diff --git a/opm/core/simulator/SimulatorState.cpp b/opm/core/simulator/SimulatorState.cpp
index 21f73eaa..e661c24c 100644
--- a/opm/core/simulator/SimulatorState.cpp
+++ b/opm/core/simulator/SimulatorState.cpp
@@ -97,42 +97,3 @@ SimulatorState::registerFaceData( const std::string& name, const int components,
     return pos ;
 }
 
-template <typename Props> void
-SimulatorState::setFirstSat(const std::vector<int>& cells,
-                            const Props& props,
-                            ExtremalSat es)
-{
-    if (cells.empty()) {
-        return;
-    }
-    int n = cells.size();
-    std::vector<double> smin(num_phases_*n);
-    std::vector<double> smax(num_phases_*n);
-    props.satRange(n, &cells[0], &smin[0], &smax[0]);
-    std::vector< double >& sat = saturation();
-    const double* svals = (es == MinSat) ? &smin[0] : &smax[0];
-    for (int ci = 0; ci < n; ++ci) {
-        const int cell = cells[ci];
-        sat[num_phases_*cell] = svals[num_phases_*ci];
-        sat[num_phases_*cell + 1] = 1.0 - sat[num_phases_*cell];
-    }
-}
-
-// template instantiations for all known (to this library) subclasses
-// of SimulatorState that will call this method. notice that there are
-// no empty angle brackets after "template" -- that would have been
-// specialization instead
-#include <opm/core/props/BlackoilPropertiesInterface.hpp>
-#include <opm/core/props/IncompPropertiesInterface.hpp>
-
-template void
-SimulatorState::setFirstSat <IncompPropertiesInterface> (
-        const std::vector<int> &cells,
-        const IncompPropertiesInterface &props,
-        ExtremalSat es);
-
-template void
-SimulatorState::setFirstSat <BlackoilPropertiesInterface> (
-        const std::vector<int> &cells,
-        const BlackoilPropertiesInterface &props,
-        ExtremalSat es);
diff --git a/opm/core/simulator/SimulatorState.hpp b/opm/core/simulator/SimulatorState.hpp
index 4ef06d95..41e89fc5 100644
--- a/opm/core/simulator/SimulatorState.hpp
+++ b/opm/core/simulator/SimulatorState.hpp
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@ namespace Opm
 
         virtual void init(int number_of_cells, int number_of_faces, int num_phases);
 
-        enum ExtremalSat { MinSat, MaxSat };
-
     protected:
         /// \brief pressure per cell.
         static const int pressureId_ = 0;
@@ -32,18 +30,6 @@ namespace Opm
         /// \brief The fluxes at the faces.
         static const int faceFluxId_ = 1;
 
-        /**
-         * Initialize the first saturation to maximum value. This method
-         * should be considered deprecated. Avoid to use it!
-         *
-         * \tparam Props Fluid and rock properties that pertain to this
-         *               kind of simulation. Currently, only Blackoil-
-         *               and IncompPropertiesInterface are supported.
-         */
-        template <typename Props>
-        void setFirstSat(const std::vector<int>& cells,
-                         const Props& props,
-                         ExtremalSat es);
     public:
         int numPhases() const { return num_phases_; }
         int numCells () const { return num_cells_; }