Total announces that its wholly-owned subsidiary Elf Petroleum Nigeria Limited (EPNL) has obtained the required approvals from the Nigerian government and co-venturers to begin developing the offshore Usan Field, which it operates. Co-venturers in the Usan development include Elf Petroleum Nigeria Limited (20%, Operator), Chevron Petroleum Nigeria Limited (30%), Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria (Offshore East) Limited (30%) and Nexen Petroleum Nigeria Limited (20%).

Discovered in 2002 in OPL 222, the Usan oil field is located around 100 kilometers offshore, in water depths ranging from 750 to 850 meters.

Proved and probable reserves of the Usan field are expected to be more than 500 million barrels of oil equivalent

Usan is expected to come on stream in 2011 and to ramp up to plateau production of 180,000 barrels of oil per day. The associated gas will be reinjected in the reservoir.

The field development plan comprises 23 producers and 19 water and gas injectors tied back to a Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) unit with a storage capacity of 2 million barrels of oil.

The project introduces a number of technological innovations and builds on Total’s experience as an operator of large-scale deepwater developments in Nigeria.

In line with Total’s commitments, the Usan project further advances Nigeria’s local content policy: According to the present plan a significant step is expected on the work to be performed in Nigeria. More than 11 million hours are to be performed in various works: engineering, yards, offshore works, management. Nearly half of the 7500T of the FPSO modules fabricated in Nigeria will be integrated onsite.

Total also announces that the government has approved EPNL’s application for conversion of Oil Prospecting License (OPL) 222 (Total, Operator, 20%) into two OMLs (138 and 139), each covering half the original area of OPL 222.

The Usan field is located in OML 138. NNPC is the OML 138 title holder under a production sharing contract signed in 1993, operated by Elf Petroleum Nigeria Limited (20%) with its co-venturers Chevron Petroleum Nigeria Limited (30%), Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria (Offshore East) Limited (30%) and Nexen Petroleum Nigeria Limited (20%).

Nigerian Offshore

Total has operated in Nigeria for around 50 years. Developing the country’s offshore resources is one of the Group’s main growth drivers in Africa, particularly the deep offshore Akpo field in OML 130, which it operates, alongside partners NNPC, Sapetro, Petrobras and CNOOC. Akpo is scheduled to come on stream in late 2008 at 225,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in plateau. Also located in OML 130, the Egina discovery is in under development. Appraisal work is currently being conducted.

Operated by Total in a joint venture with NNPC, OMLs 99, 100 and 102 account for Total’s offshore production in Nigeria, mainly from the Amenam, Ofon and Odudu area fields.

Total will be able to consolidate its position as a leading oil major in Africa through its expanded presence in Nigeria, combined with growing production volumes in Angola and in Congo (Republic of Congo).