Cairn begins sale of gas from Barmer block

Mangala, the largest of the 25 oil and gas finds Cairn has made in the Barmer desert block, was put into production in August—end 2009 and is currently producing about 150,000 bpd.

Cairn India, on Saturday, began commercial sale of natural gas, while also starting production from the Aishwariya oil field from its RJ-ON-90/1 block in Barmer district, Rajasthan.

Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister M. Veerappa Moily and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot inaugurated the function that marked the start of the sales.

The project will produce initial commercial volumes of about 5 million metric standard cubic feet (mmscf) per day. ONGC has a 30 per cent stake in the project. The block, at present, produces about 30 mmscf of gas per day from the Raageshwari Deep Gas field and the Mangala and Bhagyam fields (as associated gas along with crude oil).