July 14, 1939: The story of Elf Aquitaine begins with the discovery of a gas field in Saint-Marcet in the Aquitaine region of southwestern France.   France had been conducting a vast exploration program since 1930 to secure its energy supply, and the discovery came as welcome news.

In the years following the find, Elf Aquitaine's three predecessor companies were created, starting with the Régie Autonome des Pétroles (RAP - Independent Oil Authority).
 
Then, in 1941, despite a lack of resources and funds, Société Nationale des Pétroles d'Aquitaine (SNPA) was created to build on this initial success and pursue exploration in southwestern France.
 
Lastly, in 1945, the Bureau de Recherches de Pétroles (BRP) was created, demonstrating France's commitment to exploring for oil outside its borders.