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)     22 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      4,326,177        2.89%       23,724      0.02%
securities
(2) Derivatives      46,191        0.03%      614,491      0.41%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and           0        0.00%            0      0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total             4,372,368        2.92%      638,215      0.43%


(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
                                   (GBP)
Purchase      2,400                8.0578
Purchase      113                  8.0500
Purchase      154                  8.0912
Purchase      375                  8.0900
Purchase      1,000                8.0898
Purchase      1,032                8.0662
Purchase      1,800                8.1061
Purchase      3,852                8.0661
Purchase      7,388                8.0805
Purchase      8,486                8.0536
Sale          2,618                8.1101
Sale          6,650                8.1450
Sale          4,309                8.0610
Sale          111                  8.0639
Sale          6,714                8.0852
Sale          907                  8.0900
Sale          329                  Transfer
Sale          271                  Transfer
Sale          8,675                8.0935
Sale          14,694               8.0852
Sale          2,558                8.0407

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Long          2558          8.0406
CFD            Long          4309          8.0609
CFD            Long          111           8.0638
CFD            Long          6714          8.0852
CFD            Long          8675          8.0935
CFD            Long          1292          8.1007
CFD            Long          1326          8.1192
CFD            Short         2400          8.0578
CFD            Short         3852          8.0661
CFD            Short         1032          8.0662
CFD            Short         1478          8.0804
CFD            Short         5910          8.0805
CFD            Short         1000          8.0898
CFD            Short         154           8.0912
CFD            Short         1800          8.1061
CFD            Short         2026          8.1385


(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                         26 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