Holding(s) in Company

Cairn Energy PLC
30 September 2004


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

30 September 2004

Cairn Energy PLC ('Cairn')

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

On 29 September 2004, Cairn was notified by Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc, on behalf of itself and its direct and indirect 
subsidiaries, that they had an interest in 16,022,131 ordinary shares of 10 pence each in Cairn in aggregate, 
representing approximately 10.04% of Cairn's current issued ordinary share capital.

The registered holders to which this notification related and the number of shares held by those registered holders as 
at 24 September 2004 (if known) were as follows:-

REGISTERED HOLDER                       NUMBER OF SHARES   NATURE OF INTEREST
(IF KNOWN)

Nutraco Nominees Limited (Des & Undes)         8,609,841   Non-beneficial
Merrill Lynch Pension Nominees Limited
A/C Noncert                                      903,868   Beneficial
Stamford Nominees Limited A/C Charty              14,608   Non-beneficial
Stamford Nominees Limited (Undes)                    500   Non-beneficial
Possfund Nominees Limited                        621,325   Non-beneficial
Britel Nominees Limited                          750,897   Non-beneficial
Treasury of the Government of the Isle
of Man Nominees A/C 5                            143,200   Non-beneficial
Treasury of the Government of the Isle
of Man Nominees A/C 10                            68,600   Non-beneficial
Morgan Nominees Limited                          190,458   Non-beneficial
Chase Nominees Limited                           465,457   Non-beneficial
Nortrust Nominees Limited                      1,037,778   Non-beneficial
Bank of New York Nominees Limited                489,611   Non-beneficial
Other Names                                    1,971,092   Non-beneficial
Merrill Lynch Group, Inc                         363,238   Beneficial
Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc                         391,658   Beneficial
                                              16,022,131                 10.04%

Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc subsequently notified Cairn on the same date that it and its direct and indirect subsidiaries 
no longer held a notifiable interest in the Company, their aggregate holding having fallen below 10% of Cairn's current 
issued ordinary share capital.




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