RNS Number:7286S
Total S.A.
2 December 2003


               Production Start-up Jasmim, Offshore Angola


Paris, December 2, 2003 - Sonangol, Sociedade Nacional de Combustiveis de
Angola, and Total announce the start-up of Jasmim oil field production in
Angola's deepwater offshore Block 17.

Discovered in April 2000, Jasmim is one of fifteen fields found in Block 17 and
the second to be brought on stream following Girassol, which started up in
December of 2001.  Located in 1,400 meters of water and approximately 150
kilometres offshore, Jasmim's development requires eight sub-sea wells to be
tied back five kilometres to the Girassol floating production, storage and
offloading  vessel (FPSO).

Jasmim's start-up will increase oil flow to the FPSO to more than 230,000
barrels of oil a day and prolong the production, which was already evidenced
this year by the decision for the development of the Dalia field, slated to come
on stream in the second half of 2006.

Sonangol is the Block 17 Concessionaire.  Total, the Operator, has a 40%
participatory interest in Block 17, and has as partners Esso Exploration Angola
(Block 17) Ltd. (20%), BP Exploration (Angola) Ltd. (16.67%), Statoil Angola
Block 17 AS (13.33%) and Norsk Hydro (10%).


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 
through its chemicals branch, Atofina. Total has 121,500 employees worldwide. 
More information can be found on the company's website: www.total.com



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