French oil major Total SA's (TOT) chief executive Wednesday said he expects the Yemen LNG liquefied natural gas project to be on stream within days.

Starting up the operation is a "question of days," Christophe de Margerie told analysts during a strategy presentation.

He added that 2010 will be a "good year" for production, and expressed confidence that the company will be able to put disappointment over its recent output performance behind it.

Meanwhile, Total is still penciling in a 2012 start for the giant Kashagan oil project in Kazakhstan, de Margerie said, adding: "We see the end of the tunnel." The project has faced major delays.

-By Adam Mitchell, Dow Jones Newswires, +33 1 40171756; adam.mitchell@dowjones.com