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               04 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        5,139,340    3.62%             0     0.00%
securities
(2) Derivatives       579,867    0.41%       867,644     0.61%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and             0    0.00%              0     0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell

Total               5,719,207    4.03%        867,644     0.61%


(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      535                  7.3789
Purchase      600                  7.3600
Purchase      2,447                7.3451
Purchase      135                  7.2681
Purchase      1,972                7.2088
Purchase      4,137                7.3382
Purchase      21,780               7.3482
Purchase      130                  7.4289
Purchase      2,447                7.3451
Purchase      171                  7.4339
Purchase      600                  7.3600
Purchase      41,600               7.3360
Purchase      6,246                7.3668
Purchase      5,150                7.3478
Purchase      500                  7.3432
Purchase      296                  7.2590
Purchase      413                  7.4339
Purchase      7,829                7.3696
Purchase      212                  7.4289
Sale          809                  7.4211
Sale          1,972                7.3062
Sale          1,000                7.4012
Sale          1,400                7.3962
Sale          688                  7.3762
Sale          3,238                7.3560
Sale          2,447                7.3451
Sale          600                  7.3600
Sale          5,731                7.3684
Sale          4,137                7.3382
Sale          2,700                7.2950
Sale          4,275                7.3035
Sale          481                  7.3608
Sale          4,137                7.3382


(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name   Long/Short    Number of     Price per
                             Securities    unit
CFD            Short         41600         7.3359
CFD            Short         8346          7.3383
CFD            Short         2447          7.345
CFD            Short         5150          7.3477
CFD            Short         21780         7.3481
CFD            Short         600           7.36
CFD            Short         6246          7.3668
CFD            Short         7829          7.3696
CFD            Long          2700          7.295
CFD            Long          4275          7.3035
CFD            Long          4137          7.3382
CFD            Long          36704         7.3663
CFD            Long          5731          7.3683


(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                         05 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