Total in United Kingdom

1955, The CFP establishes a subsidiary for the distribution of petroleum products in Great Britain, Total Oil Products.

1960, The first Total brand gas stations open in Britain.

1964, The Total Oil Marine subsidiary is created for the research and exploitation of hydrocarbons in British territorial waters and the high seas allocated to Great Britain. 

1964, A consortium is formed by the CFP (1/3) and SNPA (2/3) to obtain a licence in the British North Sea area.

1964, American PetroHolding creates the subsidiary Fina Exploration Ltd, which obtains two blocks in the British North Sea.

1966, The construction of the Lindsey Oil Refinery (LOR) begins, Total and Petrofina will share capital and management equally from 1970.

1969, Erap (Elf) is awarded the North Sea block on which the structure of Frigg will be discovered in 1971. 

1974, Total Britain acquires the American network Arco Petroleum Ltd.

1977, The Frigg Gas Field (straddling Norwegian and British waters), which Total Oil Marine developed and operates the twin gas pipelines and the Saint-Fergus gas terminal (55 km from Aberdeen), enters in production.

1979, Petrofina obtains 14% in a block of the Moray Firth off the coast of Scotland.

1981, Total enters three blocks in the British North Sea and Petrofina two blocks near Maureen and the south of the Orkney Islands.

1982, Petrofina acquires a 50% stake in a British insurance company that covers the London market.

1984, Total and Elf begin to develop the Alwyn North platform after 10 years of studies and researches. It will be one of the largest oil and gas platform in the British North Sea.

1985, Petrofina increased its mining portfolio in the British aera by taking over the interests of Charterhouse Petroleum, which has shares in 88 blocks in the United Kingdom.

1988, In the exploration and production field, Elf Aquitaine acquires RTZ Oil and Gas and a quarter of Oil Company, the first independent British company.

1989, Elf Antargaz takes a stake in MB Gas in England.

1990, The IIIA Saint-Fergus phase enters in production.

1990, The acquisition of Amoco's downstream activities in Britain brings 70% of the Milford Haven refinery to Elf.

1991, Total discovers two gas fields in the British North Sea, and Petrofina discovered additional reserves on the east of the Maureen field.

1993, Total puts Bruce, Caister and Murdoch into production in the British North Sea.

1994, Petrofina discovers several field in the British North Sea: Dawn (gas), Hewett satellite; and well 211/23-b.

1995, Total’s painting business, represented by Euridep, becomes a 56% shareholder in Kalon, a British company with leading positions in Europe.

1996, Hutchinson carried out several external growth operations, including Pamargan in the United Kingdom, complementing its range of precision sealing products.

1997, Total signs a five-year partnership with Saga covering activities in the British North Sea and Ireland.

2003, The Group acquires Exxon Mobil’s gas distribution business in the United Kingdom.

2007, Total gives its 70% interest in the Milford Haven refinery to focus its overseas refining activity on the Lindsey site.

2010, The Group launches the development of the Laggan and Tormore gas fields in the North Sea with a share of 80%.

2014, Total is the first major to commit in Shale gas through its entry into two UK exploration/production permits.

2015, Total sells all its shares in the Frigg Gas Terminal to North Sea Midstream Partners.

2016, The West of Shetland Gas Project is launched. It includes the Laggan-Tormore underwater fields, the Shetland gas plant, and the more recent development of the Edradour and Glenlivet submarine fields.

2018, West of the Shetland Islands, the Group discovers a significant gas field on the Glendronach prospect.

2018, The Group celebrates the 50 years of the Lindsey Oil Refinery.