BIL
 BIBLT                                                                           
BHP Billiton - Transaction In Own Shares                                        
BHP Billiton Plc                                                                
Share code: BIL                                                                 
ISIN:       GB0000566504                                                        
Issued by:       BHP Billiton Plc                                               
To:            London Stock Exchange                                            
               Australian Stock Exchange                                        
Cc:            New York Stock Exchange                                          
               JSE Limited                                                      
               Swiss Stock Exchange                                             
               Deutsche Bank                                                    
UBS Zurich                                                       
Date:     8 September 2006                                                      
TRANSACTION IN OWN SHARES                                                       
BHP Billiton Plc announces that on 8 September 2006 it purchased 1,000,000 of   
its ordinary shares at an average price of 977.1098 pence per ordinary share.   
It is intended that all of the purchased shares will be held as treasury shares.
Following the above purchase, BHP Billiton Plc holds 21,320,000 of its ordinary 
shares as treasury shares.  The total number of ordinary shares in issue        
(excluding shares held as treasury shares) is 2,446,827,002.                    
For further information, please contact:                                        
Investor Relations                                                              
Mark Lidiard                                                                    
Office:   +44 (0) 20 7802 4156                                                  
Mobile:   +44 (0) 77 6993 4942                                                  
Company Secretariat                                                             
Robert Franklin                                                                 
Office:   +44 (0) 20 7802 4116                                                  
Mobile:   +44 (0) 7824 302684                                                   
BHP Billiton Limited                                                            
ABN 49 004 028 077                 BHP Billiton Plc Registration number 3196209 
Registered in Australia            Registered in England and Wales              
Registered Office: 180 Lonsdale Street                                          
Melbourne Victoria 3000            Registered Office: Neathouse Place, London   
                                   SW1V 1BH United Kingdom                      
Telephone +61 1300 55 4757         Telephone +44 20 7802 4000                   
Facsimile +61 3 9609 3015          Facsimile +44 20 7802 4111                   
Contact:       Robert Franklin, Company Secretary                               
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7802 4116                                                       
The BHP Billiton Group is headquartered in Australia                            
Date: 11/09/2006 07:49:47 AM Produced by the JSE SENS Department