LONDON, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Royal Dutch Shell hasbeen shortlisted by the U.S. government to make a bid for anoffshore wind project licence in the waters off North Carolina,as it comes under pressure from shareholders to diversify intogreen energy.
Shell, as well as Norway's Statoil, qualified toparticipate in the upcoming leasing round offshore Kitty Hawk,the U.S. interior ministry said on Tuesday. The lease award isset for March 16.
Shell's core business of producing oil and gas is reelingafter more than two years of weak prices.
The company has limited experience in building offshore windfarms but last month won a bid to build a 700-megawatt offshorewind farm in the Netherlands, together with more experiencedpartners.
Statoil is also increasing its presence in the sector andlast month secured a lease to build a wind farm offshore NewYork.
Energy companies Avangrid Inc and Enbridge Inc were also among the shortlisted firms. (Reporting by Karolin Schaps; editing by Susan Thomas)