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               24 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       4,330,722     3.05%         205,067    0.14%

(2) Derivatives    2,474,916     1.74%       2,390,021    1.68%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and            0     0.00%              0     0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total              6,805,638     4.79%       2,595,088    1.83%


(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      37                   7.7938
Purchase      1,600                7.7763
Purchase      8,084                7.7705
Purchase      2,465                7.7761
Purchase      400                  7.7687
Purchase      3,130                7.7053
Purchase      4,906                7.7575
Purchase      1,600                7.7763
Purchase      700                  7.7757
Purchase      14,403               7.7613
Purchase      100                  7.7610
Sale          400                  7.7687
Sale          2,000                7.7355
Sale          229                  7.6465
Sale          7,500                7.7700
Sale          143                  7.7910
Sale          10,000               7.6450
Sale          1,600                7.7763
Sale          1,529                7.7678
Sale          12,627               7.7675
Sale          1,528                7.7700
Sale          11,522               7.7170
Sale          400                  7.7687


(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         3130          7.7052
CFD            Short         4906          7.7575
CFD            Short         100           7.761
CFD            Short         14403         7.7612
CFD            Short         2611          7.7671
CFD            Short         8084          7.7704
CFD            Short         700           7.7757
CFD            Short         2465          7.776
CFD            Short         1600          7.7762
CFD            Long          11522         7.717
CFD            Long          12627         7.7675
CFD            Long          400           7.7687


(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                         25 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