Totalfina/Elf Merger

TOTAL FINA S.A.
6 October 1999

EUROPEAN COMMISSION OPENS PHASE 2 PROCEDURE IN TOTALFINA ELF MERGER

The European Commission, to which the Totalfina/Elf Aquitaine merger project was
submitted on August 24, has decided to open an investigation procedure, known as
'Phase 2', to be completed by mid-February 2000.  The Commission followed the
same procedure when examining the recent large mergers involving Exxon/Mobil and
BP Amoco/Arco.

The Commission's investigation in no way affects the timetable for Totalfina's
public exchange offer for Elf Aquitaine.  Following the increased offer, the
offer period, which began on September 23 in France and on September 29 in the
United States, will close in both countries on October 15.  The results will be
published by the Conseil des Marches Financiers on October 27, and distribution
of new Totalfina shares to Elf Aquitaine shareholders who tendered their shares
to the offer will begin on October 28.

Once the European Commission has given its approval, the Totalfina Board of
Directors will be expanded and the new Group's Executive Committee will take up
its functions.  Meanwhile, the chemicals working group in charge of studying by
March 2000 strategic priorities in terms of growth, the conditions for
integration and the future organization of the chemicals operations will be set
up.

With the integration of Totalfina and Elf Aquitaine teams scheduled for
completion by end of 2000, the new Group will become the world's fourth largest
oil company and will be fully operational.