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               02 october 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      4,727,570       3.33%         146,277    0.10%

(2) Derivatives   1,707,099       1.20%       1,955,476    1.38%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and           0       0.00%              0     0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total             6,434,669       4.53%       2,101,753    1.48%

(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      700                  7.0788
Purchase      2,673                7.0445
Purchase      702                  7.0688
Purchase      1,700                7.0538
Purchase      700                  7.0838
Purchase      900                  6.9600
Purchase      600                  7.0838
Purchase      1,271                6.8502
Purchase      11,835               7.0533
Purchase      2,733                7.0010
Purchase      2,107                6.9745
Purchase      8,745                7.0529
Purchase      1,500                7.0504
Purchase      347                  Transfer
Sale          72,839               7.0737
Sale          705                  7.0710
Sale          1,500                7.0205
Sale          250                  7.0715
Sale          1,700                7.0538
Sale          347                  Transfer
Sale          102                  7.0286
Sale          454                  7.0741
Sale          600                  7.0810
Sale          8,620                7.0550
Sale          2,658                7.0044
Sale          982                  7.0700
Sale          32,276               7.0448
Sale          4,882                7.0527
Sale          8,745                7.0529
Sale          10,497               7.0550
Sale          1,700                7.0538
Sale          1,072                7.0850
Sale          8,745                7.0529

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         1271          6.8501
CFD            Short         900           6.96
CFD            Short         2107          6.9745
CFD            Short         2733          7.0009
CFD            Short         2673          7.0444
CFD            Short         11449         7.0529
CFD            Short         11835         7.0532
CFD            Long          2658          7.0043
CFD            Long          102           7.0286
CFD            Long          32276         7.0448
CFD            Long          4882          7.0526
CFD            Long          8745          7.0528
CFD            Long          1700          7.0538
CFD            Long          35962         7.0576
CFD            Long          72839         7.0736
CFD            Long          454           7.0741

(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                         03 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