diff --git a/ApplicationCode/GeoMech/OdbReader/RifOdbReader.cpp b/ApplicationCode/GeoMech/OdbReader/RifOdbReader.cpp
index f2e77d96ab..2bcf65b557 100644
--- a/ApplicationCode/GeoMech/OdbReader/RifOdbReader.cpp
+++ b/ApplicationCode/GeoMech/OdbReader/RifOdbReader.cpp
@@ -49,13 +49,18 @@ std::map<std::string, RigElementType> initFemTypeMap()
 
 static std::map<std::string, RigElementType> odbElmTypeToRigElmTypeMap = initFemTypeMap();
 
-bool RifOdbReader::sm_odbAPIInitialized = false;
+size_t RifOdbReader::sm_instanceCount = 0;
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 /// 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 RifOdbReader::RifOdbReader()
 {
+    if (++sm_instanceCount == 1)
+    {
+        odb_initializeAPI();
+    }
+
 	m_odb = NULL;
 }
 
@@ -65,30 +70,11 @@ RifOdbReader::RifOdbReader()
 RifOdbReader::~RifOdbReader()
 {
 	close();
-}
 
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-/// 
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-void RifOdbReader::initializeOdbAPI()
-{
-	if (!sm_odbAPIInitialized)
-	{
-		odb_initializeAPI();
-		sm_odbAPIInitialized = true;
-	}
-}
-
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-/// 
-//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-void RifOdbReader::finalizeOdbAPI()
-{
-	if (sm_odbAPIInitialized)
-	{
-		odb_finalizeAPI();
-		sm_odbAPIInitialized = false;
-	}
+    if (--sm_instanceCount == 0)
+    {
+        odb_finalizeAPI();
+    }
 }
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -111,11 +97,6 @@ bool RifOdbReader::openFile(const std::string& fileName, std::string* errorMessa
 	close();
 	CVF_ASSERT(m_odb == NULL);
 
-	if (!sm_odbAPIInitialized)
-	{
-		initializeOdbAPI();
-	}
-
 	odb_String path = fileName.c_str();
 
 	try
diff --git a/ApplicationCode/GeoMech/OdbReader/RifOdbReader.h b/ApplicationCode/GeoMech/OdbReader/RifOdbReader.h
index 5f9ab4132f..b747b79461 100644
--- a/ApplicationCode/GeoMech/OdbReader/RifOdbReader.h
+++ b/ApplicationCode/GeoMech/OdbReader/RifOdbReader.h
@@ -75,15 +75,12 @@ private:
     std::vector<std::string>                                                            componentNames(ResPos position, const std::string& fieldName) const;
 	std::map<std::string, std::vector<std::string> >                                    fieldAndComponentNames(ResPos position);   
     std::map< RifOdbReader::ResPos, std::map<std::string, std::vector<std::string> > >  resultsMetaData(odb_Odb* odb);
-
-    static void initializeOdbAPI();
-    static void finalizeOdbAPI();
-
+ 
 private:
     odb_Odb*                                                                m_odb;
 	std::map< ResPos, std::map<std::string, std::vector<std::string> > >    m_resultsMetaData;
     std::map< int, std::map<int, int> >                                     m_instanceToNodeIdToIdxMap;
     std::map< int, std::map<int, int> >                                     m_instanceToElementIdToIdxMap;
     
-	static bool sm_odbAPIInitialized;
+	static size_t sm_instanceCount;
 };