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               10 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      4,565,761      3.21%           113,222   0.08%

(2) Derivatives   2,032,651      1.43%         2,132,413   1.50%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and           0      0.00%                0    0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total             6,598,412      4.64%         2,245,635   1.58%

(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      695                  6.9088
Purchase      1,163                6.9550
Purchase      8,486                6.9550
Purchase      300                  6.9434
Purchase      700                  7.0038
Purchase      3,721                6.9077
Purchase      4,486                6.9410
Purchase      1,792                6.9205
Purchase      2,702                6.9297
Purchase      357                  6.9338
Purchase      835                  6.9938
Purchase      1,792                6.9205
Purchase      722                  6.8738
Purchase      106                  7.0013
Sale          4,633                6.9621
Sale          722                  6.9718
Sale          835                  6.9938
Sale          691                  7.0110
Sale          100                  6.9310
Sale          6,657                6.9396
Sale          277                  6.9265
Sale          835                  6.9938
Sale          4,486                6.9410
Sale          4,486                6.9410
Sale          700                  7.0038
Sale          39,138               6.9266
Sale          3,002                6.9960
Sale          29                   6.9338
Sale          251                  7.0087
Sale          1,792                6.9205
Sale          700                  7.0038

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         3721          6.9077
CFD            Short         1792          6.9204
CFD            Short         2702          6.9296
CFD            Short         6880          6.9411
CFD            Short         106           7.0013
CFD            Long          39138         6.9265
CFD            Long          29            6.9337
CFD            Long          14394         6.9358
CFD            Long          6657          6.9396
CFD            Long          4486          6.941
CFD            Long          4633          6.9621
CFD            Long          835           6.9938
CFD            Long          3002          6.9959
CFD            Long          700           7.0038
CFD            Long          251           7.0086

(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                         11 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