former French petroleum and natural resources group that was acquired by Totalfina in 2000 to create TotalFinaElf, renamed Total SA in 2003. Société Nationale Elf Aquitaine (“Elf Aquitaine National Society”) was formed in 1976 through the reorganization and consolidation of petrochemical, mining, and several other industrial interests. Until 1994, a French-government company, the Enterprise de Recherches et d'Activités Pétrolières (ERAP; “Enterprise for Petroleum Search and Activity”), held a majority interest in Elf Aquitaine. That year the government privatized the oil company by selling its majority share.

Before its merger with Totalfina, the Elf Aquitaine group engaged in the development, marketing, and shipping of petrochemicals (those made from natural gas and crude oil) as well as the mining of ores such as nickel and coal in France, North America, Africa, and Australia. It had also diversified into such industries as plastics, geothermal and solar energy, data processing, health care, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics.