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               26 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       4,366,329     2.92%        159,918     0.11%
securities
(2) Derivatives      159,903     0.11%        388,139     0.26%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and            0     0.00%              0     0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total              4,526,232     3.02%        548,057     0.37%


(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      7,031                8.0147
Purchase      176                  8.0212
Purchase      12,483               7.9785
Purchase      800                  8.0213
Purchase      10,354               7.9956
Purchase      8,029                8.0178
Purchase      40,015               8.0109
Purchase      2,100                8.1200
Purchase      3,101                8.0295
Sale          270                  7.9400
Sale          874                  8.0845
Sale          176                  7.9288
Sale          8,029                8.0178
Sale          12,191               7.9861
Sale          37,552               7.9876
Sale          40,015               8.0109
Sale          5,885                8.0075


(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Long          176           7.9288
CFD            Long          8875          7.9701
CFD            Long          4488          7.9916
CFD            Long          6845          7.9968
CFD            Long          5885          8.0075
CFD            Long          40015         8.0108
CFD            Long          8029          8.0177
CFD            Long          7528          8.0618
CFD            Long          874           8.0845
CFD            Short         1894          7.9119
CFD            Short         10354         7.9955
CFD            Short         40015         8.0108
CFD            Short         8029          8.0177
CFD            Short         176           8.0211
CFD            Short         800           8.0213
CFD            Short         3101          8.0295
CFD            Short         1542          8.0525
CFD            Short         3595          8.0526
CFD            Short         2100          8.12


(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                         27 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