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               22 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       4,328,959     2.89%         44,348     0.03%
securities
(2) Derivatives       32,020     0.02%        368,679     0.25%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and            0     0.00%              0     0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total              4,360,979     2.91%        413,027     0.28%


(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      3,991                7.8016
Purchase      288                  7.9000
Purchase      968                  7.8009
Purchase      2,958                7.8376
Purchase      3,130                7.8644
Purchase      3,395                7.8625
Purchase      16,322               7.8439
Purchase      4,200                7.8796
Purchase      5,580                7.8608
Sale          5,516                7.7976
Sale          42                   Transfer
Sale          6,740                7.8156
Sale          1,754                7.8539
Sale          7,092                7.8370
Sale          9,620                7.8304
Sale          4,021                7.8219

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Long          5516          7.7975
CFD            Long          6740          7.8155
CFD            Long          4021          7.8219
CFD            Long          992           7.8483
CFD            Long          1754          7.8539
CFD            Long          2678          7.8649
CFD            Long          954           7.8675
CFD            Short         394           7.7961
CFD            Short         1184          7.7963
CFD            Short         968           7.8009
CFD            Short         2413          7.805
CFD            Short         16322         7.8438
CFD            Short         5580          7.8608
CFD            Short         3395          7.8625
CFD            Short         3130          7.8643
CFD            Short         2129          7.8649
CFD            Short         4200          7.8796

(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                         23 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