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               08 May 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       4,432,318     2.96%         39,699     0.03%
securities
(2) Derivatives       50,274     0.03%        563,880     0.38%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and            0     0.00%              0     0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total              4,482,592     2.99%        603,579     0.40%


(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      7,785                8.0955
Purchase      2,720                8.1381
Purchase      120                  8.0642
Purchase      1,286                8.1150
Purchase      16,716               8.1129
Purchase      1,200                8.0942
Purchase      751                  8.1150
Purchase      2,409                8.0482
Purchase      7,730                8.0969
Purchase      3,790                8.0850
Purchase      10,515               8.1311
Purchase      11,738               8.0870
Purchase      11,763               8.0732
Purchase      12,030               8.0918
Purchase      12,524               8.0890
Sale          479                  8.1222
Sale          305                  8.1095
Sale          299                  Transfer
Sale          2,300                8.0691
Sale          491                  8.0650
Sale          2,454                8.1027
Sale          3,010                8.0607
Sale          4,647                8.1138
Sale          4,991                8.1276
Sale          6,219                8.1031
Sale          6,950                8.0907
Sale          8,711                8.0831
Sale          9,009                8.0691
Sale          9,533                8.0362
Sale          3,417                8.0705

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Long          3010          8.0607
CFD            Long          2300          8.0691
CFD            Long          8711          8.0831
CFD            Long          4552          8.1094
CFD            Long          4647          8.1137
CFD            Long          3477          8.1179
CFD            Long          5456          8.1456
CFD            Long          1514          8.1495
CFD            Short         2409          8.0482
CFD            Short         2751          8.0537
CFD            Short         17190         8.0726
CFD            Short         9012          8.079
CFD            Short         11738         8.0869
CFD            Short         1200          8.0942
CFD            Short         7730          8.0969
CFD            Short         2720          8.1381

(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                         11 May 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