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               15 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       4,315,115     2.88%         32,263     0.02%
securities
(2) Derivatives       54,892     0.04%        514,992     0.34%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and            0     0.00%              0     0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total              4,370,007     2.92%        547,255     0.37%

(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      6,393                8.0838
Purchase      12,769               8.1500
Purchase      289                  8.1316
Purchase      376                  8.1500
Purchase      7,082                8.1270
Purchase      900                  8.1619
Purchase      6,723                8.0801
Purchase      76                   8.1500
Purchase      2,210                8.1896
Sale          1,215                8.1122
Sale          1,600                8.1100
Sale          5,183                8.0631
Sale          20,000               8.0200
Sale          6,924                8.0834
Sale          7,338                8.1129
Sale          7,783                8.0938
Sale          3,883                8.0895

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Long          5183          8.0631
CFD            Long          4646          8.0679
CFD            Long          7783          8.0937
CFD            Long          1600          8.11
CFD            Long          2278          8.1148
CFD            Short         6723          8.0801
CFD            Short         3404          8.0821
CFD            Short         6035          8.0896
CFD            Short         289           8.1316
CFD            Short         900           8.1619
CFD            Short         2943          8.1685
CFD            Short         735           8.1686
CFD            Short         2210          8.1895

(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                         18 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