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               26 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      5,051,042       3.55%         63,505     0.04%
securities
(2) Derivatives     109,224       0.08%         488,690    0.34%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and           0       0.00%              0     0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total             5,160,266       3.63%         552,195    0.39%

(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      4,079                6.8834
Purchase      297                  6.9838
Purchase      41                   6.9177
Purchase      1,000                6.9154
Purchase      22,806               6.9196
Purchase      3,379                6.8722
Purchase      824                  6.8613
Purchase      7,075                6.8169
Purchase      960                  6.9281
Purchase      1,100                6.7936
Purchase      16,570               6.8300
Purchase      3,874                6.9300
Purchase      6,100                6.8162
Purchase      2,356                6.8300
Purchase      5,496                6.8700
Purchase      792                  6.9406
Purchase      3,483                6.9370
Purchase      6,647                6.9663
Sale          9,347                6.9414
Sale          15,874               6.7811
Sale          260                  6.8010
Sale          1,621                6.9300
Sale          16,570               6.8300
Sale          300                  6.8355
Sale          17,501               6.9354
Sale          22,806               6.9196
Sale          22,806               6.9196
Sale          8,580                6.9451
Sale          2,356                6.8300
Sale          5,603                6.8263
Sale          89,333               6.8463
Sale          3,483                6.9370
Sale          455                  6.9194
Sale          2,159                6.9426
Sale          3,483                6.9370
Sale          3,385                6.8095
Sale          3,379                6.8722
Sale          16,570               6.8300
Sale          7,934                6.9232
Sale          2,356                6.8300

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         7075          6.8168
CFD            Short         824           6.8612
CFD            Short         4079          6.8833
CFD            Short         29517         6.9197
CFD            Short         792           6.9406
CFD            Short         6647          6.9663
CFD            Long          455           6.9193
CFD            Long          22806         6.9196
CFD            Long          7934          6.9232
CFD            Long          28633         6.9234
CFD            Long          17501         6.9354
CFD            Long          3483          6.9369
CFD            Long          9347          6.9414
CFD            Long          2159          6.9426
CFD            Long          8580          6.945

(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                         27 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