Total announces deep offshore discovery in the Guyane Maritime license in French Guiana

September 9, 2011: Total today announced a hydrocarbon discovery in French Guiana’s deep offshore Guyane Maritime license. Total has a 25% equity interest in the Tullow-operated acreage.

Located around 150 kilometres northeast of Cayenne, the GM-ES-1 well lies in just over 2,000 metres of water and has so far been drilled to a depth of
5,711 metres below sea level. Measurement while drilling revealed the existence of liquid hydrocarbon-bearing sandstone reservoirs.

The discovery follows the acquisition in late 2009 and early 2010 of 3D seismic data over a 2,500-square-kilometre area in the eastern section of the license. The area includes the prospect in which GM-ES-1 is being drilled, as well as several other prospects in similar traps in an abrupt margin play.

After intermediate measurements, drilling will resume shortly to reach the planned total depth. The production potential and the scale of resources will then be determined through delineation drilling.

Total’s partners in the license are Tullow, operator with a 27.5% interest, Shell (45%) and Northpet (2.5%).