RNS Number:2226T
Cairn Energy PLC
12 December 2003

RNS Number:

Cairn Energy PLC

12 December 2003


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                                                                12 December 2003

                         CAIRN ENERGY PLC ("Cairn")

Notification of Shareholding - Companies Act 1985 ss.198-202 (as amended)

Cairn was notified on 12 December 2003 by Deutsche Bank AG London that Deutsche
Bank AG and its subsidiaries have in aggregate an interest in 22, 889, 118
ordinary shares of 10 pence each in Cairn, representing 15.26% of Cairn's
current issued ordinary share capital.

The registered shareholders to which this notification relates and the number of
shares held by the registered holders at the date of notification is as follows:

REGISTERED HOLDER                                      NUMBER OF SHARES         %

Deutsche Bank AG London                                         593,225
Deutsche Bank AG Frankfurt                                       16,068
Morgan Nominees Limited                                         653,300
Morgan Nominees Limited SL                                       71,700
Bank of New York Nominees                                     1,380,360
BT Globenet Nominees                                             13,856
Channel Nominees                                                 18,900
Chase Nominees                                                3,140,400
Deutsche Bank International Ltd                                   5,215
DWS Investment GmbH                                             350,000
HSBC Global Custody Nominees (UK)                               142,000
Lloyds Bank Nominees                                              8,900
Master Trust Bank of Japan                                        1,200
Nortrust Nominees                                             1,331,567
State Street Nominees                                        15,077,373
Tokyo Trust                                                      85,054
                                                             22,889,118     15.26



END


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