Venture Production H1 output, pretax profit rise

LONDON, Aug 28 (Reuters) - British oil producer Venture Production VPC.L reported an 8 percent rise in first-half production volumes to 45,534 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) on Thursday and said it was performing in line with expectations.

The company posted pretax profit of 113.2 million pounds ($208.1 million) for the six months to end-June, up from 67.7 million pounds for the same period a year ago, and revenue rose 55 percent to 240.5 million pounds.

Venture said the timing of first oil from its Chestnut well would govern the outturn of second-half production, but it expects it to be higher than the first half. It expects full-year production of 45,000 - 47,500 boepd. (Reporting by Paul Sandle; Editing by Erica Billingham)