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               14 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       4,400,560     2.94%         79,387     0.05%
securities
(2) Derivatives       66,105     0.04%        445,262     0.30%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and            0     0.00%              0     0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total              4,466,665     2.98%        524,649     0.35%


(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      6,486                8.1525
Purchase      700                  8.1363
Purchase      866                  8.0500
Purchase      1,166                8.1499
Purchase      120                  8.0500
Purchase      5,169                8.1172
Purchase      12,385               8.1282
Purchase      7,194                8.1036
Purchase      7,632                8.0974
Purchase      7,954                8.0974
Purchase      8,238                8.1092
Purchase      9,620                8.1343
Sale          4,078                8.1607
Sale          3,027                8.1230
Sale          1,400                8.1204
Sale          8,818                8.1144
Sale          6,729                8.1251

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Long          8818          8.1144
CFD            Long          1400          8.1203
CFD            Long          1173          8.1227
CFD            Long          463           8.1229
CFD            Long          1391          8.1232
CFD            Long          6729          8.125
CFD            Short         2285          8.0768
CFD            Short         1547          8.0821
CFD            Short         4170          8.0875
CFD            Short         15586         8.0973
CFD            Short         1567          8.1045
CFD            Short         8238          8.1092
CFD            Short         4909          8.116
CFD            Short         5169          8.1172
CFD            Short         12385         8.1282
CFD            Short         700           8.1363
CFD            Short         6486          8.1524
CFD            Short         621           8.1525
CFD            Short         2497          8.181

(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                         15 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