24th Aug 2006 16:47
Total S.A.24 August 2006 United States: Total Obtains 20 Deepwater Gulf of Mexico Blocks Paris, August 24, 2006 - Total announces that its wholly owned subsidiary, TotalE&P USA Inc., was the high bidder on 20 deepwater exploration blocks in theWestern Gulf of Mexico Lease Sale 200. Total E&P USA Inc. will operate theseblocks with a 100% working interest. Award of these blocks is subject to finalapproval by the Minerals Management Service. Total E&P USA Inc. obtained 7 blocks in the Keathley Canyon area and 13 blocksin the Garden Banks area, each deepwater block spans 5,760 acres. The acquisition of these blocks is in accordance with the company's strategy inthe Gulf of Mexico of focusing exploration efforts on prospects with high long-term potential. About Total E&P in the United States: Total has been present in the United States since 1957. In 2005, the Group'saverage production was 41,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day. Half of the2005 production comes from the four deep-offshore fields in the Gulf of Mexico:Virgo (64%, operator), Aconcagua (50%, operator), Camden Hills (16.7%) andMatterhorn (100%, operator). In early 2006 Total finalized an agreement to exchange four onshore fields insouthern Texas for a 17% stake in the deep-offshore Tahiti field in the Gulf ofMexico. Tahiti is scheduled to come on stream in 2008 with a production capacityof 125 thousand barrels per day of oil and 70 million cubic feet per day ofnatural gas. Since the beginning of the year Total has also announced two successful drillingresults in the Gulf of Mexico with the Alaminos Canyon Block 856 No. 1 and No. 2wells. ****** Total is one of the world's major oil and gas groups, with activities in morethan 130 countries. Its 95,000 employees put their expertise to work in everypart of the industry - exploration and production of oil and natural gas,refining and marketing, gas trading and electricity. Total is working to keepthe world supplied with energy, both today and tomorrow. The Group is also afirst rank player in chemicals, www.total.com This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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