Cairn Oil & Gas’s Mangala oil field in Rajasthan is leading India towards achieving Aatmanirbharta in fulfilling its energy demands

New Delhi : Cairn Oil & Gas, India’s largest private oil and gas exploration and production company, completes 12 years of operations from its Mangala oil field, situated in Rajasthan. Discovered in 2004, the field was the largest global discovery of the year and India’s largest onshore discovery in 25 years. Since first oil was found here on August 29, 2009, Mangala field has produced more than 473 mmstb as on July 2021.

Cairn Oil & Gas today contributes ~25% to India’s domestic crude oil production – majority coming from the company’s Rajasthan block that is spread across 3,111 sq km. Production from Mangala, and its sister fields Bhagyam and Aishwariya, has contributed $19 billion to the national and state exchequer as on FY’21. The cumulative production from the block has crossed 600 mmboe. Playing a key role in fulfilling the country’s energy demands, the block will drive India’s dream of achieving energy Aatmanirbharta. 

Celebrating the occasion, Prachur Sah, Deputy CEO, Cairn Oil & Gas, said, “Since the discovery of first oil in 2009, the Mangala field has lived up to its name to truly become auspicious for the country’s energy needs. We have followed a path of continuous innovation, research, and adoption of new technology to maintain production levels. Moving ahead, Cairn Oil & Gas is committed to contributing 50% of India’s domestic crude oil production. For this, the Rajasthan block and Mangala particularly, will continue to play a driving role.”

Technology and innovation are hallmarks of the Rajasthan block. The field is home to the world’s largest Alkaline Surfactant Polymer (ASP) flood project and the Mangala pipeline – the world’s longest continuously heated and insulated pipeline that runs from the fields of Rajasthan to refineries in Gujarat – covering ~705 km. Additionally, it is home to a full-field Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) polymer project that is also the largest of its kind in the world.

Cairn Oil & Gas has placed firm faith in India’s hydrocarbon potential and has emerged as the highest bidder – winning a total of 51 blocks across successive OALP rounds. The company will continue its focus on technology and innovation to augment India’s domestic production. In a significant development, the company has also reported its second gas discovery from its OALP block CB-ONHP/2017/2 in Cambay, Gujarat.

Along with aiding India’s energy needs, the Rajasthan block has also contributed significantly to improving socio-economic conditions in the state. Since Cairn commenced operations, the district of Barmer has registered a 650% increase in per capita income – taking it above both the national and state averages. Initiatives across water, biodiversity, education, women, and child development, etc., have together generated rich social wealth that is visible in the changed landscape and livelihoods of western Rajasthan today.