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               19 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      5,265,207       3.71%         15,192     0.01%
securities
(2) Derivatives     972,182       0.68%       1,432,859    1.01%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and           0       0.00%              0     0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total             6,237,389       4.39%       1,448,051    1.02%


(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      525                  7.3800
Purchase      4,000                7.4588
Purchase      1,351                7.3965
Purchase      238                  7.4586
Purchase      2,518                7.3500
Purchase      6,316                7.4470
Purchase      394                  7.4990
Purchase      2,252                7.4321
Purchase      8,551                7.4558
Purchase      29,970               7.3913
Purchase      2,252                7.4321
Sale          1,000                7.4506
Sale          828                  7.4015
Sale          300                  7.3410
Sale          3,000                7.3803
Sale          1,303                7.4215
Sale          600                  7.4460
Sale          200                  7.3410
Sale          300                  7.3760
Sale          200                  7.3220
Sale          300                  7.3570
Sale          2,518                7.3500
Sale          11                   7.4791
Sale          579                  7.3610
Sale          9,789                7.4348
Sale          537                  7.3750
Sale          2,252                7.4321
Sale          10,295               7.3733
Sale          9,337                7.3632
Sale          4,329                7.4500
Sale          12,183               7.3700
Sale          676                  7.4065

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         19157         7.3805
CFD            Short         29970         7.3913
CFD            Short         2252          7.4321
CFD            Short         2320          7.4459
CFD            Short         6316          7.4469
CFD            Short         8551          7.4558
CFD            Long          10295         7.3733
CFD            Long          9789          7.4347
CFD            Long          11            7.479

(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                         20 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