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 June 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       4,275,627     2.85%         15,423     0.01%
securities
(2) Derivatives       64,759     0.04%        677,910     0.45%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and            0     0.00%              0     0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total              4,340,386     2.90%        693,333     0.46%


(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      2,106                7.9598
Purchase      745                  7.9000
Purchase      807                  7.9620
Purchase      1,200                7.9557
Purchase      202                  7.9212
Purchase      1,900                7.9471
Purchase      2,272                7.9483
Purchase      2,400                7.9438
Purchase      3,135                7.9473
Purchase      6,738                7.9491
Sale          16,488               7.9925
Sale          2,590                7.9746
Sale          1,500                Transfer
Sale          1,485                7.9000
Sale          4,480                7.9616
Sale          5,044                7.9750
Sale          800                  7.9288
Sale          202                  7.9388
Sale          1,670                8.0128


(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Long          719           7.9134
CFD            Long          800           7.9288
CFD            Long          1021          7.9324
CFD            Long          202           7.9388
CFD            Long          2467          7.9453
CFD            Long          4480          7.9616
CFD            Long          3703          7.9676
CFD            Long          1341          7.9954
CFD            Long          1670          8.0128
CFD            Short         202           7.9211
CFD            Short         2400          7.9437
CFD            Short         1900          7.9471
CFD            Short         2272          7.9482
CFD            Short         6738          7.9491
CFD            Short         1200          7.9557
CFD            Short         2106          7.9597
CFD            Short         807           7.962


(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                         09 June 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