By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, July 27 -- Cairn Energy PLC and partners received authorization from the Indian government to explore five blocks under the fifth licensing round.
The government expects the contracts to be signed by early October, enabling the companies to start exploration next year (OGJ Online, June 2, 2005).
Four of the blocks are onshore and include two new areas in Rajasthan. The onshore blocks are:
--RJ-ONN-2003/1 Western Rajasthan, Rajasthan basin. Italy's Eni SPA will be the operator with 34% interest. Cairn will have 30% interest, and India's state-owned Oil & Natural Gas Corp. will have 36% interest.
--VN-ONN-2003/1 Eastern Rajasthan, Vindhyan basin. Cairn will be the operator with 49% interest, and ONGC will have 51% interest.
--KG-ONN-2003/1 Andhra-Pradesh, Krishna-Godavari basin. Cairn will be the operator with 49% interest, and ONGC will have 51% interest.
--GV-ONN-2003/1 Uttar Pradesh, Ganga Valley basin. Cairn will be the operator with 49% interest, and ONGC will have 51% interest.
The offshore block is GS-OSN-2003/1 in the Saurashtra basin. ONGC will be the operator with 51% interest, and Cairn will have 49% interest.
