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               17 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       4,380,405     2.92%         47,940     0.03%
securities
(2) Derivatives       34,658     0.02%        421,615     0.28%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and            0     0.00%              0     0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total              4,415,063     2.95%        469,555     0.31%


(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      4,447                8.2967
Purchase      207                  8.2500
Purchase      304                  8.1977
Purchase      400                  8.3014
Purchase      866                  8.2500
Purchase      1,945                8.2751
Purchase      42                   8.2485
Purchase      4,260                8.2409
Purchase      6,429                8.2059
Purchase      7,516                8.2657
Purchase      7,658                8.2665
Purchase      18,462               8.2479
Sale          24,375               8.2505
Sale          4,600                8.2626
Sale          941                  8.2536
Sale          7,560                8.2669
Sale          306                  8.0875
Sale          12,404               8.2542
Sale          3,128                8.2638

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Long          756           8.2277
CFD            Long          1309          8.25
CFD            Long          24375         8.2504
CFD            Long          941           8.2536
CFD            Long          2128          8.2564
CFD            Long          4600          8.2625
CFD            Long          7560          8.2668
CFD            Long          1000          8.2795
CFD            Short         1438          8.2017
CFD            Short         4313          8.2018
CFD            Short         678           8.2405
CFD            Short         4260          8.2408
CFD            Short         7516          8.2656
CFD            Short         7658          8.2665
CFD            Short         1945          8.2751
CFD            Short         4447          8.2966
CFD            Short         400           8.3014

(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                         20 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