New Facility

Total Fina S.A.
8 March 2000

TIERRA DEL FUEGO LPG FACILITY STARTS PRODUCTION IN ARGENTINA

TOTALFINA, Operator of the Cuenca Marine Austral-1 consortium, has announced the
start of production at its liquid petroleum gas (LPG) facility in Tierra del
Fuego, Argentina. The consortium comprises TOTAL Austral (37.5%), Wintershall
Energia (37.5%) and Pan American Energy (25%).

The new facility was built in 18 months at the Canadon Alfa/Ara site.  It
enables extraction and optimum use of the LPG and gasoline associated with
natural gas production in Tierra del Fuego.

The plant will have a natural gas treatment capacity of 8 million cubic
meters/day and annual LPG and gasoline production will plateau at 250,000 metric
tons and 60,000 metric tons, respectively.  The LPG will be transported via
pipeline to Punta Arenas in the southern-most region of Chile, where it will be
fractionated  and then marketed in Brasil and Chile.  The gasoline will be
included in the crude output of the Hidra offshore field, which TOTALFINA also
operates in Tierra del Fuego. 

The project represents a total investment of approximately $70 million.  It will
allow TOTALFINA and its partners to strengthen their position in Argentina's gas
market, which will play a crucial role in meeting the Mercosur countries'
growing energy demand in the years ahead. 

TOTALFINA has been present in Argentina for more than 20 years through its
subsidiary TOTAL Austral. It is the country's second largest oil and gas
operator with nearly 18% of the natural gas output and major reserves yet to be
exploited in Tierra del Fuego. 

TOTALFINA owns approximately 95% of Elf Aquitaine. European Commission
competition authorities approved the merger of the two companies on February 9.