After completing the $52 billion acquisition of BG in February, Shell said it would sell $30 billion in assets between 2016 and 2018 to help finance the deal and to maintain its dividend following a sharp drop in oil prices since mid-2014.

"The North Sea for us will be an area where we will have to take a look, as we have to do with our entire conventional upstream, now that we have a much enlarged portfolio," van Beurden told reporters at a conference.

BG assets Shell acquired in the North Sea are newer, have more running room and are of higher quality, so the company would look to sell some of its other properties there, he said.

more [Reuters]