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               30 August 2007

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        5,036,109    3.54%         51,569     0.04%
securities
(2) Derivatives       457,376    0.32%         663,292    0.47%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and             0    0.00%              0     0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell

Total               5,493,485    3.87%         714,861    0.50%

(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      7,582                7.2267
Purchase      279                  7.2200
Purchase      8,107                7.2052
Purchase      17,175               7.2312
Purchase      10                   .2110
Purchase      2,977                7.2485
Purchase      277                  7.2089
Purchase      441                  7.2052
Purchase      2,100                7.2039
Purchase      16,034               7.2003
Sale          1,000                7.2114
Sale          700                  7.2661
Sale          1,000                7.2112
Sale          1,100                7.2100
Sale          2,496                7.2661
Sale          2,977                7.2485
Sale          2,862                7.2750
Sale          4,216                7.2339
Sale          3,557                7.2028
Sale          2,396                7.2236

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name   Long/Short    Number of     Price per
                             Securities    unit
CFD            Short         16034         7.2003
CFD            Short         8107          7.2051
CFD            Short         10            .211
CFD            Short         7481          7.2265
CFD            Short         17175         7.2312
CFD            Short         101           7.2358
CFD            Short         6600          7.2485
CFD            Long          3557          7.2028
CFD            Long          1100          7.21
CFD            Long          2396          7.2236
CFD            Long          4216          7.2339


(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                         31 August 2007
Contact name                               BARCLAYS COMPLIANCE
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