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               23 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       4,419,454       2.95%      187,068      0.12%
securities
(2) Derivatives      166,390       0.11%      444,426      0.30%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and            0       0.00%            0      0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total              4,585,844       3.06%      631,494      0.42%

(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      6,410                7.9773
Purchase      28,409               7.9665
Purchase      12,949               7.9802
Purchase      8,705                7.9561
Purchase      1,071                8.0421
Purchase      1,100                7.9063
Purchase      15,562               7.8750
Purchase      3,196                7.8814
Sale          1,270                7.9700
Sale          2,679                7.9700
Sale          3,196                8.0738
Sale          4,350                7.8880
Sale          4,654                7.9732
Sale          1,067                7.9995
Sale          15,562               8.0567
Sale          28,578               7.9884
Sale          15,562               7.8750
Sale          24                   7.8687
Sale          5,335                7.8910
Sale          5,768                7.9453
Sale          7,544                8.0054

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Long          24            7.8687
CFD            Long          5335          7.8909
CFD            Long          5768          7.9452
CFD            Long          3671          7.9715
CFD            Long          4654          7.9732
CFD            Long          28578         7.9883
CFD            Long          1067          7.9995
CFD            Long          3196          8.0737
CFD            Long          5402          8.0793
CFD            Long          3092          8.107
CFD            Short         3196          7.8814
CFD            Short         1100          7.9063
CFD            Short         488           7.9304
CFD            Short         28409         7.9665
CFD            Short         6410          7.9772
CFD            Short         12949         7.9802
CFD            Short         583           8.1355

(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                         24 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