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               18 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      5,267,377       3.71%          5,868     0.00%
securities
(2) Derivatives     952,087       0.67%      1,364,293     0.96%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and           0       0.00%              0     0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total             6,219,464       4.38%      1,370,161     0.96%


(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      8,955                7.3070
Purchase      200                  7.5350
Purchase      740                  7.3730
Purchase      5,817                7.4643
Purchase      300                  7.3192
Purchase      1,365                7.4900
Purchase      6,249                7.3662
Purchase      4,806                7.4037
Purchase      700                  7.3862
Purchase      700                  7.3862
Purchase      2,729                7.4900
Purchase      740                  7.3730
Purchase      39,101               7.3476
Sale          1,162                7.3429
Sale          1,500                7.3100
Sale          2,100                7.2900
Sale          1,000                7.2957
Sale          1,500                7.4355
Sale          200                  7.1705
Sale          1,649                7.4812
Sale          3,802                7.2996
Sale          2,729                7.4900
Sale          5,230                7.4641
Sale          740                  7.3730
Sale          1,365                7.4900
Sale          700                  7.3862
Sale          879                  7.5100
Sale          2,729                7.4900
Sale          1,365                7.4900


(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         39101         7.3476
CFD            Short         6249          7.3662
CFD            Short         740           7.3729
CFD            Short         700           7.3862
CFD            Short         4806          7.4037
CFD            Short         2326          7.4639
CFD            Short         5817          7.4643
CFD            Short         200           7.535
CFD            Long          3802          7.2996
CFD            Long          1162          7.3428
CFD            Long          5230          7.464


(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                         19 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