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               03 September 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        5,075,755    3.57%         2,666     0.00%
securities
(2) Derivatives       526,320    0.37%       773,646     0.54%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and             0    0.00%              0     0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell

Total               5,602,075    3.94%         776,312     0.55%

(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      4,923                7.2116
Purchase      25,900               7.2928
Purchase      1,683                7.2100
Purchase      300                  7.3438
Purchase      2,000                7.1839
Purchase      600                  7.2200
Purchase      557                  7.1689
Purchase      688                  7.2189
Purchase      14,916               7.3025
Purchase      1,357                7.3239
Purchase      1,000                7.4287
Purchase      430                  7.1988
Purchase      15,029               7.2128
Purchase      692                  7.2039
Purchase      5,149                7.3508
Purchase      300                  7.4214
Sale          300                  7.3910
Sale          130                  7.4115
Sale          180                  7.4016
Sale          557                  7.2011
Sale          900                  7.4378
Sale          2,862                7.4550
Sale          4,923                7.2116
Sale          1,179                7.3436
Sale          10,498               7.2481
Sale          600                  7.2200
Sale          600                  7.2200
Sale          1,683                7.2100
Sale          4,923                7.2116
Sale          1,683                7.2100

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name   Long/Short    Number of     Price per
                             Securities    unit
CFD            Short         9703          7.2117
CFD            Short         25900         7.2928
CFD            Short         14916         7.3024
CFD            Short         3543          7.3412
CFD            Short         1606          7.372
CFD            Short         300           7.4214
CFD            Long          1683          7.21
CFD            Long          4923          7.2116
CFD            Long          600           7.22
CFD            Long          17110         7.2446
CFD            Long          10498         7.2481
CFD            Long          1179          7.3436
CFD            Long          900           7.4377

(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                         04 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