Cairn Energy of UK has made its 18th oil discovery in Rajasthan where it claims to have found 3.5 billion barrels of oil reserves. The N-P Exploratory well in Barmer has encountered 16m of oil bearing sands.

Cairn estimated that three main northern fields - Mangala, Bhagyam and Aishwariya -- has risen to 800 million barrels of oil and is expected to bring Mangala on stream at the earliest followed by Bhagyam and Aishwariya.

First oil from Mangala field is scheduled to commence in about 30 months following field development plan approval and project sanction by the Cairn board. First oil from Bhagyam and Aishwariya is targeted to commence a year after Mangala.

The 18 discoveries made till date, are:

• Guda
• Raageshwari (Gas)
• Raageshwari (Oil)
• Kameshwari (Oil)
• Saraswati
• GS-V-1
• N-R-4
• Vandana
• Vijaya
• N-E-1
• Aishwariya
• Mangala
• Bhagyam South-I
• NC West (Oil and gas)
• N-I
• Shakti
• Bhagyam