Cairn Energy Plc has made a new gas discovery with the Raageshwari-5 well, currently operating 75 km south of Mangala, in the southern part of the Rajasthan basin. According to a release on the company website, "this gas discovery is in a conventional reservoir in the Fategarh formation whereas the previously encountered Raageshwari gas has been in non-conventional volcanic reservoirs. The well, which has been drilled to a depth of around 3,000 metres, will be tested once drilling operations are completed."An appraisal well will be required to determine the reservoir extent, and size of the gas column before a volumetric assessment of the new Raageshwari discovery can be made, the release added.Chief executive Bill Gammell, who was quoted in the release, said: "The initial evaluation of the Raageshwari Fategargh gas discovery is encouraging, but further evaluation and appraisal work will be required before understanding its full significance."Cairn has also secured a further 856 square kilometres extension to its existing acreage in Rajasthan. The extension runs until the middle of May 2005."Cairn will immediately conduct a seismic survey and drilling in the area once it has received all the necessary permissions from the Rajasthan government," the release said.
