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               12 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        5,293,753    3.73%         5,203     0.00%
securities
(2) Derivatives       831,329    0.59%     1,221,160     0.86%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and             0    0.00%             0     0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell

Total               6,125,082    4.31%      1,226,363    0.86%


(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      3,395                7.3782
Purchase      54,049               Transfer
Purchase      672                  7.3865
Purchase      6,088                7.3853
Purchase      2,667                7.3952
Purchase      1,067                7.4085
Purchase      269                  7.3270
Purchase      700                  Transfer
Purchase      345                  7.3812
Purchase      1,100                7.3985
Purchase      900                  7.3844
Purchase      22,234               7.3519
Purchase      239                  7.3278
Sale          1,621                7.3200
Sale          8,422                7.3260
Sale          4,627                7.3436
Sale          10                   7.3190
Sale          554                  7.3650
Sale          3,410                7.3573

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name   Long/Short    Number of     Price per
                             Securities    unit
CFD            Short         3414          7.3028
CFD            Short         22234         7.3519
CFD            Short         3395          7.3782
CFD            Short         900           7.3844
CFD            Short         6088          7.3853
CFD            Short         2667          7.3951
CFD            Short         1100          7.3984
CFD            Long          10            7.319
CFD            Long          8422          7.3259
CFD            Long          1834          7.3361
CFD            Long          4627          7.3436
CFD            Long          554           7.365
CFD            Long          11137         7.3695
CFD            Long          1576          7.3819

(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                         13  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