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               31 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        5,031,249    3.54%          42,603    0.03%
securities
(2) Derivatives       489,427    0.34%         717,678    0.51%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and             0    0.00%              0     0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell

Total               5,520,676    3.89%        760,281     0.54%

(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      10,516               7.2586
Purchase      186                  7.4039
Purchase      200                  7.3638
Purchase      271                  7.2987
Purchase      98                   7.3438
Purchase      676                  7.3339
Purchase      3,403                7.3926
Purchase      3,416                7.3944
Purchase      500                  7.3950
Purchase      3,409                7.4003
Purchase      7,429                7.2400
Purchase      18,027               7.3167
Sale          500                  7.4358
Sale          1,345                7.3200
Sale          3,874                7.2541
Sale          2,500                7.3353
Sale          720                  7.4010
Sale          1,000                7.4353
Sale          1,500                7.4350
Sale          2,441                7.3800
Sale          13,399               7.2330
Sale          2,977                7.2485
Sale          4,500                7.2650
Sale          62                   7.3911
Sale          1,658                7.4237
Sale          4,162                7.3772
Sale          10,353               7.3374
Sale          2,000                7.4400

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name   Long/Short    Number of     Price per
                             Securities    unit
CFD            Short         7429          7.2399
CFD            Short         7686          7.2542
CFD            Short         10516         7.2585
CFD            Short         18027         7.3166
CFD            Short         3403          7.3926
CFD            Short         3416          7.3944
CFD            Short         500           7.395
CFD            Short         3409          7.4002
CFD            Long          2977          7.2484
CFD            Long          3874          7.2541
CFD            Long          10353         7.3374
CFD            Long          6586          7.3499
CFD            Long          4162          7.3772
CFD            Long          2441          7.38
CFD            Long          1658          7.4237


(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                         03 September 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