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               09 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       4,615,448     3.25%         72,777     0.05%

(2) Derivatives    2,822,786     1.99%      2,824,270     1.99%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and            0     0.00%              0     0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total              7,438,234     5.23%      2,897,047     2.04%


(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      624                  7.4836
Purchase      1,092                7.7315
Purchase      375                  7.4510
Purchase      382                  7.7781
Purchase      1,320                7.5286
Purchase      1,043                Transfer
Purchase      2,022                7.3740
Purchase      4,209                7.8048
Purchase      8,421                7.6274
Purchase      1,838                7.7100
Purchase      4,860                7.7751
Purchase      16,598               7.5027
Purchase      7,543                7.5480
Purchase      16,688               7.5678
Purchase      227                  7.7289
Purchase      7,543                7.5480
Purchase      33,771               7.6134
Sale          287                  7.4710
Sale          382                  7.4010
Sale          322                  7.5960
Sale          3,011                7.5250
Sale          8,062                7.6573
Sale          292                  7.4010
Sale          460                  7.6024
Sale          1,043                Transfer
Sale          319                  7.5315
Sale          1,600                7.4950
Sale          100                  7.5241
Sale          18,851               7.5747
Sale          7,543                7.5480
Sale          400                  7.6020

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         3252          7.4739
CFD            Short         16598         7.5027
CFD            Short         7543          7.548
CFD            Short         16688         7.5678
CFD            Short         33771         7.6134
CFD            Short         8421          7.6274
CFD            Short         1838          7.71
CFD            Short         4860          7.7751
CFD            Long          1141          7.4902
CFD            Long          1600          7.495
CFD            Long          100           7.5241
CFD            Long          13750         7.5481
CFD            Long          18851         7.5746
CFD            Long          6921          7.6848

(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                         12 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