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               17 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      5,223,625       3.68%        13,284      0.01%
securities
(2) Derivatives     941,893       0.66%      1,304,354     0.92%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and           0       0.00%             0      0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total             6,165,518       4.34%      1,317,638     0.93%


(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      465                  7.5691
Purchase      1,172                7.4888
Purchase      700                  7.5164
Purchase      7,260                7.5121
Purchase      500                  7.5612
Purchase      1,900                7.5566
Sale          500                  7.4669
Sale          31,632               7.5487
Sale          6,203                7.5734
Sale          134                  7.4669
Sale          1,851                7.4450
Sale          6,699                7.5495
Sale          800                  7.5716
Sale          9,956                7.4678
Sale          5,132                7.5307
Sale          926                  7.4798

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         7260          7.5121
CFD            Short         700           7.5164
CFD            Short         2429          7.5386
CFD            Short         1900          7.5565
CFD            Short         500           7.5612
CFD            Short         465           7.5691
CFD            Long          926           7.4798
CFD            Long          5132          7.5307
CFD            Long          31632         7.5486
CFD            Long          6699          7.5495
CFD            Long          3562          7.5678
CFD            Long          800           7.5715
CFD            Long          2641          7.5808

(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                         18 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