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               14 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      5,275,461       3.71%         9,791      0.01%
securities
(2) Derivatives     890,501       0.63%     1,291,100      0.91%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and           0       0.00%             0      0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total             6,165,962       4.34%     1,300,891      0.92%


(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      7,920                7.4989
Purchase      7,500                7.5300
Purchase      800                  7.5104
Purchase      1,500                7.5304
Purchase      1,203                7.4754
Purchase      143                  7.5004
Purchase      530                  7.5043
Purchase      5,851                7.5351
Purchase      7,684                7.5024
Purchase      8,651                7.5358
Sale          5,302                7.5097
Sale          1,754                7.5104
Sale          2,511                7.4900
Sale          31,448               7.5203
Sale          100                  7.5191
Sale          700                  Transfer
Sale          1,000                7.4934
Sale          1,300                7.5241
Sale          66                   7.5360
Sale          4,719                7.5573
Sale          1,203                7.5423
Sale          1,431                7.5070

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         2555          7.5026
CFD            Short         5302          7.5097
CFD            Short         1754          7.5103
CFD            Short         100           7.5191
CFD            Short         31448         7.5203
CFD            Short         1300          7.5241
CFD            Long          3943          7.4922
CFD            Long          7920          7.4988
CFD            Long          530           7.5043
CFD            Long          3741          7.5131
CFD            Long          5851          7.5350
CFD            Long          8651          7.5357


(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                         17 September 2007
Contact name                               Geoff Smith
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