a goal to expand it to 5 million tons.   

Representing an overall investment in excess of $600 million, the Hazira LNG
terminal project is among the largest in the Indian energy sector. 

'Hazira is just one of the many steps Total is taking as we grow and strengthen
our LNG activities. With the inauguration of this terminal we further secure
access to a fast growing market for the benefit of our upstream LNG projects, '
states Yves-Louis Darricarrere, President of Total Gas and Power.  'This project
illustrates how Total's commitment to developing its activities in all segments
of the gas chain makes us a preferred partner for large gas projects worldwide.'

With more than one-quarter of the Total's gas production dedicated to the LNG
industry, the company commercialised 7.5 million tonnes of LNG in 2004.  The
Group holds stakes in five producing natural gas liquefaction plants worldwide
representing about 40% of the global LNG production. Total has also acquired
interests in re-gasification terminals in Mexico, Altamira, and in France, Fos
Cavaou, expected to begin operations in 2006 and 2007 respectively. Furthermore,
starting in 2009, Total will  control re-gasification capacity in the Sabine
Pass terminal on the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.  


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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


  
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