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               30 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       4,398,668     3.09%         121,564    0.09%

(2) Derivatives    2,549,056     1.79%       2,528,321    1.78%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and            0     0.00%              0     0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total              6,947,724     4.89%       2,649,885    1.86%


(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      13,300               7.6808
Purchase      947                  7.8638
Purchase      66                   Transfer
Purchase      500                  7.6640
Purchase      63                   7.6681
Purchase      1,000                7.9365
Purchase      2,601                7.6754
Purchase      9,310                7.7036
Purchase      6,319                7.7441
Purchase      200                  7.8365
Purchase      66                   Transfer
Purchase      673                  7.6707
Purchase      18,091               7.7359
Purchase      597                  7.8905
Purchase      49                   7.9048
Purchase      3,594                7.7031
Sale          1,500                7.6765
Sale          4,009                7.7450
Sale          6,172                7.6812
Sale          767                  7.6493
Sale          66                   Transfer
Sale          300                  7.7360
Sale          49                   7.9048
Sale          120                  7.7710
Sale          749                  7.7365
Sale          304                  7.6620
Sale          3,211                7.6901
Sale          500                  7.8355
Sale          66                   Transfer

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         673           7.6706
CFD            Short         13300         7.6807
CFD            Short         3594          7.7031
CFD            Short         9310          7.7036
CFD            Short         6319          7.7441
CFD            Short         200           7.8365
CFD            Long          767           7.6493
CFD            Long          3211          7.6901
CFD            Long          4009          7.745

(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                         31 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