• • Awarded in the DSF-II auction, this is the first Discovered Small Fields (DSF) block in North-East India to commence successful test production
  • Cairn Oil & Gas has signed a Gas Sales Agreement with Assam Gas Company Limited (AGCL) to sell 3.5 million standard cubic feet per day (MMSCFD) of gas from the Hazarigaon field
  • Gas from the Hazarigaon block will be one of the prime contributors to the 100 CNG buses initiative run by the Government of Assam and will also support tea growers across the state

Guwahati, 21 April 2023: Cairn Oil & Gas, a unit of Vedanta Limited, and India’s largest private oil and gas exploration and production company, has commenced test production from its Hazarigaon field in Assam – becoming the first company in the North-East to commence gas flow from a DSF block. The gas produced by Cairn Oil & Gas is evacuated through a main trunk pipeline, and a gas cascading system to AGCL. The gas evacuation from the field will be used by tea growers among other industries. Additionally, the gas cascading system will enable gas from Hazarigaon to be a prime contributor in fueling 100 CNG buses that will be plying in Guwahati as part of the clean energy initiative of Government of Assam.

The milestone was celebrated at the inauguration of the CNG Station at Hazarigaon wellsite in Naharbari, Golaghat in Assam by Shri Himanta Biswa Sarma, Hon. Chief Minister of Assam, in the presence of public representatives, state officials, senior members of AGCL and Cairn Oil & Gas, Vedanta Limited.

Commenting on the new production asset, Nick Walker, CEO of Cairn Oil & Gas, said, “We are delighted to become the first company to commence operations from a DSF block in the North-East region. The region holds significant potential and is a key focus for us at Cairn Oil & Gas as we move towards our goal of doubling production and supporting energy security for the country. Our partnership with the Government of Assam will not only drive the state’s clean energy transition, but also contribute to its overall economic development. The state has a significant potential for unlocking hydrocarbon reserves and with government support, infrastructure, and fast-tracked approvals to continue exploration activities, the region can support India’s vision to be self-reliant in oil and gas.”

The state of Assam and the North-East region remains a top priority for Cairn, which is committed to investing in developing oil and gas resources that will provide energy supply to many ancillary industries. The Company plans to drill 5 to 10 high impact exploration wells in the next two years across the Golaghat, Jorhat and Tinsukia districts of Assam.

Cairn holds 7650 km² of acreage in Assam Arakan Basin with 12 Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP) and 3 Discovered Small Fields (DSF) blocks. The acreage has a significant resource potential of upto 1 billion barrels of oil equivalent. Cairn has also conducted large-scale airborne gravity magnetic and seismic survey for exploration.

Cairn Oil & Gas entered into a Gas Sales Agreement (GSA) with AGCL that laid down the infrastructure for distribution of cleaner fuel to industry through pipelines. The company is working closely with AGCL and other infrastructure companies to make gas accessible to industries in Assam. By the end of April, evacuation of gas in Hazarigaon is expected to ramp up as tea industry demand increases.

About Cairn Oil & Gas

Cairn Oil & Gas, Vedanta Limited, is the largest private oil and gas exploration and production company in India, accounting for more than a quarter of India’s domestic crude oil production. It has a world-class resource base, with a current interest in 62 blocks in India, including the 38 blocks under the Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP) Round I auction, 5 blocks under Round II and 3 blocks under Round III, 2 awarded under the Discovered Small Fields (DSF) Round-II and 8 under DSF Round-III, and one Coal Bed Methane (CBM) block. In 2004, Cairn made the largest onshore discovery in more than two decades in Mangala, Rajasthan. In its operations of 20 years, Cairn has opened 4 frontier basins with numerous discoveries; 38 in Rajasthan alone. Cairn is part of the Vedanta Resources Limited, the world’s sixth largest diversified natural resources conglomerate with interest in oil and gas, zinc-lead-silver, copper, iron ore, aluminium, and commercial power. The company has a presence across India, South Africa, Namibia, Australia, and Ireland. Governance and sustainable development are at the core of Vedanta’s strategy, with a strong focus on health, safety, and environment, and on enhancing the lives of local communities. The company has been conferred the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) “Sustainable Plus Platinum” label and ranks among the top 10 most sustainable companies in India.

For more information, please visit www.cairnindia.com/ www.vedantalimited.com