Holding in Company

Cairn Energy PLC
4 May 2001





4 May 2001



                          Cairn Energy PLC ('Cairn')


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



On 3 May 2001, Cairn was notified by Legal & General Investment Management
Limited that it now holds an interest in 5,421,214 Ordinary Shares of 10p each
in Cairn, representing 3.67% of Cairn's current issued ordinary share capital.
The registered holders to which this notification relates and the number of
shares held by those registered holders as at 3 May 2001 is as follows:-



                                                              NUMBER OF
REGISTERED HOLDER                                                SHARES

HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Ltd A/c 887711                 538,074
HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Ltd A/c 775245                 976,703
HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Ltd A/c 360509                 114,978
HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Ltd A/c 357206               3,378,742
HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Ltd A/c 747381                 145,609
HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Ltd A/c 363605                 155,108
HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Ltd A/c 866203                 112,000
                                                              5,421,214   3.67%