ATOFINA DEBUTS IN NORTH AMERICA

Following the merger of TotalFina and Elf Aquitaine earlier this year, it was announced that the chemical operation of the company would be named ATOFINA. Now, Elf Atochem North America becomes ATOFINA Chemicals, Inc. and Fina Oil & Chemical Company be comes ATOFINA Petrochemicals, Inc.

ATOFINA Chemicals, Inc., which employs 4,000 people, will keep its headquarters in Philadelphia. ATOFINA Petrochemicals which employs 2,000 people will move its headquarters from Dallas to Houston Texas.

ATOFINA, whose worldwide headquarters are located in Paris France, is now the fifth largest chemical company in the world with sales of $17 billion employing over 70,000 people worldwide.

For more information, contact Jane Crawford, ATOFINA Chemicals Inc., 215-419-7614, E-mail: jcrawford@ato.com, or Carla Holmes Meadows ATOFINA Petro chemicals, Inc., 972-801-2055, E-mail: carla.holmes.meadows@fina.com.