Ms Harmeet Sehra, Cairn Oil and Gas talks about Company’s plans to Net Zero

The largest privately owned producer of crude oil in India is Cairn Oil and Gas. Ms. Harmeet Sehra, CSR Head at Cairn Oil and Gas, discusses the company’s emphasis on the socioeconomic development of the communities it engages with and its aspirations for becoming Net-Zero in an exclusive interview with The CSR Journal. Here are some quotes from the conversation.

Cairn Oil and Gas

1. With the rising global pressure of reducing the dependency on fossil fuels, what steps is the company taking to reduce its carbon emissions? 
 
Cairn Oil & Gas has been at the forefront of identifying fresh and creative approaches to uphold this belief in sustainability and is developing initiatives that allow us to achieve holistic socioeconomic development while keeping in mind our goal of ensuring energy aatmanirbharta for India. This is happening as nations around the world, including India itself, race to adopt cleaner sources of energy to control emissions and climate change. Along with pioneering environmental, social, and corporate governance leadership (ESG) in the oil and gas industry, Cairn is setting the standard for oil exploration and production in India. 
 
We have committed to planting 2 million trees by 2030 as part of our ESG roadmap, and we will work to maintain and improve biodiversity throughout the project duration. Cairn is reducing reliance on more polluting sources of power and creating a significant industry precedent as part of our decarbonization goal to lessen our carbon impact. 
 
In fact, this ESG vision led to the decision to turn Mangala, the world’s longest continuously heated and insulated pipeline, into a 100% solar-operated pipeline. 
 
2. Does the business have any plans to enter the renewable energy market? 
 
In the oil and gas industry, Cairn Oil & Gas is setting the standard for ESG (environmental, social, and corporate governance) leadership and is dedicated to attaining net zero by 2050. By combining the best aspects of both fossil and non-fossil energy sources, we are setting the standard for the oil and gas sector. In keeping with this, we have been investigating geothermal energy and flare gas monetization prospects. Additionally, we have started the conversion of our Mangala pipeline into a pipeline that is entirely powered by solar energy. 
 
With the goal of installing full solar rooftops in all 36 Above Ground Installations (AGIs) by 2025, the midstream team at Mangala has started a project to install rooftop solar photovoltaics on the available area of AGIs in phases. The aim is to make our Mangala pipeline, the longest continuously heated and insulated hydrocarbon carrying pipeline in the world, a greener and more effective resource by switching the entire AGI load to solar energy. Cairn has so far put in a total of 13 AGIs, each with a solar rooftop capacity of 15 KW and a combined annual CO2e reduction of about 270 tonnes. Additionally, the objective is to finish the project for FY 2025 and reach a total of 10 AGIs with solar installations each year. 
 
Solar rooftops are present in the facility area of the residential regions for our employees and business partners in the exploration and production locations. Renewable energy sources power this environmentally friendly OB Project (530 KWp) at Mangala Production Terminal Base Camps. A 100KWp solar farm is also part of our Saraswati field (Sara WP-01). 
 
For FY23, we have a solar PV installation scheduled for the rooftops of RGT LQ buildings (100 KWp) and offshore assets (50–100 KWp). For its offshore assets, Cairn is also looking into the possibility of renewable energy hybrids (solar, wind, and tidal). These investigations, along with other projects, will aid our foray into the field of renewable energy. 
 
3. How does the business go about enhancing and raising the quality of life in the neighbourhoods surrounding its operating sites? 
 
At Cairn Oil and Gas, we favour a thorough and all-encompassing approach to development. We’ve committed to using sustainable development practises, which has sped up our efforts to improve the quality of life in the communities around us. 
 
We offer a wide range of activities in the areas of health, education, skill development, support for livelihoods, development of women and children, and more. The Dairy Development and Animal Husbandry (DDAH) initiative of Cairn has improved animal management practises, which has increased income. Additionally, we have done sessions on attitude and behaviour transformation in conjunction with NGOs like SURE Sansthan. 
 
With the use of natural resource management techniques, Cairn’s Barmer Unnati project is introducing and promoting new crops and technologies in the area, creating livelihood models, value chain interventions, and raising the income of farming communities. The project has favourably impacted 6,000 farmers since its inception. 
 
Through such programmes, Cairn continues to strive for the benefit of its local communities. Positive changes brought about by Cairn’s initiatives throughout time are evident in the places where it operates. We at Cairn use a variety of approaches to community development, as evidenced by the several activities we have undertaken in Rajasthan. 
 
4. Cairn Oil and Gas operates in Rajasthan, one of the regions with the highest rates of gender inequality. What part does the business hope to play in resolving this? 
 
Rajasthan has historically been plagued by patriarchy and an unbalanced sex distribution. The first female engineer from Rajasthan is Seema Rayal, Installation Manager at the Aishwariya oil field. She started her career with Cairn Oil and Gas and aspired to a senior role at a historically male-dominated oil and gas facility. In addition, she effectively optimised the maintenance planning procedure for the Mangala, Bhagyam, and Aishwarya (MBA) fields and oversaw the early facility commissioning at the Raageshwari Gas Terminal. She is just one of many instances. 
 
In order to promote lasting change, Cairn strives to invest in the general position of women and children. Cairn is also actively involved in empowering women through educational programmes, health services, skill-building initiatives, and contributions to nourishment. 1,195 women from 49 Nand Ghars have benefited in FY22, improving their health, diet, and overall development. In 31 Self-Help Groups (SHGs), women have also participated, ensuring savings of INR14,61,630 to date. These ladies receive training in related fields and are connected with lending organizations for lenient loans. Additionally, Cairn often provides nutrition kits to expectant women registered at PHC. 
 
5. According to the National Achievement Survey, lockdowns caused by the pandemic have caused a decline in students’ learning abilities nationwide. What part may India Inc. be able to play in undoing this harm? 
 
For all of us, the year 2020 was a huge setback. Because it altered their entire course of study, it was very difficult for the pupils. Because of the digital divide, which made knowledge inaccessible to many people, the transition to digital further widened this learning gap. 
 
Cairn started a digital education project called “E-Kaksha” to help close this enormous digital divide. The project’s goal was to provide free, high-quality digital education to kids in Rajasthan in grades 6 through 12.  
 
6. What are Cairn Oil and Gas Limited’s ESG objectives? 
 
As was already stated, Cairn Oil and Gas is dedicated to upholding its social and environmental obligations. We created our ESG targets with this commitment in mind in order to assist us in moving toward sustainability. We are pursuing a flurry of activities under our ESG roadmap with a simultaneous focus on increasing our energy portfolio, upholding best practises for our employees, and creating a better world. Among them are: 
 
– Greening the longest heated, insulated pipeline (670 km) with solar rooftop power on above-ground stations (there are above-ground stations every 18 km on the course of the underground pipeline).

Maintaining net water impact benefits

– 2 million trees will be planted by 2030, and biodiversity will be protected and improved throughout the project’s lifespan. 
 
– By encouraging gender parity, diversity, and inclusivity, following to international corporate governance standards, and being committed to the health and safety of employees and business partners, we are fostering a fantastic workplace. 

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