Total CEO rules out Petroplus French unit role-CEO

PARIS Feb 11 (Reuters) - Total's chief executive on Saturday ruled out any role for the oil major in a potential revival of the French refinery owned by troubled Swiss oil refiner Petroplus, noting Total's own moves to scale back such activities.

"Such a move would be incomprehensible for us and our employees," Christophe de Margerie told France Info radio, noting that it had shut its own Dunkirk refinery in 2010 after a fierce debate.

"That's not to say that we're indifferent to the fate of the workers there but for Total to take it over would make no sense."

Total has been reducing its exposure to the low-margin refining sector for several years, although de Margerie said in January that it would probably keep its Lindsey refinery in the UK after failing to sell the plant over the past two years.

A senior union representative told Reuters yesterday that a deadline to express interest in Petroplus' Petit-Couronne refinery, put under judicial protection last month, was closing on Friday and that offers had to be submitted by March 15.

Three companies have shown interest in buying the refinery, including investor groups Gary Klesch and Goldsmith, the representative said.

Buyers this week also showed interest in taking over Petroplus refineries in Germany and the UK.

De Margerie sought to defend Total from domestic political criticism of its 2011 profits announced on Friday as it became the latest oil major to benefit from higher crude prices, announcing full-year profit of 12.3 billion euros ($16.22 billion).

Hard-line leftist presidential candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon on Friday called for Total to be nationalised, saying its earnings had been accumulated "on the back of the French people who see the price of gasoline soar each day."

De Margerie said most of the company's profits came from drilling and exploration rather than fuel distribution, noting that Total was responsible for just 20 percent of the gasoline sold at French petrol stations.

"To earn money isn't something negative, especially in a time of crisis," he said. "It's an opportunity for our country." ($1 = 0.7582 euros) (Reporting By Christian Plumb; Additional reporting by Gerard Bon; editing by Patrick Graham)