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               24 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      5,264,591       3.71%           7,556    0.01%
securities
(2) Derivatives   1,092,849       0.77%        1,684,193   1.19%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and           0       0.00%              0     0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total             6,357,440       4.47%       1,691,749    1.19%


(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      1,600                6.7788
Purchase      1,000                6.9477
Purchase      155                  6.9477
Purchase      141                  6.9688
Purchase      146                  6.8338
Purchase      750                  7.0390
Purchase      63                   6.8504
Purchase      31,680               6.8642
Purchase      700                  6.9990
Purchase      988                  6.9255
Purchase      250                  6.9588
Purchase      6,209                6.8492
Purchase      1,000                6.8476
Purchase      1,324                6.9639
Purchase      160                  7.1377
Purchase      105                  6.9477
Purchase      8,541                6.9050
Purchase      988                  6.9255
Purchase      4,129                6.9613
Purchase      2,424                6.8597
Purchase      703                  7.0540
Purchase      15,000               6.9193
Purchase      250                  6.8504
Purchase      12,686               6.8449
Sale          1,000                6.9503
Sale          826                  6.9510
Sale          2,552                6.9503
Sale          398                  6.8020
Sale          264                  6.9160
Sale          1,032                6.9510
Sale          4,000                6.9503
Sale          643                  6.9510
Sale          1,351                6.7358
Sale          656                  6.9511
Sale          1,324                6.9639
Sale          1,324                6.9639
Sale          1,400                6.9100
Sale          2,424                6.8597
Sale          700                  6.7850
Sale          5,829                6.9185
Sale          2,424                6.8597
Sale          988                  6.9255
Sale          967                  6.9515

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         12686         6.8448
CFD            Short         6209          6.8492
CFD            Short         2424          6.8598
CFD            Short         23753         6.8632
CFD            Short         31680         6.8642
CFD            Short         8541          6.905
CFD            Short         988           6.9255
CFD            Short         4129          6.9613
CFD            Long          700           6.785
CFD            Long          2424          6.8597
CFD            Long          39143         6.8857
CFD            Long          1400          6.91
CFD            Long          5829          6.9184
CFD            Long          656           6.951
CFD            Long          1324          6.9638

(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                         25 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