News Releasee

Communiqué de Pressee

Exhibit 99.5

2, place de la Coupole
La Défense 6
92 400 Courbevoie France
Fax : 33 (1) 47 44 68 21

Catherine ENCK
Tel. 33 (1) 47 44 37 76

Patricia MARIE
Tel. 33 (1) 47 44 45 90

Paul FLOREN
Tel. : 33 (1) 47 44 45 91

Christine de CHAMPEAUX
Tel : 33 (1) 47 44 47 49

Bertille ARON
Tel 33 (1) 47 44 67 12

Mary DWYER
Tel.: 33 (1) 47 44 21 19

Isabelle CABROL
Tel. : 33 (1) 47 44 64 24

Charles-Edouard ANFRAY
Tel. : 33 (1) 47 44 65 55

Franklin BOITIER
Tel. : 33 (1) 47 44 59 81

Philippe GATEAU
Tel. : 33 (1) 47 44 47 05

TOTAL S.A.
Capital 6 139 395 400 euros
542 051 180 R.C.S. Nanterre

www.total.com

UK North Sea: Start-Up of the Forvie North Field

Paris, January 4, 2006 — Total announces that the Forvie North gas and condensates field has just started production, nine months after official approval of the development plans by the British Authorities.

Total owns (100%) and operates the field which is located approximately 440 kilometers north-east of Aberdeen in a water depth of 120 metres. Forvie North has been developed using subsea technologies and is connected to the processing and transport installations of Alwyn North, 33 kilometres away.

The expected production of Forvie North at plateau is around 20,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.

The Forvie North start-up illustrates the willingness of Total to continue exploring the UK Continental Shelf and rapidly developing resulting economic discoveries.

* * * * * *

Total is the fourth largest oil and gas company in the world with operations in more than 130 countries. Total’s activities cover the whole energy chain of the petroleum industry: exploration, oil and gas production, refining and marketing, trading and power generation. The Group is also a major player in chemicals. Total has more than 111,000 employees worldwide. More information can be found on the company’s website: www.total.com