Iraq’s Oil Minister, Jabbar al-Luaibi, called for Angolan energy firm Sonangol to to resume work in developing the Qayyarah and Najmah fields in Nineveh province, where the Islamic State group had set wells alight, Al Monitor reported.

According to the ministry, all but nine of the wells set on fire in the area had been brought under control. Luaibi said he had given Sonangol’s Executive Director a deadline of “no later than the end of February” to resume work, The Oil & Gas Year informed.

Sonangol had pulled out of the country in February 2014 because of the sustained security threats faced by the company and its inability to carry out work on the two giant fields. During Iraq’s second licensing round, Sonangol was the only company to bid for the Qaiyarah oilfield. When Sonangol left, it did not only pulled out of Qaiyarah but also out of its other investment in the country, the Najmah oilfield. It held 75% stakes in both fields, with North Oil Company holding the remaining 25% shares.

In Qaiyarah, 40 wells were scheduled to be drilled, with a forecast 2017 production capacity of 110,000b/d of oil. Like Qaiyarah, Najmah was to be completed by 2017 as well.