Ninth Deep Offshore Discovery on Block 17, Angola

Total Fina Elf.
20 April 2000


                NINTH DEEP OFFSHORE DISCOVERY FOR TOTALFINAELF 
                         ON BLOCK 17 IN ANGOLA

Paris, April 20, 2000 - Sonangol, the Angolan national oil company and
concessionaire and Elf Exploration Angola, the operator, announce the ninth oil
discovery in deep offshore Block 17, approximately 200 kilometers northwest of
Luanda.

The new well, Jasmim 1, was drilled at a water depth of 1,292 meters.  It is
located approximately 6.2 kilometers from Girassol 1.  This is the tenth
exploration well drilled on the Block and the ninth consecutive discovery.

Production tests carried out on Jasmim 1 showed a daily flow rate of 10,800
barrels of oil (API 29 degrees). Further geological and engineering studies will
be necessary in order to appraise this discovery.

TotalFinaElf holds a 40% interest on Block 17 through its subsidiaries Elf
Exploration Angola and Fina Exploration MB. BV.

Elf Exploration Angola is the operator on Block 17 for the following group:

     TotalFinaElf, Elf Exploration Angola, operateur  35.00%
     TotalFinaElf, Fina Exploration MB. B.V            5.00%
     Esso Exploration Angola (Block 17) Ltd           20.00%
     BP Exploration Angola Ltd                        16.67%
     Den Norske Stats Oljeselskap a.s.                13.33%
     Norsk Hydro ASA                                  10.00%



Contacts: Catherine Enck - Eve Gautier-Roux - Fabien Ghez
Tel: [phone] - Fax: [phone]