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               27 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       4,358,207     2.91%         46,220     0.03%
securities
(2) Derivatives       33,892     0.02%        406,956     0.27%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and            0     0.00%              0     0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total              4,392,099     2.93%        453,176     0.30%

(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      6,875                8.0131
Purchase      740                  8.0595
Purchase      922                  7.9700
Purchase      1,894                8.1013
Purchase      4,670                7.9998
Purchase      611,925              7.8800
Purchase      9,266                8.0809
Purchase      11,116               8.0225
Purchase      37,407               7.8800
Purchase      15,500               7.8800
Purchase      17,800               7.8800
Sale          314                  Transfer
Sale          379                  8.0220
Sale          597                  8.0655
Sale          611,925              7.8800
Sale          37,407               7.8800
Sale          1,300                8.0225
Sale          5,184                8.0568
Sale          4,122                8.0328
Sale          15,500               7.8800
Sale          4,557                8.0200
Sale          166                  8.0715
Sale          17,800               7.8800
Sale          7,082                8.0493
Sale          11,111               8.0391
Sale          1,950                8.0788

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Long          4557          8.02
CFD            Long          1300          8.0225
CFD            Long          3395          8.0232
CFD            Long          11111         8.039
CFD            Long          5184          8.0567
CFD            Long          182           8.069
CFD            Long          1950          8.0787
CFD            Long          545           8.08
CFD            Short         922           7.97
CFD            Short         4670          7.9997
CFD            Short         6875          8.013
CFD            Short         3010          8.0749
CFD            Short         4692          8.083
CFD            Short         1564          8.0858
CFD            Short         1894          8.1012

(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                         28 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