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               20 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      5,233,652       3.68%          47,516    0.03%
securities
(2) Derivatives   1,004,729       0.71%       1,458,187    1.03%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and           0       0.00%              0     0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total             6,238,381       4.39%       1,505,703    1.06%


(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      3,934                7.2234
Purchase      250                  7.1854
Purchase      2,558                7.1900
Purchase      378                  7.3032
Purchase      433                  7.2762
Purchase      13,792               7.2604
Purchase      2,719                7.3047
Purchase      1,980                7.3007
Purchase      433                  7.2762
Purchase      386                  7.2634
Sale          2,000                7.2205
Sale          3,131                7.3178
Sale          16,000               7.3000
Sale          125                  7.2962
Sale          406                  7.3050
Sale          2,000                7.1860
Sale          191                  7.2100
Sale          320                  7.3386
Sale          753                  7.2058
Sale          5,999                7.1988
Sale          3,963                7.3010
Sale          433                  7.2762
Sale          12,747               7.1837
Sale          10,350               7.2569

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         3934          7.2233
CFD            Short         2868          7.2246
CFD            Short         13792         7.2603
CFD            Short         433           7.2761
CFD            Short         2321          7.2982
CFD            Short         1980          7.3007
CFD            Long          12747         7.1836
CFD            Long          5999          7.1988
CFD            Long          10350         7.2569
CFD            Long          3131          7.3178
CFD            Long          320           7.3385

(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                         21 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