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               21 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      5,203,701       3.66%          19,526    0.01%
securities
(2) Derivatives   1,041,373       0.73%       1,593,783    1.12%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and           0       0.00%              0     0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total             6,245,074       4.40%       1,613,309    1.14%


(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      10,286               7.0110
Purchase      1,395                7.1238
Purchase      1,000                7.0388
Purchase      250                  7.1288
Purchase      138                  7.1138
Purchase      179                  7.1388
Purchase      1,395                7.1238
Purchase      281                  7.0238
Purchase      1,000                7.1427
Purchase      9,883                7.1130
Purchase      5,451                7.1118
Purchase      480                  7.2238
Purchase      23,679               7.0110
Purchase      3,560                7.0997
Purchase      1,357                7.0110
Purchase      21,908               7.1309
Purchase      59,660               7.1167
Purchase      644                  7.1462
Purchase      2,377                7.1021
Purchase      644                  7.1462
Purchase      23,100               7.0763
Sale          83,471               7.0100
Sale          1,395                7.1915
Sale          373                  7.1425
Sale          725                  7.0115
Sale          600                  7.0915
Sale          21,908               7.1309
Sale          694                  7.1520
Sale          63                   7.0316
Sale          671                  7.1537
Sale          437                  7.0800
Sale          4,390                7.0250
Sale          21,908               7.1309
Sale          644                  7.1462
Sale          46,348               7.1115
Sale          926                  Transfer
Sale          6,607                7.1261
Sale          7,458                7.1394

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         23100         7.0762
CFD            Short         3560          7.0996
CFD            Short         2377          7.102
CFD            Short         5451          7.1118
CFD            Short         9883          7.113
CFD            Short         59660         7.1167
CFD            Short         21908         7.131
CFD            Short         9013          7.1346
CFD            Short         644           7.1461
CFD            Long          6607          7.1261
CFD            Long          21908         7.1309
CFD            Long          7458          7.1393
CFD            Long          671           7.1536

(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                         24 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