Rule 8.3 - VENTURE PRODUCTION

FORM 8.3

    DEALINGS BY PERSONS WITH INTERESTS IN SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE
              (Rule 8.3 of the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers)


1.   KEY INFORMATION

Name of person dealing        BARCLAYS PLC
(Note 1)
Company dealt in              VENTURE PRODUCTION
Class of relevant security    ORD GBP0.004
to which the dealings being
disclosed relate (Note 2)
Date of dealing               28 September 2007

2.   INTERESTS, SHORT POSITIONS AND RIGHTS TO SUBSCRIBE

(a)  Interests and short positions (following dealing) in the class of relevant
security dealt in (Note 3)

                            Long                     Short

                      Number       (%)         Number       (%)

(1) Relevant      4,852,322       3.41%         95,023     0.07%
securities
(2) Derivatives   1,462,243       1.03%      1,876,892     1.32%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and           0       0.00%              0     0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total             6,314,565       4.44%       1,971,915    1.39%

(b)  Interests and short positions in relevant securities of the company, other
     than the class dealt in (Note 3)

Class of                    Long                     Short
relevant
security:

                  Number              (%)   Number              (%)

(1) Relevant
securities

(2) Derivatives
(other than
options)

(3) Options and
agreements to
purchase/sell

Total


  (c)  Rights to subscribe (Note 3)

Class of relevant security:   Details



3.   DEALINGS (Note 4)

  (a)  Purchases and sales

Purchase/sale Number of Securities Price per unit
                                   (GBP)
Purchase      436                  6.8016
Purchase      105                  6.9481
Purchase      33                   6.8330
Purchase      6,446                6.8012
Purchase      3,854                6.8273
Purchase      3,648                6.7731
Purchase      3,745                6.8308
Purchase      144                  6.9038
Purchase      32                   6.8059
Purchase      98                   6.9470
Purchase      292                  6.8269
Sale          354                  6.8062
Sale          1                    6.9150
Sale          690                  6.8910
Sale          175                  6.8760
Sale          147                  6.9220
Sale          31,985               6.8863
Sale          220                  6.8220
Sale          1,000                6.9605
Sale          1,000                6.8520
Sale          6,468                6.8514
Sale          15,000               6.8000
Sale          3,854                6.8273
Sale          9,386                6.9229
Sale          657                  6.8337
Sale          1,662                6.8000
Sale          2,644                6.8055
Sale          4,100                6.8729
Sale          1,470                6.8968
Sale          3,854                6.8273

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         3648          6.7731
CFD            Short         6446          6.8011
CFD            Short         32            6.8059
CFD            Short         3745          6.8308
CFD            Short         14166         6.8993
CFD            Long          3854          6.8272
CFD            Long          657           6.8337
CFD            Long          6468          6.8514
CFD            Long          4100          6.8729
CFD            Long          34961         6.8837
CFD            Long          31985         6.8863
CFD            Long          1470          6.8968
CFD            Long          9386          6.9228

(c)  Options transactions in respect of existing securities

(i)  Writing, selling, purchasing or varying

Product name,   Writing,          Number of          Exercise  Type, e.g.      Expiry   Option money
e.g. call       selling,          securities to      price     American,       date     paid/received
option          purchasing,       which the option             European etc.            per unit (GBP)
                varying etc.      relates (GBP)


(ii) Exercising

Product name, e.g.  Number of           Exercise price per
call option         securities          unit (Note 5)




(d)  Other dealings (including new securities) (Note 4)


Nature of transaction Details           Price per unit
(Note 8)                                (if applicable)
                                        (Note 5)




4.   OTHER INFORMATION
None

Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives


Full details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding between the
person disclosing and any other person relating to the voting rights of
any relevant securities under any option referred to on this form or
relating to the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any
relevant securities to which any derivative referred to on this form is
referenced.  If none, this should be stated.




Is a Supplemental Form 8 attached? (Note 9)                 NO


Date of disclosure                         01 October 2007
Contact name                               Geoff Smith
Telephone number                           020 7116 2913
If a connected EFM, name of
offeree/offeror with which connected
If a connected EFM, state nature of
connection (Note 10)


Notes

The Notes on Form 8.3 can be viewed on the Takeover Panel's website at
www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk