LONDON, July 30 (Reuters) - Royal Dutch Shell will"take a good look" at selling North Sea assets after its plannedacquisition of BG Group next year, Shell's ChiefExecutive Officer Ben van Beurden said on Thursday.
Shell said it plans to sell $30 billion of assets in the twoyears following the expected completion of the $70 billion BGdeal next year.
Although Shell would not provide specific details on whichassets it would target, the ageing North Sea basin, whoseproduction has sharply declined since its 1990s peak, is likelyto be closely scrutinized.
"We will take a very good look at the North Sea and makesure that out of two strong portfolios will crystallise thestrongest possible core," van Beurden told reporters.
"Like any province that gets mature, and certainly one wherewe have high cost structures and still a high tax regime, wewill have to look at how to restructure this to bring it back toits most advantaged core."
"We have a very significant position in the North Sea thatranges from very mature assets to assets that are still underconstruction. BG has a very significant position as well," hesaid. (Reporting by Ron Bousso; editing by David Clarke)
