diff --git a/ApplicationCode/FileInterface/RifReaderEclipseOutput.cpp b/ApplicationCode/FileInterface/RifReaderEclipseOutput.cpp
index 524e4410fe..e1353ec5a9 100644
--- a/ApplicationCode/FileInterface/RifReaderEclipseOutput.cpp
+++ b/ApplicationCode/FileInterface/RifReaderEclipseOutput.cpp
@@ -20,11 +20,14 @@
 
 #include "RifReaderEclipseOutput.h"
 
+#include "RiaApplication.h"
 #include "RiaLogging.h"
+#include "RiaPreferences.h"
 
 #include "RifEclipseInputFileTools.h"
 #include "RifEclipseOutputFileTools.h"
 #include "RifHdf5ReaderInterface.h"
+#include "RifReaderSettings.h"
 
 #ifdef USE_HDF5
 #include "RifHdf5Reader.h"
@@ -436,8 +439,11 @@ bool RifReaderEclipseOutput::open(const QString& fileName, RigEclipseCaseData* e
     }
 
     progInfo.setNextProgressIncrement(8);
-    progInfo.setProgressDescription("Reading Well information");
-    readWellCells(mainEclGrid, isImportOfCompleteMswDataEnabled());
+    if (!RiaApplication::instance()->preferences()->readerSettings()->skipWellData())
+    {
+        progInfo.setProgressDescription("Reading Well information");
+        readWellCells(mainEclGrid, isImportOfCompleteMswDataEnabled());
+    }
     progInfo.incrementProgress();
 
     progInfo.setProgressDescription("Releasing reader memory");
diff --git a/ApplicationCode/FileInterface/RifReaderSettings.cpp b/ApplicationCode/FileInterface/RifReaderSettings.cpp
index 09c5752556..f57323a058 100644
--- a/ApplicationCode/FileInterface/RifReaderSettings.cpp
+++ b/ApplicationCode/FileInterface/RifReaderSettings.cpp
@@ -43,6 +43,9 @@ RifReaderSettings::RifReaderSettings()
     CAF_PDM_InitField(&useResultIndexFile, "useResultIndexFile", false, "Use Result Index File", "", "", "");
     useResultIndexFile.uiCapability()->setUiLabelPosition(caf::PdmUiItemInfo::HIDDEN);
 
+    CAF_PDM_InitField(&skipWellData, "skipWellData", false, "Skip Import of Simulation Well Data", "", "", "");
+    skipWellData.uiCapability()->setUiLabelPosition(caf::PdmUiItemInfo::HIDDEN);
+
     CAF_PDM_InitField(&faultIncludeFileAbsolutePathPrefix, "faultIncludeFileAbsolutePathPrefix", QString(), "Fault Include File Absolute Path Prefix", "", "Path used to prefix absolute UNIX paths in fault include statements on Windows", "");
 }
 
@@ -54,7 +57,8 @@ void RifReaderSettings::defineEditorAttribute(const caf::PdmFieldHandle* field,
     if (field == &importFaults ||
         field == &importAdvancedMswData ||
         field == &importNNCs ||
-        field == &useResultIndexFile)
+        field == &useResultIndexFile ||
+        field == &skipWellData)
     {
         caf::PdmUiCheckBoxEditorAttribute* myAttr = dynamic_cast<caf::PdmUiCheckBoxEditorAttribute*>(attribute);
         if (myAttr)
@@ -67,11 +71,11 @@ void RifReaderSettings::defineEditorAttribute(const caf::PdmFieldHandle* field,
 void RifReaderSettings::defineUiOrdering(QString uiConfigName, caf::PdmUiOrdering& uiOrdering)
 {
     uiOrdering.add(&importFaults);
-    uiOrdering.add(&importNNCs);
-    uiOrdering.add(&importAdvancedMswData);
-    uiOrdering.add(&useResultIndexFile);
 #ifdef WIN32
     uiOrdering.add(&faultIncludeFileAbsolutePathPrefix);
 #endif
+    uiOrdering.add(&importNNCs);
+    uiOrdering.add(&importAdvancedMswData);
+    uiOrdering.add(&useResultIndexFile);
+    uiOrdering.add(&skipWellData);
 }
-
diff --git a/ApplicationCode/FileInterface/RifReaderSettings.h b/ApplicationCode/FileInterface/RifReaderSettings.h
index 26da742ebf..dd2b608331 100644
--- a/ApplicationCode/FileInterface/RifReaderSettings.h
+++ b/ApplicationCode/FileInterface/RifReaderSettings.h
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ public:
     caf::PdmField<bool> importAdvancedMswData;
     caf::PdmField<QString> faultIncludeFileAbsolutePathPrefix;
     caf::PdmField<bool> useResultIndexFile;
+    caf::PdmField<bool> skipWellData;
 
 protected:
     virtual void defineEditorAttribute(const caf::PdmFieldHandle* field, QString uiConfigName, caf::PdmUiEditorAttribute* attribute);