Cairn Energy Regulatory News (CNE)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                  25 April 2012

CAIRN ENERGY PLC ("Cairn" or "the Company")

Block Listing

Further to the announcement made on 23 April 2012 that an application had been made to the UK Listing Authority and the London Stock Exchange for the admission of a Block Listing of 2,042,891 ordinary shares of ²³¹/₁₆₉ pence in Cairn Energy PLC, the Company confirms that the Block Listing will be allocated in the following way:

n 875,386 shares for the 2002 Unapproved Share Option Plan;

n 28,678 shares for the 2003 Approved Share Option Plan;

n 512,557 shares for the Replacement Share Option Plan;

n 342,040 shares for the Approved Share Option Plan (2009); and

n 284,230 shares for the Unapproved Share Option Plan (2009).

These shares will rank pari passu with the existing issued ordinary shares of the Company.