Promising Deep Offshore Discovery in Nigeria

Total Fina Elf.
15 May 2000


           TOTALFINAELF REPORTS PROMISING DEEP OFFSHORE DISCOVERY ON
                            BLOCK 246 IN NIGERIA

Paris, May 15, 2000 - TotalFinaElf has announced a promising discovery on Oil
Prospecting Licence 246 (OPL 246) in Nigeria deep offshore.  Located in the
Niger delta at about 130 kilometers from the shores, OPL 246 is operated by
TotalFinaElf with a 24% interest, alongside South Atlantic Petroleum (60%) and
Braspetro (16%).

Drilled at a water depth of 1,375 meters, the AKPO-1 well is the first well
drilled on OPL 246. Production tests carried out on the AKPO-1 well showed daily
flow rates of 9,000 barrels per day (bopd) of light oil. Further geological and
engineering studies will be necessary in order to appraise this discovery in its
entirety.

TotalFinaElf is the operator of the NNPC/TotalFinaElf joint venture which is the
fourth oil and gas producer in Nigeria with a daily production of 140,000
barrels of oil and 6 million cubic meters of gas.  TotalFinaElf has already made
two discoveries in Nigeria deep waters, Ukot (OPL 222) as operator, and Bonga
(OPL 212) as partner.

This new success in Nigeria confirms the Exploration & Production strategy of
TotalFinaElf  in  West  Africa based on developing and strengthening its
positions in the Gulf of Guinea's deep offshore where the Group has recently
made significant discoveries.



Contact : Eve Gautier-Roux - Fabien Ghez - Thomas Saunders 
Tel.: [phone]