Paris, September 23, 1998 -- In addition to his present position as Senior Vice President Human Resources, Jean-Luc Vergne, 50, has been named Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications, a post he has held in an acting capacity since February 1998.

Mr. Vergne joined Elf's health division in 1973. After holding various positions as Director of Personnel in production units and Director of Plants and Subsidiaries, Mr. Vergne became Director of Labor-Management Relations in the Human Health Division, and Director of Human Resources at Sanofi.

In 1993, he was named Senior Vice President of Human Resources for the Elf Group.

As chairman of various group subsidiaries, he is a member of the boards of directors of a number of principal subsidiaries in the oil sector. He is also the group's representative for industrial development in southwestern France.

Michel Bonnet, 55, Vice President Marketing and External Relations, Refining & Marketing Division, and acting Vice President, Corporate Communications, reporting to Mr. Vergne, has been appointed Vice President and Adviser to the Chairman, in charge of senior executives and officers administration. 

Mr. Bonnet joined the group in 1967. He held different managerial positions in administration and finance, then manager of subsidiaries in France and Canada. He was then named Director of Personnel and Labor-Management Relations at Elf Antar France, head of Human Resources of the group's Refining & Marketing Division. From 1991, he was Director of Marketing for Elf Antar France and was appointed head of Marketing and External Relations for the Refining & Marketing Division in 1997. In the latter capacity, he was Chairman of "La Filière Elf Compétition," a sports sponsorship company.

Jean-François Carminati, 40, a Director in the Corporate Finance Division in charge of Financial Communications, has been appointed a Director in charge of Corporate Communications, reporting to Jean-Luc Vergne. 

Mr. Carminati, is a graduate of the Institut des Etudes Politiques de Paris (Institute of Political Sciences, Paris). He began his career in the Finance Division at Total, before becoming a securities analyst at the Chevreux de Virieux stock brokerage firm. He joined Elf in May 1995, taking charge of the Group's investor relations department.

Françoise Leroy, 46, head of Financing and Capital Markets in the Corporate Finance Division, has been named a Director responsible for Investor Relations in the same division. 

Ms. Leroy began her career at l'Union Industrielle et d'Entreprise in the Corporate Secretary's department. Following five years in the US, she joined Elf in 1982, as head of exploration and production financing in Africa. Moving to the Corporate Finance Division, she became head of the Financial Operations Department, then head of Financing and Capital Markets.

All of these appointments will be effective as of October 1, 1998.

Thomas Saunders (33.1) 47.44.42.30

In Paris : (33) 1.47.44.24.63
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