"Shell welcomes the Nigerian Supreme Court's decision to hear the appeal of the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd (SPDC) in this case," the London-based company said in a statement.

"Until the outcome of SPDC's appeal, Shell will not progress the divestment of its interest in SPDC."

Nigeria's Supreme Court on June 16 upheld a lower court ruling that stopped Shell from selling its assets in Nigeria until a dispute over a lower court decision to award a Niger Delta community $1.95 billion in compensation over the spill is resolved.

(Reporting by Ron Bousso; Editing by Jan Harvey)