Director Shareholding

Cairn Energy PLC
24 June 2004




FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                                                                    24 June 2004


                  Cairn Energy PLC ('Cairn' or 'the Company')

                         Director's Interests in Shares

Cairn was notified today that Bill Gammell, Chief Executive, has exercised
options over 55,000 Ordinary Shares pursuant to the Company's Executive Share
Option Scheme. 

Details of the options exercised by Mr Gammell are set out below:-

Date of Grant   Date of Exercise    Number of Options       Exercise Price

31 August 1994    24 June 2004           55,000                £0.78

Following this announcement, Mr Gammell's beneficial interest in Cairn's issued
ordinary share capital is as follows:-

Previous Shareholding    Shares Allotted    New Shareholding    % of Issued
                                                                Share Capital

     1,035,000              55,000            1,090,000            0.720




                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange