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               23 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       4,342,775     3.06%         211,001    0.15%

(2) Derivatives    2,450,367     1.72%       2,352,022    1.65%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and            0     0.00%              0     0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total              6,793,142     4.78%       2,563,023    1.80%


(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      2,300                7.4892
Purchase      319                  7.7504
Purchase      230                  7.5774
Purchase      1,300                7.5984
Purchase      176                  7.4988
Purchase      1,305                7.6627
Purchase      7,500                7.6250
Purchase      2,466                7.6807
Purchase      2,800                7.6658
Purchase      13,164               7.6576
Purchase      4,204                7.6523
Sale          2,436                7.6639
Sale          8,000                7.5900
Sale          1,000                7.6555
Sale          370                  7.6618
Sale          1,958                7.6835
Sale          423                  7.6518
Sale          1,300                7.5984
Sale          2,300                7.4892
Sale          273                  7.6086
Sale          2,576                7.6121
Sale          2,300                7.4892
Sale          14,680               7.6334
Sale          1,300                7.5984
Sale          13,344               7.6535

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         4204          7.6523
CFD            Short         13164         7.6576
CFD            Short         1756          7.6587
CFD            Short         2800          7.6657
CFD            Short         2466          7.6806
CFD            Long          2300          7.4892
CFD            Long          1644          7.5768
CFD            Long          1300          7.5983
CFD            Long          273           7.6085
CFD            Long          14680         7.6334
CFD            Long          932           7.6743
CFD            Long          1958          7.6835

(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                         24 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