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               05 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        5,093,454    3.58%        24,827     0.02%
securities
(2) Derivatives       651,273    0.46%       914,501     0.64%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and             0    0.00%             0     0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell

Total               5,744,727    4.04%       939,328     0.66%


(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      30,360               7.2896
Purchase      1,374                7.2337
Purchase      1,000                7.3984
Purchase      400                  7.3589
Purchase      600                  7.4600
Purchase      7,298                7.3748
Purchase      2,761                7.3560
Purchase      1,694                7.1982
Purchase      112                  7.3359
Sale          18,348               7.2677
Sale          1,357                7.3860
Sale          2,000                7.3062
Sale          270                  7.3950
Sale          350                  7.3161
Sale          16,039               7.2684
Sale          5,886                7.3508
Sale          2,761                7.3560
Sale          6,495                7.3414
Sale          34,600               7.2061
Sale          2,761                7.3560
Sale          18                   7.3889
Sale          600                  7.4600


(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name   Long/Short    Number of     Price per
                             Securities    unit
CFD            Short         1694          7.1981
CFD            Short         30360         7.2896
CFD            Short         112           7.3358
CFD            Short         6793          7.3561
CFD            Short         7298          7.3748
CFD            Short         600           7.46
CFD            Long          34600         7.2061
CFD            Long          16039         7.2683
CFD            Long          4737          7.3133
CFD            Long          6495          7.3413
CFD            Long          5886          7.3507
CFD            Long          2761          7.356
CFD            Long          18            7.3888
CFD            Long          270           7.395
CFD            Long          600           7.46

(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                         06 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