Shell is upbeat about its remaining operated UK upstream portfolio, particularly in the mainly high-pressure, high-temperature area around its Shearwater hub in the central North Sea, following last month’s asset sale worth up to $3.8 billion to UK independent Chrysaor.

“We have retained a core where we think we have some differentiated capabilities, particularly around the HPHT,” Shell upstream director Andy Brown told Upstream at the IP Week conference in London this week.

“Particularly