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               18 March 2009

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       4,448,330       2.97%      149,576      0.10%
securities
(2) Derivatives      141,318       0.09%      448,115      0.30%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and            0       0.00%            0      0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total              4,589,648       3.06%      597,691      0.40%

(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
Purchase      6,785                6.4551
Purchase      673                  7.4107
Purchase      700                  7.2919
Purchase      797                  7.4012
Purchase      4,034                6.5143
Purchase      41                   7.4363
Purchase      4,923                6.0734
Purchase      34,921               6.0681
Purchase      9,434                7.1728
Purchase      19,985               6.8477
Purchase      13,578               7.2341
Purchase      16,577               6.9947
Purchase      9,939                6.1034
Sale          2,049                7.4527
Sale          41                   6.0929
Sale          163                  7.3605
Sale          23,742               6.8737
Sale          1,115                7.4300
Sale          1,240                7.3988
Sale          4,245                7.4305
Sale          1,310                6.7085
Sale          15,686               6.0608
Sale          14,387               5.6592
Sale          12,076               7.1226
Sale          7,785                5.9400
Sale          9,313                6.4754
Sale          10,193               6.0161
Sale          1,256                5.9395

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Long          1256          5.9394
CFD            Long          10193         6.016
CFD            Long          15686         6.0608
CFD            Long          41            6.0929
CFD            Long          9313          6.4754
CFD            Long          4056          6.6809
CFD            Long          1738          6.681
CFD            Long          17948         6.9358
CFD            Long          12076         7.1225
CFD            Long          1240          7.3987
CFD            Long          4245          7.4305
CFD            Long          2049          7.4526
CFD            Short         4923          6.0733
CFD            Short         9939          6.1033
CFD            Short         6785          6.4551
CFD            Short         17677         6.7695
CFD            Short         16577         6.9946
CFD            Short         9434          7.1728
CFD            Short         13578         7.2341
CFD            Short         700           7.2919
CFD            Short         797           7.4012
CFD            Short         673           7.4106
CFD            Short         41            7.4363
CFD            Short         2308          7.446

(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                         19 March 2009
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