Purchase of Own Securities

Cairn Energy PLC
30 November 1999


Cairn Energy PLC ('Cairn')
Purchase of own Shares

Cairn announces that in accordance with the authority conferred at its Annual
General Meeting held on 4 May 1999, it has today purchased in the market
3,300,000 of its own Ordinary Shares of 10 pence each (being approximately
2.1% of its issued share capital) at a price of 130 pence per share.


Enquiries:

Cairn Energy PLC                           T: 0131 475 3000
Bill Gammell                                       
Kevin Hart