Drilling Report

TOTALFINA S.A.
17 August 1999

           TOTALFINA Reports New Promising Deepwater Discovery in 
                                Gulf of Mexico


TOTALFINA has announced an initial gas discovery on Mississippi Canyon Block 348
in the Gulf of Mexico, located in deep waters roughly 220 kilometers southeast
of New Orleans, on the Camden Hills prospect.  TOTALFINA holds a 16.67%
interest in the block, alongside Marathon Oil, operator with a 50.03% interest,
and WI Inc. (33.3%).

The MC348-1 discovery well was drilled to a depth of 4,600 meters, in waters
approximately 2,200 meters deep, and encountered a gas pay of approximately
60 meters high.

Additional appraisal drilling wil be conducted by the end of the year to
confirm the potential of this new discovery, which is already considered
promising by TOTALFINA.  Last March, TOTALFINA reported an initial oil discovery
on Mississippi Canyon Block 942, in which it owns a 50% interest.

These two successful exploration campaigns are highly positive signs for
TOTALFINA.  In recent years, the Group has focused its US strategy on developing
a large deepwater permit area in the Gulf of Mexico, which is considered to be
one of the most promising regions, along with the Gulf of Guinea.  Today
TOTALFINA has shares in more than 80 deepwater blocks in the Gulf of Mexico.