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               13 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        5,285,213    3.72%        10,316     0.01%
securities
(2) Derivatives       859,865    0.61%      1,248,641    0.88%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and             0    0.00%             0     0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell

Total               6,145,078   4.32%       1,258,957    0.89%


(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      112                  7.3235
Purchase      200                  7.5015
Purchase      298                  7.5054
Purchase      4,655                7.4651
Purchase      12,540               7.4373
Purchase      4,384                7.4552
Purchase      1,800                7.4846
Purchase      105                  7.4716
Purchase      264                  7.4104
Purchase      1,130                7.4306
Sale          672                  7.4546
Sale          430                  7.3205
Sale          138                  7.3973
Sale          300                  7.4850
Sale          1,000                7.5011
Sale          8,627                7.4166
Sale          11,200               7.4442
Sale          603                  7.4400
Sale          4,708                7.4376
Sale          6,000                7.4486
Sale          350                  7.4512

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name   Long/Short    Number of     Price per
                             Securities    unit
CFD            Short         400           7.4106
CFD            Short         2972          7.4265
CFD            Short         12540         7.4372
CFD            Short         730           7.4415
CFD            Short         4384          7.4551
CFD            Short         4655          7.465
CFD            Short         1800          7.4845
CFD            Long          8627          7.4165
CFD            Long          8901          7.4372
CFD            Long          4708          7.4375
CFD            Long          6000          7.4485
CFD            Long          300           7.485

(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                         14  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