[en] Total is an active participant in research to develop new gas-to-liquids (GTL) processes to obtain automotive fuel, olefins and other liquids from natural gas. Among the various processes for chemical conversion of natural gas, direct synthesis of DME destroys the least amount of gas, making it highly efficient. The thermal efficiency of the process developed by Japan JFE is 65 to 70%, higher than the conventional Fischer Tropsch process. This document presents the researches and the program of Total on this process. (author)