Total (TOT, FP.FR) Friday said it signed production sharing agreements with the Ivory Coast state and national oil company Petroci for three new ultra-deep offshore licenses.

MAIN FACTS:

- Total will operate the CI-514 license with a 54% interest, in partnership with Canadian Natural Ressources International (36%) and Petroci (10%). Total will also hold a 45% interest in the CI-515 and CI-516 licenses, alongside Anadarko (45%) and Petroci (10%). For each block Total will become the operator upon the first commercial discovery.

- The licenses are situated approximately 100 kilometres offshore Ivory Coast and cover an area of 3,200 square kilometres with water depths ranging from 2,000 to 3,000 metres.

- The work program includes a 3D seismic survey of the whole acreage and one well to be drilled on each block during the initial three-year exploration period.

- Total is already present in exploration activities in Ivory Coast as operator of the CI-100 deep offshore license with a 60% participation. This license covers a surface of 2,000 km2 in water depths from 1,500 to 3,100 metres. A complementary seismic campaign of 1,000 km2 was launched end 2011 in order to finalize the 3D studies of the whole permit. First exploration drilling is planned for end 2012.