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               15 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       4,470,233     3.14%        249,005     0.18%

(2) Derivatives    2,278,122     1.60%      2,253,264     1.59%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and            0     0.00%              0     0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total              6,748,355     4.75%      2,502,269     1.76%


(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      21                   7.3754
Purchase      193                  7.6938
Purchase      1,359                7.3085
Purchase      1,346                7.3085
Purchase      689                  7.4865
Purchase      2,000                7.6988
Purchase      1,187                7.6627
Purchase      1,500                7.6419
Purchase      1,000                7.4977
Purchase      2,318                7.4088
Purchase      200                  7.4185
Purchase      3,198                7.6129
Purchase      13,961               7.4483
Purchase      689                  7.4815
Purchase      12,539               7.6361
Purchase      263                  7.6388
Purchase      106                  7.4764
Sale          500                  7.7060
Sale          800                  7.6215
Sale          280                  7.5012
Sale          63                   7.5012
Sale          7,500                7.6850
Sale          292                  7.2990
Sale          90                   7.5012
Sale          1,000                7.6120
Sale          750                  7.5520
Sale          144                  7.4770
Sale          1,000                7.6075
Sale          7,856                7.6716
Sale          1,000                7.6868
Sale          726                  7.6365
Sale          1,172                7.6868
Sale          77,175               7.6428
Sale          2,000                7.5486
Sale          12,539               7.6361
Sale          12,539               7.6361
Sale          800                  7.6300
Sale          1,974                7.7162
Sale          1,265                7.6829
Sale          500                  7.4570


(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         13961         7.4482
CFD            Short         106           7.4764
CFD            Short         3198          7.6128
CFD            Long          2000          7.5485
CFD            Long          12539         7.636
CFD            Long          77175         7.6428
CFD            Long          10652         7.6461
CFD            Long          7856          7.6716
CFD            Long          1265          7.6828
CFD            Long          1974          7.7162


(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                         16 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