Elf Aquitaine is a French company of oil extraction. Initially public, the company is privatisée in 1994. It amalgamated in 1999 with the group Total to form TotalFinaElf. Elf was implied in the Affaire Elf.

Elf Aquitaine

The three companies which gave rise to Elf Aquitaine are:

The RAP, the SNPA and the BRP amalgamate in 1966 to give rise to the ERAP (called Elf-RAP of 1967 to 1976) which becomes the National company Elf Aquitaine (SNEA) on September 1st 1976. The ELF mark was created the April 27th 1967 (see will infra " Birth of the Group Elf Aquitaine ").

Creation of the RAP

Following the First World War, the French government realizes of the importance of oil in the control of the war and wants to obtain a system of suitable and solid oil provisioning. Without gasoline, the planes cannot fly, the trucks to run nor the tractors of field artillery to advance. However only one supplier, foreigner, provide 80  at that time; % of world oil: they are the the United States.

Consequently of its military victory, the France replaces the Germany to take part, with height of 25  %, with the capital of the Turkish Petroleum Company which becomes thereafter, the Iraq Petroleum Company. France then receives a million tons of oil, of this company, for its consumption. It is at the same time as CFP (French Compagnie of Oil) is born (1924) and obtains a subsidiary company called CFR (French Compagnie of Refining) . These two companies (become since the Total Group ) receive government the management of the Pétrole Iraq IEN.

One wonders then if there is or not oil under the national ground, a large prospection campaign starts. Between 1920 and 1935, permits prospecting are distributed to large scales for all the areas of France, but especially in the Landes and the Yrénées-Atlantiques. The efforts of investments and research reveal that the French soil contains little oil. One discovers nevertheless in 1939 an exploitable natural gas layer with Saint-Marcet (Haute-Garonne). With this date and thanks to this discovery is born the Autonomous Régie from Oils (RAP) .

The day before the Second world war, towards 1937, French consumption is assembled around 5 million tons per annum of which 40  % coming from Iraq. The remainder comes from the the United States, the Venezuela and Romania.

Creation of the SNPA

In 1940, full war, the Direction of the Fuels (DICA) is created to exert the supervision on the oil sector. With this creation, one starts again overall exploration, but especially in the South-western part. In November 1941, in order to supervise all these prospections, another company is created which is the National company of Oils of Aquitaine (SNPA) .

In 1951, the SNPA discovers a layer, initially oil, then of Gaz to Lacq (Béarn). This gas contains a great percentage of Soufre (15  %) and of the Carbonic gas (10  %), the whole with a pressure of eruption of 670 bars. Oil is forwarded to the Raffinerie of Mède (Total) to be treated, while the gas is treated on the spot. Thus the area of Lacq becomes a gas area with its factories of sulfur separation. The sulfur, which at the beginning was regarded as an undesirable product, became thereafter a very appreciated source of revenue.

Creation of the BRP

At the end of the war, in 1945, to answer the need for research and exploration, not only in France, but also in its colonial empire, the Bureau of Searches for oil (BRP) had been created. Its mission was to establish a research program main road of oil to create a vertically integrated industry, exploration to the service station.

With the head of this BRP are men like Pierre Guillaumat, Paul Moch and Yves Delavesne. The BRP becomes the leader since to ensure finances of the office, the French State brought to the BRP all its participations in other companies (SNPA, SNPLM, the Of the sherifs one of Pétrole).

The objective of the BRP is carried out in 1966 with the creation of ERAP (Entreprise oil research and activities) which has the role of creating an oil industry, independent, without any State aid, as well financial as technical. It must supervise all research in France and in the French Union (old colonial empire). It has the role of coordinating and to supervise all the aspects seeks, exploration, production, refining and distribution.

With the immense colonial empire, research moves towards the Africa. Indeed, one started to seek oil with the the Sahara as of 1877 without no convincing result until in 1921 - 1932. The international companies were discouraged by the vastness of the Saharan desert and all gave up the exploration of this inhospitable region.

However, certain experts, whose Conrad Kilian, is persuaded that the Saharan basement must conceal reserves of the black gold. Indeed, by twice, in 1922, then in 1927 - 1928, this last announced in the North of the Hoggar and in the Sahara Central of the geological structures likely to contain oil. Nicholas Menchikoff, another expert geologist, described, a few years later, of the sandstones of certain Saharan areas, like having structures favorable to the formation of the stores .

In 1946, in partnership with the general government of the Algeria, the BRP creates the National company of Search and Oil Exploitation in Algeria (S.N REPAL) whose seat is with Hydra in top of the town of Algiers. With the creation of this company, geological research begins in 1948, in partnership with the CFP in the area of Timimoun, Bless-Abbots and In-Salah but without any result.

In 1950, the Sahara Occidental is explored as well as the area of Reggane. In 1952, a surface of 116  000  km ² is conceded with the S.N.REPAL like with the CFP. In 1953, 140  000  km ² are granted to the CREPS company held mainly by the RAP and 35  % by Shell. Other concessions were allocated at Shell, and on the whole, a surface of more than 600  000 km ², larger than France, were conceded for the oil exploration.

In spite of encountered difficulties, oil is not long in running. Indeed, as of 1953 - 1954, of gas was discovered by the CREPS with the Djebel Berga. But the year 1956 is one year historical bus of oil was discovered with Edjeleh in January and Hassi Messaoud in July of the same year, then in November, it is gas and condensates which leave the basement to Hassi R' Mel:

These discoveries were the fact of the CREPS, the SN REPAL and CFP Algérie while SNPA discovered the layer of El Gassi, in the south of Hassi Messaoud at the end of the Années 1950. These results come at the right moment named to relieve dependancy of France with respect to the oil of the the Middle East, which was of 90  % at the time.

All these sources make it possible France to reduce half its dependence since in 1960, the production reached 14 million tons, is 45  % of national consumption.

Creation of the UGP

Up to now, the French State made a success of the aspect exploration-production by the discoveries in the Sahara, but the aspect refining-distribution is always in the hands of the international groups such Shell, BP, Esso and Mobil. All these groups have, in France, all the essential tools with the functions refining-distribution since the Oléoduc S, the Raffinerie S until the distribution networks and the Loi of 1928 makes it possible the French government to oblige the alien companies to refine and distribute in priority of “national” oil, law which makes it possible the BRP to create a state enterprise of refining and distribution. This new business the General union of Oils (UGP) was born from the meeting of SN REPAL, the RAP and the Grouping of the oil owners (GEP).

The Grouping of the oil owners (GEP), creates in June 1960, itself is consisted:

  • the SNPA 40  %,
  • the SPAEF, Company of the Oil of Africa-Equatorial Frenchwoman 40  %,
  • the STOCK, Company of Oil Exploration 15  %,
  • the PREPA, Company of Prospection and Oil Exploitation in Alsace 5  %.

SN REPAL brings the credits which it has in Caltex, California & Texas Oil Company by the means of UIP, Union Industrial of Oils whose seat was with the Place Vendôme at the time and whose capital is of 60  % for the UGP and 40  % for Caltex.

With Caltex, the UGP inherits an old refinery with Ambès (the Gironde) whose capacity for treatment is of 1,3 million tons per annum, 1  385 road sales outlets, 183 service station official, 4 Tanker S with 67  500 dwt ( dead weight your ) on the whole and a small participation in future pipeline SPLSE (co. of the Line Pipe of the European South).

The SNPA also brings its small departmental network of distribution.

An general outcry rose to France to protest against the creation of the UGP at the time, coming from the “majors”, of the newspapers ( Le Figaro , Paris-Press the Intransigent ) as well as French public opinion. The president of Shell Frenchwoman, in the Newspaper of Geneva of the July 19th 1960, states that “there is no valid reason to justify the creation of the General union of oils”.

However, the old refinery with Ambès is not sufficient so that the UGP develops; the quantity of oil orphan is of 14 million tonnes/an and the capacity for treatment of the refinery of Number combinations is only of 1,3 million tonnes/an. Also in 1961, the UGP projects to build a refinery, as modern as possible, in the area Lyon is born.

In 1964, the Raffinerie of Feyzin starts with an initial capacity of distillation of 6  000 tons/day. This unit is conceived at the beginning, for the treatment of the mixture Saharien . It is at the time, one of the most modern refineries of Europe. Thereafter, the complex of Feyzin increases with two direct units of distillation, and obtains a unit of cracking to the vapor with a production of 280  000 t/an of ethylene in order to provide ethylene, the Propylene and butadiene, bases in the manufacture of the plastics and others derived.

Gradually, the UGP grows rich by new installations in other areas of France, Europe and rest of the world, either by participation, or by hiring, or by construction:

  • Refinery of Reichstett (10  participation; %);
  • Refinery of Albatross with Antwerp (Belgium) rented with shaping for the treatment of 800  000 t/an;
  • Refinery of Klarenthal (participation);
  • Refinery of Whorl (built in 1963, Germany);
  • Refinery of Dakar (Senegal, participation);
  • Refinery of Cagliari (Sardinia, in hiring);
  • Refinery of Madagascar;
  • Refinery of Sianoukville (Kampuchea, Kampuchea; construction);
  • Refinery of Grandpuits (construction, put out of oil in June 1967);
  • Refinery of Gargenville (Vexin, construction, brought into service in April 1968);
  • And after the absortion of Antar in 1970 (41  % for Elf, 24  % for the CFP and its associates), other refineries came to pack the means of refining of the Group:

In all, at the end of the Years 1970, the UGP has in its model of linear program 22 refineries generating 2  500 constraints and 3  550 variables.

Birth of the Elf Aquitaine Group

Components

Since its creation in 1960, the General union of distribution (UGD) acquired the majority of the small firms of distribution such as:
  • Walls It Union with the mark Walls It;
  • Solydit Union which uses the Avia mark;
  • Gasolines and fuels of France which also sells under marked Avia;
  • the French Company of oil-bearing products (CFPP) with the mark Caltex (CALifornia oil-TEXaco), at the origin subsidiary of Texaco (of which it preserved the logo, which is a red star with five branches) and of Oil.

The management of several marks without obvious bond (Avia, Caltex, Solydit, ButaFrance, ButaLacq) is complex and their separate publicities multiply the useless expenditure. One thus decides to gather them under a single banner, and of launching this one by a strong campaign. This project begins in 1962.

Competition already then renewed its advertizing slogans at the beginning of the Années 1960: “It is Shell which I like” for Shell, “Put a tiger in your engine” for Esso France. Total, as for it, innovates by opening its stations the night. Seule Antar did not do anything and exploits only the technical quality of its lubricants. Caltex for its part played the chart of the young people by organizing contests of beach and by distributing the portraits of singers of the time in its stations.

ERAP, organization of supervision of the UGP and the UGD, first of all seeks a name of mark simple, easy to pronounce and at the same time evocative. One tests a time the provisional name of Elan , then in the summer 1964, the computer of the group counts: 8253000 possible combinations of 3,4 and 5 letters. In December 1965, five names remain in string: Ritm, Alzan, Elf, Elf and Dash .

The choice is made on Elf , simple name, in short, easy to pronounce and retain.

A name is not enough to represent a mark; this one gains to have a logo. The successive graphic studies led to the Trépan stylized with a blue side and the other red with in the medium the white color, forming a recall of the French flag.

Launching

The preparatory work for the unification is finished in October 1966. Starting from this date, a logistics is set up for the replacement of the old marks by the news. The task is enormous because it is necessary:

  • to transform 4  500 sales outlets (of which all the Caltex network!) in one night;

  • to inform the personnel by however maintaining a total secrecy until the “D-day”.

As of January 1967, the serious tasks are specified: tests of night lighting and street signs discreetly take place around an isolated farm; four days afterwards, one makes it clear that a Station-service at the edge of a trunk road is in fact a film set for a film with Mireille Darc.

The most important task is inside the group: to inform the personnel, to mobilize it and weld it around the new mark. It is necessary for that to mobilize 12  000 people, to inform them, and even in certain cases… to form them.

A posting campaign will mark the spirits and will excite the curiosity of each one: “The red rounds arrive”. This countryside does not let anything then filter type of product in preparation.

The birth of Elf takes place the April 27th 1967 at 6 p.m. At this hour, all the press is convened for the official launch.

All the night, all the executives, technicians and employees of the group are mobilized, each one (E) affected (E) with a well defined service station, to remove the old marks and to replace them by the news. This work must be finished at dawn in order to be coordinated with the exit of the newspapers of the morning, informed the day before. The behavior of the Elf pump assistants, with red bow tie and matched cap, for its part is very noticed and contributes to give to the mark a first capital of sympathy.

The UGP becomes then Elf Union and the UGD Elf Distribution : Elf France was born. In 1967, the group joins Matra Sport for the automobile competition. In 1969, Jackie Stewart (British pilot) gains the Championnat of the World of Formule 1 under the colors of the Elf-Matra stable.

One endeavors to associate the Elf fuel with symbols of modernity: plane Harmony or the Hovertrain which one thinks whereas they represent the future of transport. Elf affirms itself in addition, independently of these operations “general public”, among the great oil groups.

Direction of Elf Aquitaine

Towards another history?

According to François-Xavier Verschave, ELF results in fact from a political will from the De Gaulle General, intended to ensure the “size” of France in Africa in spite of the decolonization, and to maintain an access French to this strategic resource which is oil.

Elf is then a company controlled mainly by the State (it will remain it until its repurchase-fusion by Total-Fina), and De Gaulle names at her head its former minister for the Armies Pierre Guillaumat, who was one of the founders of the Head office of Special services (DGSS). This one contributes to make company a “information agency”, according to the same terms of the one of its successors: “it does not occur anything in the oil countries, in particular to Africa, whose origin is not Elf”.

The Affaire Elf partly revealed this disturbing aspect of the oil group: in testify the book to the magistrate Eva Joly, which informed the file, and the part of theater-documentary “Elf, the Africa pump” of Nicolas Lambert, who reproduces the lawsuit to which assisted author-interprets it.

The denunciation of this kind of “diplomacy parallel”, known as of the " France-Africa " is also a war-horse of association Survie. Work of this association tends to show that the plundering of the natural resources and the diversion of the government Aid to the development (APD) French are responsible for the evils which mine Africa. The company Elf Aquitaine is particularly shown finger there.

With of the financial consequences underlined by the media at the time of the Business Elf, the human consequences of this industrial interference could be considerable: the collective massacres, rapes, tortures, genocides and famines presented like inherent in the African people, would rise in general from this policy, and in particular from the nature even of the company Elf Aquitaine. The recognition of such a French implication returns the subject particularly taboo, in spite of documents with load and damning testimonies. Its dispute can evoke the mechanisms of rejection suitable for the Négationnisme.

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