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               01 November 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       4,393,761     3.09%         137,807    0.10%

(2) Derivatives    2,619,214     1.84%       2,570,002    1.81%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and            0     0.00%              0     0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total              7,012,975     4.93%       2,707,809    1.90%


(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      418                  7.8004
Purchase      100                  7.9687
Purchase      124                  8.0127
Purchase      1,600                8.0987
Purchase      1,274                7.8488
Purchase      1,274                7.8488
Purchase      588                  7.7460
Purchase      505                  7.7389
Purchase      13,830               7.8456
Purchase      3,529                7.8246
Purchase      4,200                7.7841
Purchase      300                  7.9986
Purchase      234                  7.7715
Purchase      2,000                8.1036
Purchase      322                  8.0742
Sale          70                   8.0060
Sale          500                  7.9760
Sale          1,279                7.9856
Sale          249                  7.9810
Sale          151                  8.0010
Sale          900                  8.1055
Sale          840                  Transfer
Sale          1,000                7.8255
Sale          256                  7.9710
Sale          499                  8.1010
Sale          137                  8.0010
Sale          100                  7.9687
Sale          12,049               7.8447
Sale          1,600                8.0987
Sale          1,600                8.0987
Sale          100                  7.9687
Sale          1,489                8.0973
Sale          33,554               7.9578
Sale          1,336                8.0973
Sale          2,595                7.8320
Sale          4,075                7.9064
Sale          250                  7.9630

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         588           7.7459
CFD            Short         234           7.7714
CFD            Short         4200          7.7841
CFD            Short         1255          7.7863
CFD            Short         13830         7.8456
CFD            Short         2274          7.8457
CFD            Long          2595          7.832
CFD            Long          12049         7.8446
CFD            Long          33554         7.9577
CFD            Long          100           7.9687
CFD            Long          1600          8.0986



(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                         02 November 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