Who we are

History

2012
2011
  • Men at work in safety equipment

  • Spain

    Cairn awarded five offshore blocks in the Gulf of Valencia area

    Cairn has a 100% interest in these blocks.

  • Corporate

    Simon Thomson becomes Chief Executive

    Simon Thomson becomes Chief Executive.

  • India

    Gas discoveries in the Mannar Basin, offshore Sri Lanka

    Cairn Lanka, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cairn India Limited, finds gas in the first wells to be drilled in Sri Lanka in 30 years.

  • Key event - Corporate - India

    Part sale of shareholding in Cairn India to Vedanta Resources plc completed

    Cairn retains an approximate 22 per cent shareholding in Cairn India.

2010
  • Construction of one of our structures

  • Key event - India

    Production via the pipeline from the Mangala field in Rajasthan starts

    The Cairn constructed ~600km heated pipeline carries crude from the Mangala Processing Terminal in Rajasthan to Salaya. The Gujarat pipeline is the longest of its type in the world today. Production from the Mangala field is now 140,000 bopd.

  • Key event - Corporate - India

    Proposed part sale of Cairn India to Vedanta Resources plc

    Cairn announces the proposed part sale of up to 51% of its shareholding in Cairn India to Vedanta.

  • Key event - Greenland

    Start of multi-well and multi-year exploration programme offshore Greenland

  • Key event - Corporate - Bangladesh

    Cairn's interests in Bangladesh acquired by Santos

    Santos acquires all of Cairn's assets in Bangladesh, including its interest in the Sangu gas field and Block 16 exploration acreage.

  • Greenland

    Cairn awarded three blocks called Ingoraq, Napariaq and Pitu in the Baffin Bay bid round in Greenland

    Cairn joins Shell, Statoil, GDF, Conoco-Phillips and Maersk who were other recipients of block awards.

2009
  • One of our sites lit up at sunset

  • Corporate

    Successful placing of 6,542,270 new Ordinary Shares (5%) at Placing Price of £17.75/share raises $161 million

  • India

    Production from the Mangala field in Rajasthan commences

    Oil production starts on 29 August, gradually ramping up to an approved plateau rate of 125,000. Oil production from Rajasthan fields accounts for over 20% of India's domestic oil production.

  • Albania

    Cairn commences acquisition of 400 sq km 3D seismic survey in September 2009 in the 100% interest Cairn-operated block Joni-5 offshore Albania

  • Greenland

    Cairn commences acquisition of approximately 7,000 km of 2D seismic offshore south and east Greenland, 5,000 sq km of acoustic multibeam, gravity gradiometry data and two drill site surveys in the blocks Sigguk and Eqqua offshore west Greenland during the summer 2009 season

  • India

    Ravva Development celebrates 15 years of operations

  • Corporate - Greenland

    Cairn agrees farm out with Petronas International Corporation Ltd (PICL) for Greenland blocks: Sigguk, Eqqua, Kingittoq, Saqqamuit, Sallitt and Uummannarsuaq

    Cairn has agreed to sell to PICL a 10% interest in its existing operated blocks offshore Greenland, subject to the required government and partner approvals.

  • Corporate

    10 for 1 subdivision of the share capital of Cairn approved

2008
  • A seaside town in Greenland

  • Greenland

    Cairn acquires an interest in six blocks offshore Greenland

    Cairn is awarded an 87.5% operated interest in the Sigguk and Eqqua blocks in the Disko West licensing round and a 92% operated interest in the Kingittoq and Saqqamuit blocks offshore south Greenland. Cairn also acquires a 40% non-operated interest in the Lady Franklin and Attammik blocks offshore west Greenland from EnCana Corporation.

  • Greenland

    Signs exclusive licences for Sigguk and Eqqua blocks, offshore west Greenland, at 100% paying interest and starts seismic surveying of the blocks, fulfilling the first period licence seismic acquisition commitments within the first licence year

  • Greenland

    Acquisition of a further two blocks offshore south Greenland

    27 Oct 2008. Cairn is awarded a 92% interest in the Cape Farewell 1 and 2 blocks (Sallit and Uummannarsuaq)

  • Greenland

    Completion of a 10,000km 2D seismic programme over the west and south blocks

    These operations satisfy the work programme required across all of its Greenland acreage.

  • Key event - Corporate

    20 years of Cairn Energy PLC

2007
  • A landscape of a garden and one of our sites

  • Key event - Corporate - India

    Cairn India listed on BSE and NSE

    IPO of Cairn India Ltd on the Bombay Stock Exchange raises $1.98billion. Cairn Energy PLC retains a 69% holding. At the time, this was the largest IPO in Indian corporate history.

  • Corporate - India

    $1billion returned to shareholders post IPO of Cairn India

  • India

    Signs Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) for two blocks under the Indian NELP VI exploration licensing round

    9 Feb 2007

  • Key event - Corporate - Albania - Tunisia

    Acquisition of MedOil plc and Plectrum plc

    The acquisition brings operatorship of three highly prospective blocks, the Joni-5 block offshore Albania, the Louza and Nabeul blocks offshore Tunisia and a number of less-mature assets.

  • Corporate

    Dyas BV acquires 10% interest in Capricorn

  • Corporate - Bangladesh

    Farm out of 50% interest in Cairn's Bangladesh assets to Santos

2006
  • Employees in overalls walking together

  • India

    Director General of Hydrocarbons (DGH) approves Field Development Plans for Mangala, Aishwariya, Raageshwari and Saraswati

  • India

    Conducts successful hydraulic fracturing campaign in Block RJ-ON-90/1, India

    Increases Block RJ-ON-90/1 estimate to >3.6bnbbls STOIIP, and gross 2P+EOR 864mmbbls recoverable

  • Corporate

    Cairn Group signs $1bn syndicated revolving credit facility, primarily to fund the Rajasthan development

2005

  • India

    Signs Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) for five blocks under the Indian NELP V exploration licensing round

  • India

    Block RJ-ON-90/1 estimate >1.9mmbbls STOIIP and gross 2P+EOR 795mmbbls recoverable

  • India

    Submits Field Development Plans for the Mangala, Aishwariya, Raageshwari and Saraswati fields

  • India

    Gauri field in the Cambay Basin commences oil production

  • India

    New Cairn India Head Office opens in Gurgaon on the outskirts of Delhi

2004

  • Key event - India

    Major discovery of the Mangala field followed by the Aishwariya and Bhagyam fields

    Exploration drilling programme in Block RJ-ON-90/1 leads to the discovery of the Mangala, Aishwariya, Bhagyam, Shakti, Vijaya and Vandana oil fields. Mangala is the largest oil discovery in India for over 20 years.

  • India

    Five rigs moved to Rajasthan for ongoing exploration and appraisal programme

  • India

    Acquires 2,306km of 2D seismic and 468sq km 3D seismic on Block RJ-ON-90/1

  • Key event - India

    Gauri field in the Cambay Basin commences gas production

  • Corporate - India

    Successful placing of 7,512,850 new ordinary shares (5%) of £13.70/share raises ~£102.9 million before expenses

  • Corporate - Nepal

    Cairn signs Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) for 100% interest in five exploration blocks in Nepal

2003
2002
  • An oil rig at sea

  • Key event - India

    First gas from Lakshmi

    Completes development of the offshore Lakshmi gas field, 29 months after discovery; production started in November at 90mmscfd.

  • India

    Oil tested at Lakshmi, India at 10,500 bopd

  • Corporate - India

    Cairn acquires Shell's remaining 50% working interest in the Rajasthan block RJ-ON-90/1 and assumes operatorship

2001
2000

  • Bangladesh

    Shell/Cairn drill South Sangu-1 gas discovery

  • India

    Acquires 2,500+km 2D seismic survey in CB-OS/2, India

  • India

    Acquires 277sq km OBC 3D seismic survey over Ravva field, India

  • India

    Acquires 760sq km 3D seismic survey in KG-OS/6, India

  • India

    Acquires 1,500sq km 3D seismic survey in KG-DWN-98/2, India

  • India

    Acquires 1,000km 2D seismic survey in RJ-ON-90/1 and commenced acquisition of 450sq km 3D seismic survey over Guda oil discovery trend, Rajasthan

  • India

    Concludes 450sq km 3D seismic survey over Guda oil discovery trend

  • India

    Discovery of Lakshmi oil and gas field in the CB-OS/2 block, Cambay Basin

    This is the first discovery in the block.

  • India

    Seven well deepwater drilling campaign in KG-DWN-98/2 and KG-OS/6 leads to discovery of hydrocarbons at DWN-N-1, Annapurna, Padmavati and Karnaka Durga

    Cairn establishes the water depth record for drilling in India and confirms the hydrocarbon prospectivity of the Krishna-Godavari basin, home to the world's largest gas discovery in 2004.

1999

  • India

    Ravva field, India production increases from 35,000 bopd to new approved plateau rate of 50,000 bopd

  • India

    Acquires 1,500 km 2D seismic survey in KG-OS/6

  • Bangladesh

    Transfers operatorship of Bangladesh interests to Shell

  • Bangladesh

    Cairn/Shell alliance is awarded Block 10, Bangladesh 2nd licensing round

  • India

    Takes over operatorship of Rajasthan block from Shell increasing interest to 50%

  • Corporate - India - Thailand - China

    Continues to increase focus on the Indian subcontinent by selling non-core interests in China and Thailand and by a moratorium on non-Indian new ventures

  • Key event - India

    First Rajasthan discovery

    Cairn and Shell discover Guda.

1998

  • Key event - Bangladesh

    First gas from Sangu

    First gas produced from the fast-track Sangu field development, 19 months from the initial discovery.

  • India

    Exploration well in Ravva tests 45 mmscfd from two zones

  • China

    Completes a three-well exploration drilling programme

  • India

    Signs PSCs for KG-OS/6 and CB-OS/2, offshore India

  • Bangladesh

    Cairn/Shell joint venture is awarded Block 5 Bangladesh second licensing round

  • India

    Farms in for 27.5% interest to Shell operated exploration Block RJ-ON-90/1 in Rajasthan

1997

  • Key event - Corporate - Bangladesh - India

    Bangladesh transaction with Shell

    In July, Cairn and Shell sign an operational alliance over the whole of Bangladesh and parts of India – including the Rajasthan block interest.

1996

  • Key event - Bangladesh

    Discovers Sangu gas field in the Bay of Bengal

    Cairn discovers gas in the Sangu-1 well, Block 16 – the first gas field offshore Bangladesh.

  • Corporate

    Acquires Command Petroleum Limited

    Acquires Command Petroleum Limited. Command's interests are in India, Yemen, PNG, Australia and Russia.

  • India

    Assumes operatorship and development responsibility for the Ravva oil and gas field, offshore India (22.5% interest). Production increases from 3,000bopd to 35,000bopd.

  • China

    Petroleum contracts signed for Blocks 15/26 and 15/35, Pearl River Mouth Basin, offshore China

  • UK

    Sells interest in Forties field

1995

  • Thailand

    First production from the Wichian Buri oil field

  • Bangladesh

    Acquires 2,500km 2D seismic data Block 16 offshore Bangladesh

  • Bangladesh

    Signs a Production Sharing Contract (PSC) for Block 15, onshore Bangladesh

  • UK

    Acquires 10% interest in the Gryphon oil field, UK North Sea

  • China

    Signs a Petroleum Contract for offshore Block 23/10, as operator

  • Key event - Corporate - Bangladesh

    Acquires HSSH – an Amsterdam listed company

    Cairn acquires a 45% interest in Holland Sea Search N.V (later increased to 100%). HSSH interests are in the Netherlands, Bangladesh, PNG, Australia and Russia via the SOCOPerm Joint Venture. The CEO of HSSH, Dr Mike Watts, joins Cairn.

1994

  • Thailand

    Assumes operatorship of Block SW1, onshore Thailand, containing the Wichian Buri and Si Thep oil discoveries and the Bo Rang gas discovery

  • Key event - Bangladesh

    Production Sharing Contract (PSC) signed for Block 16 offshore Bangladesh

  • Key event - India

    Ravva field development commenced leading to significant oil production

1993

  • Key event - Corporate - Bangladesh

    Joint Venture with Holland Sea Search (HSSH)

    HSSH interests are in the Netherlands, Bangladesh, PNG, Australia and Russia via the SOCOPerm Joint Venture. HSSH works with its major shareholder Command Petroleum to review and help secure an early entry position in India, including the Ravva oil field and exploration acreage, as well as Yemen.

  • Corporate

    Acquires Teredo Petroleum PLC

  • New Zealand

    Sells interest in the Ngatoro oil field

1992

  • New Zealand

    Puts Ngatoro discoveries on long-term test

  • UK

    Drills two successful development wells on its operated Palmer's Wood Oil field, onshore UK

1991

  • New Zealand

    Oil discovery at Ngatoro on licence PPL38706, offshore New Zealand (non-operated)

  • New Zealand

    Acquires a 44.5% interest and operatorship of licence PPL38419, offshore New Zealand

  • Vietnam

    Assumes 50% interest and operatorship of Block 22, offshore Vietnam

  • Spain

    Operates the drilling of a well, onshore Spain – Cairn's first operated well outside the UK

1990

  • UK

    First production from the Cairn-operated Palmer's Wood oil field in Surrey

  • UK

    Discovery on UK North Sea Block 44/17

  • UK

    Acquires a 0.5% holding in the Forties Field in the North Sea

  • Vietnam

    Acquires a 5% carried interest in each of Blocks 17 and 21, offshore Vietnam

1989

  • UK

    Awarded 5 licences in the 11th Round, UK North Sea

1988

  • Key event - Corporate

    Cairn Energy PLC listed on London Stock Exchange

    Cairn acquires all Conoco's onshore UK interests and gains listing on the London Stock Exchange, with a market capitalisation of £25 million.