Total in Russia

1923, in March, Purfina concretized through procurement contracts a commercial relationship with Soviet Russia, which had been engaged a year earlier and allowed the supply of lampant oil and lubricating oils at the Antwerp site.

1928, November, Petrofina creates Petroaphtle, responsible for importing Russian crude.

1990, Elf creates the joint venture Frasmo (Franco Sovietic Marine Oil) for the blending and distribution of marine oils in Russia. This JV is SLEA’s twenty-sixth partner in the Elf lubricant trade.

1994, Coates took a 25% interest in Russia’s largest inkmaker.

1995, Total signs a Production Sharing Agreement (PSC) for the Kharyaga deposit.

1998, Elf sells its assets in Russia and gives Neste its stake in the association planned to develop the South Shapkino field.

1999, Totalfina starts production of Kharyaga.

2002, TotalFinaElf reaches an agreement of cooperation with Yukos for the exploration and the development of the zone of ocean depths of Shatsky, in the Black Sea. A 2D seismic survey is realized. TotalFinaElf signs an agreement in May with Anglo Siberian Oil Company to acquire a holding on the deposit of Vankor, in Siberia, as well as an option of entrance on the nearby licence of Vankor the North. 

2003, in June, Total renews an agreement of technical and scientific cooperation with the Polar Academy of State of Saint-Petersburg. Total signs two partnership agreements 50/50 with Rosneft and Yukos to explore licences in deep sea in the Russian Black Sea. Total joins in equal shares with Yukos for the exploration of the zone of Shatsky by depths between 1 500 and 2 000 meters of water. Total joins to Rosneft for the exploration of the zone of Tuapse. The licence of exploration is obtained in August. 

2004, the contractual disagreement between Russian Federation and Total about the production sharing contract has been the object of discussions between the parts. In the Black Sea, the first technical results on the zone of Shatsky lead the Group to withdraw from the licence. 

2005, Total and the Russian Federation solve by a mutual agreement a dispute concerning the application of the production sharing contract. Total withdraws from the licence of Tuapse. 

2007, in July, Total and Gazprom sign an agreement of cooperation concerning the first phase of development of the gas field and of condensats of Shtokman to design, build, finance and operate the future installations. This first phase plans the production of 23,7 Gm3/year of the natural gas, among which approximately 50 % are intended for the factory GNL of a capacity of 7,5 the Mt/year. On the field of Kharyaga, the development plan of the phase 3 which aims at a tray of production to 30 kbep/j in 100 % on the horizon 2011 is approved in December.

2009, in December, Total finalize the acquisition with Novatek of a 49 % participation in Terneftegas, who holds a license of development and production on the onshore deposit of Termokarstovoye. This gas field and condensats is situated in the region of the Yamalo-Nenets. In October, Total signs an agreement establishing the principles of cooperation with the company KazMunaiGas (KMG) for the development of the gas field in condensats of Khvalynskoye, situated on the Russian-kazakh border in the conventional offshore of the Caspian Sea (under Russian jurisdiction). At the end of this agreement, Total plans to acquire a 17 % participation on the part of KMG.

2011, March 2, Total and Novatek sign two agreements in principle, under which Total becomes, with a 20% participation, the reference partner of the Yamal LNG project launched by Novatek which retains 51% of this project. Total becomes shareholder of Novatek up to 12.08% with the intention of both parties that Total increases its shareholding to 15% within 12 months and to 19.40% within 36 months.

2015, the Termokarstovoye field enters production. It is an onshore gas and condensate field located in the Yamalo-Nenets region. It is operated by ZAO Terneftegas, a joint venture between Novatek (51%) and Total (49%).

2016, in August Total divests a 20% interest in the Kharyaga field (bringing its stake to 20%) and transfers the operatorship of the field to the purchaser, Zarubezhnef.

2018, in May Total signs an agreement with Novatek for a stake in Arctic LNG 2, the new giant LNG project promoted by Novatek. The agreement provides for Total to acquire a direct interest of 10%. The acquisition is effective following the signing of the final contracts in March 2019.