Shell urges U.S. to adopt North Sea drilling rules

LONDON Oct 14 (Reuters) - Royal Dutch Shell (RDSa.L) said the United States should adopt tougher drilling rules applied in the North Sea, adding they could have helped prevent mistakes that contributed to BP's (BP.L) Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

Shell finance director Simon Henry said on Thursday the United States should force everyone drilling a well to prepare a "safety case" -- plans that examine potential risks and define who is responsible for risk management tasks.

"What we would like to see is that the regulations, as they evolve, match more clearly the European approach, which is always to identify all the hazards," he told Reuters Insider TV in an interview. (Reporting by Angeline Ong and Tom Bergin; Editing by Dan Lalor)