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)     26 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      4,333,320        2.89%       15,592      0.01%
securities
(2) Derivatives      39,268        0.03%      626,457      0.42%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and           0        0.00%            0      0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total             4,372,588        2.92%      642,049      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      5,783                8.0455
Purchase      8,554                8.0379
Purchase      7,887                8.0757
Purchase      7,357                8.1236
Purchase      500                  8.1300
Purchase      15,230               8.0954
Purchase      200                  8.1313
Purchase      2,999                8.0993
Sale          205                  8.0015
Sale          453                  8.0950
Sale          1,497                8.1006
Sale          5,336                8.0616
Sale          5,991                8.0511
Sale          7,180                8.0138
Sale          7,345                8.0737
Sale          5,228                8.0295

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Long          7180          8.0137
CFD            Long          5228          8.0294
CFD            Long          4511          8.0403
CFD            Long          5336          8.0615
CFD            Long          1480          8.0838
CFD            Short         2668          7.9547
CFD            Short         3524          8.045
CFD            Short         2259          8.046
CFD            Short         7887          8.0756
CFD            Short         15230         8.0954
CFD            Short         2999          8.0993
CFD            Short         7357          8.1235
CFD            Short         500           8.13
CFD            Short         200           8.1313

(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                         27 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