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               20 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       4,325,398     2.89%         16,098     0.01%
securities
(2) Derivatives       40,435     0.03%        597,683     0.40%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and            0     0.00%              0     0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total              4,365,833     2.92%        613,781     0.41%


(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      412                  8.1463
Purchase      1,874                8.1500
Purchase      2,030                8.2162
Purchase      100                  8.1212
Purchase      515                  8.1900
Purchase      3,262                8.1461
Purchase      2,368                8.2012
Purchase      5,316                8.1719
Purchase      6,893                8.1499
Purchase      6,903                8.1583
Purchase      7,072                8.1500
Purchase      9,628                8.1699
Purchase      15,100               8.0813
Sale          100                  8.1688
Sale          424                  8.1735
Sale          457                  8.0838
Sale          922                  8.2050
Sale          2,368                8.2602
Sale          4,600                8.1903
Sale          6,304                8.1971
Sale          2,191                8.2259

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Long          457           8.0838
CFD            Long          100           8.1688
CFD            Long          1000          8.1895
CFD            Long          4600          8.1902
CFD            Long          1191          8.2565
CFD            Long          2368          8.2602
CFD            Long          2334          8.2925
CFD            Short         15100         8.0813
CFD            Short         100           8.1212
CFD            Short         14593         8.1267
CFD            Short         3262          8.1461
CFD            Short         412           8.1463
CFD            Short         6893          8.1499
CFD            Short         1600          8.163
CFD            Short         6398          8.1631
CFD            Short         5316          8.1718
CFD            Short         515           8.19
CFD            Short         2368          8.2012
CFD            Short         1630          8.2033
CFD            Short         2030          8.2162

(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                         21 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