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               06 April 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       4,345,196     2.90%        116,524     0.08%
securities
(2) Derivatives      202,698     0.14%        361,198     0.24%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and            0     0.00%              0     0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total              4,547,894     3.04%        477,722     0.32%

(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      1,440                8.1112
Purchase      12,844               8.0888
Purchase      600                  8.1463
Purchase      817                  8.0812
Purchase      4,673                8.0938
Purchase      3,489                8.0940
Purchase      2,500                8.1330
Purchase      13,948               8.1497
Purchase      67                   8.1550
Purchase      900                  8.0250
Purchase      858                  8.1655
Sale          424                  Transfer
Sale          493                  8.1105
Sale          817                  8.0087
Sale          2,430                8.0348
Sale          5,099                8.1007
Sale          7,000                8.2200
Sale          12,650               8.0849
Sale          13,680               8.0685
Sale          1,188                8.0913

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Long          817           8.0087
CFD            Long          2430          8.0348
CFD            Long          13680         8.0685
CFD            Long          12650         8.0848
CFD            Long          1188          8.0912
CFD            Long          45698         8.094
CFD            Short         817           8.0812
CFD            Short         12844         8.0887
CFD            Short         4226          8.092
CFD            Short         3489          8.0939
CFD            Short         2576          8.1015
CFD            Short         1440          8.1112
CFD            Short         2500          8.133
CFD            Short         600           8.1463
CFD            Short         13948         8.1496
CFD            Short         858           8.1654

(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                         07 April 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