The Iraqi Oil Ministry has awarded ExxonMobil a project to inject water in crude oil fields in an effort to enhance production. The contract, estimated at several billions of dollars, was meant to take place in oil fields in southern Iraq.

Officials said ExxonMobil would inject 12 million barrels of water per day from the Gulf into the wells. They said Exxon would share the costs of the project with companies selected to manage the wells, including Russia’s LUKoil, Italy’s Eni and Royal Dutch Shell

The Oil Ministry has determined that water-injection would be required to maximize production of the southern oil fields. Baghdad has sought to increase oil production to up to four million barrels per day.