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               25 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       4,399,412       2.94%      172,098      0.11%
securities
(2) Derivatives      155,658       0.10%      395,003      0.26%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and            0       0.00%            0      0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total              4,555,070       3.04%      567,101      0.38%

(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      12,090               7.9502
Purchase      11,476               7.9329
Purchase      8,029                8.0187
Purchase      6,327                7.8835
Purchase      852                  7.9612
Purchase      15,736               7.9438
Purchase      1,200                7.9780
Purchase      1,374                7.9321
Sale          5,431                7.9444
Sale          500                  7.9787
Sale          786                  7.9945
Sale          852                  7.8788
Sale          2,276                7.9400
Sale          342                  7.8800
Sale          4,589                7.9764
Sale          6,127                7.9481
Sale          8,029                8.0187
Sale          8,495                7.9338
Sale          4,052                7.9444

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Long          11357         7.8631
CFD            Long          852           7.8788
CFD            Long          6127          7.948
CFD            Long          6952          7.9665
CFD            Long          4589          7.9764
CFD            Long          500           7.9787
CFD            Long          786           7.9945
CFD            Long          11150         8.01
CFD            Long          8029          8.0187
CFD            Short         1365          7.932
CFD            Short         9             7.9322
CFD            Short         15736         7.9437
CFD            Short         12090         7.9501
CFD            Short         852           7.9611
CFD            Short         1200          7.978
CFD            Short         8029          8.0187

(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                         26 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