Fuel giant BP has announced it will sell its stakes in two North Sea fields for $280m (£179m).

The group said its net production from the two fields averaged about 7,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.

The move comes as the company continues to deal with its bill for cleaning up the Gulf of Mexico disaster in 2010 – it sold $1bn worth of US gas assets and $400m of North Sea gas assets earlier this year and is believed to be offloading $38bn of its property in total.

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Japanese trading company Mitsui will buy BP's 13.3% stake in the Alba field and its 8.97% stake in Britannia for cash.

Bp director Trevor Garlick said: "The divestments are part of our strategy to develop a more focused business in the UK and Norway."

The sale of smaller assets like Alba and Britannia will allow the company to concentrate on six major projects in the North Sea.

BP share prices rose following the announcement.

(NE/GK)