21-03-09 Total announces that its affiliate, Total Exploration and Production Vietnam, has signed a Production Sharing Contract with Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) for the exploration blocks DBSCL-02 and DBSCL-03.
The blocks, which are located in the Mekong Delta area onshore, will be operated by Total with a 75 % interest, PetroVietnam Exploration Production (PVEP) holding a 25 % interest.

Having created a partnership in 2007 with PVEP and the Korean company SK on offshore block 15-1/05, Total continues to develop its presence in Vietnam.
Total's experience in managing the environmental impact of its activities will be crucial in the Mekong Delta. The exploration activities will be carried out without disruption of the community's activities and following the environmental and social framework that is being set by the authorities.

Block DBSCL-02 covers an area of nearly 14,850 sq km and block DBSCL-03 covers an area of almost 13,800 sq km. Under the terms of the agreement, the firstexploration phase will cover the acquisition of 2D seismic on each block.
At 246,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day, the Asia-Pacific region accounted for 11 % of the Group's global production in 2008. Total is primarily active in Indonesia, where it has operated the Mahakam block with partner Inpex since 1970 and is one of the country's leading producers of natural gas. The group has also gas and condensate production assets in Thailand, Myanmar and in the Sultanate of Brunei.

Total also holds exploration permits in Australia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia.
It has a 24 % stake in Australia's Ichthys LNG project, in partnership with Inpex, and signed a contract with China National Petroleum Corporation to appraise natural gas resources in the South Sulige block in China, for which a development plan was submitted in November 2008.