Filed at 3:47 a.m. ET
LONDON (Reuters) – French oil major Total SA <TOTF.PA> will buy a stake in an oil block in French Guiana from Tullow Oil <TLW.L>, joining the London-listed explorer and Royal Dutch Shell Plc <RDSa.L> in what they hope will be a rich new oil province. Total and Tullow said in statements on Tuesday that France’s largest listed company by market value had agreed to buy a 25 percent stake in the block offshore the French territory, in which Tullow planned to retain 39.5 percent.
The companies gave no financial details but analysts said it was normal in such situations for the “farm in” partner to agree to cover the explorer’s share of seismic survey and early drilling costs.
“We expect a similar arrangement in this case and estimate the value of the farm in (3D seismic plus drilling of one well) in the $100-120 million (61-73 million pound) range,” analysts at Merrill Lynch said in a research note circulated by Tullow.
The partners are betting that big oil finds Tullow made offshore Ghana, including its Jubilee field, will be repeated off the South American coast, given geological similarities between the areas.
Africa and South America separated tens of millions of years ago and their shared history has long excited oil geologists.
Last month, Shell agreed to buy a 33 percent stake in the block from Tullow, which will remain the project operator.
London-listed Northern Petroleum <NOP.L> has a 1.25 percent interest.
Tullow shares traded up 0.4 percent at 1,270 pence against a 0.1 percent rise in the DJ Stoxx European oil and gas sector index <.SXEP>. Total was flat at 43.12 euros.
(editing by John Stonestreet)
This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.
Royal Dutch Shell conspired directly with Hitler, financed the Nazi Party, was anti-Semitic and sold out its own Dutch Jewish employees to the Nazis. Shell had a close relationship with the Nazis during and after the reign of Sir Henri Deterding, an ardent Nazi, and the founder and decades long leader of the Royal Dutch Shell Group. His burial ceremony, which had all the trappings of a state funeral, was held at his private estate in Mecklenburg, Germany. The spectacle (photographs below) included a funeral procession led by a horse drawn funeral hearse with senior Nazis officials and senior Royal Dutch Shell directors in attendance, Nazi salutes at the graveside, swastika banners on display and wreaths and personal tributes from Adolf Hitler and Reichsmarschall, Hermann Goring. Deterding was an honored associate and supporter of Hitler and a personal friend of Goring.
Deterding was the guest of Hitler during a four day summit meeting at Berchtesgaden. Sir Henri and Hitler both had ambitions on Russian oil fields. Only an honored personal guest would be rewarded with a private four day meeting at Hitler’s mountain top retreat.
IN JULY 2007, MR BILL CAMPBELL (ABOVE, A RETIRED GROUP AUDITOR OF SHELL INTERNATIONAL SENT AN EMAIL TO EVERY UK MP AND MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS: 
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A head-cut image of Alfred Donovan (now deceased) appears courtesy of The Wall Street Journal.
