diff --git a/CMakeLists_files.cmake b/CMakeLists_files.cmake
index 8a4366e62..90343d178 100644
--- a/CMakeLists_files.cmake
+++ b/CMakeLists_files.cmake
@@ -794,6 +794,7 @@ list (APPEND PUBLIC_HEADER_FILES
   opm/simulators/flow/BlackoilModel.hpp
   opm/simulators/flow/BlackoilModelNldd.hpp
   opm/simulators/flow/BlackoilModelParameters.hpp
+  opm/simulators/flow/BlackoilModelProperties.hpp
   opm/simulators/flow/CollectDataOnIORank.hpp
   opm/simulators/flow/CollectDataOnIORank_impl.hpp
   opm/simulators/flow/ConvergenceOutputConfiguration.hpp
diff --git a/opm/simulators/flow/BlackoilModel.hpp b/opm/simulators/flow/BlackoilModel.hpp
index a4443dcdb..9f1aafb7f 100644
--- a/opm/simulators/flow/BlackoilModel.hpp
+++ b/opm/simulators/flow/BlackoilModel.hpp
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 #ifndef OPM_BLACKOILMODEL_HEADER_INCLUDED
 #define OPM_BLACKOILMODEL_HEADER_INCLUDED
 
-#include <fmt/format.h>
+#include <dune/common/timer.hh>
 
 #include <opm/common/ErrorMacros.hpp>
 #include <opm/common/Exceptions.hpp>
@@ -35,27 +35,26 @@
 
 #include <opm/simulators/aquifers/AquiferGridUtils.hpp>
 #include <opm/simulators/aquifers/BlackoilAquiferModel.hpp>
+
 #include <opm/simulators/flow/BlackoilModelNldd.hpp>
 #include <opm/simulators/flow/BlackoilModelParameters.hpp>
+#include <opm/simulators/flow/BlackoilModelProperties.hpp>
 #include <opm/simulators/flow/countGlobalCells.hpp>
 #include <opm/simulators/flow/FlowProblemBlackoil.hpp>
 #include <opm/simulators/flow/NonlinearSolver.hpp>
 #include <opm/simulators/flow/RSTConv.hpp>
+
 #include <opm/simulators/timestepping/AdaptiveTimeStepping.hpp>
 #include <opm/simulators/timestepping/ConvergenceReport.hpp>
 #include <opm/simulators/timestepping/SimulatorReport.hpp>
 #include <opm/simulators/timestepping/SimulatorTimer.hpp>
 
-#include <opm/simulators/wells/BlackoilWellModel.hpp>
-
 #include <opm/simulators/utils/ComponentName.hpp>
 #include <opm/simulators/utils/DeferredLoggingErrorHelpers.hpp>
 #include <opm/simulators/utils/ParallelCommunication.hpp>
 #include <opm/simulators/utils/phaseUsageFromDeck.hpp>
 
-#include <dune/common/timer.hh>
-
-#include <fmt/format.h>
+#include <opm/simulators/wells/BlackoilWellModel.hpp>
 
 #include <algorithm>
 #include <cassert>
@@ -73,82 +72,7 @@
 #include <utility>
 #include <vector>
 
-namespace Opm::Properties {
-
-namespace TTag {
-
-struct FlowProblem { using InheritsFrom = std::tuple<FlowBaseProblemBlackoil, BlackOilModel>; };
-
-}
-
-// default in flow is to formulate the equations in surface volumes
-template<class TypeTag>
-struct BlackoilConserveSurfaceVolume<TypeTag, TTag::FlowProblem>
-{ static constexpr bool value = true; };
-
-template<class TypeTag>
-struct UseVolumetricResidual<TypeTag, TTag::FlowProblem>
-{ static constexpr bool value = false; };
-
-template<class TypeTag>
-struct AquiferModel<TypeTag, TTag::FlowProblem>
-{ using type = BlackoilAquiferModel<TypeTag>; };
-
-// disable all extensions supported by black oil model. this should not really be
-// necessary but it makes things a bit more explicit
-template<class TypeTag>
-struct EnablePolymer<TypeTag, TTag::FlowProblem>
-{ static constexpr bool value = false; };
-
-template<class TypeTag>
-struct EnableSolvent<TypeTag, TTag::FlowProblem>
-{ static constexpr bool value = false; };
-
-template<class TypeTag>
-struct EnableTemperature<TypeTag, TTag::FlowProblem>
-{ static constexpr bool value = true; };
-
-template<class TypeTag>
-struct EnableEnergy<TypeTag, TTag::FlowProblem>
-{ static constexpr bool value = false; };
-
-template<class TypeTag>
-struct EnableFoam<TypeTag, TTag::FlowProblem>
-{ static constexpr bool value = false; };
-
-template<class TypeTag>
-struct EnableBrine<TypeTag, TTag::FlowProblem>
-{ static constexpr bool value = false; };
-
-template<class TypeTag>
-struct EnableSaltPrecipitation<TypeTag, TTag::FlowProblem>
-{ static constexpr bool value = false; };
-
-template<class TypeTag>
-struct EnableMICP<TypeTag, TTag::FlowProblem>
-{ static constexpr bool value = false; };
-
-template<class TypeTag>
-struct EnableDispersion<TypeTag, TTag::FlowProblem>
-{ static constexpr bool value = false; };
-
-template<class TypeTag>
-struct EnableConvectiveMixing<TypeTag, TTag::FlowProblem>
-{ static constexpr bool value = true; };
-
-template<class TypeTag>
-struct WellModel<TypeTag, TTag::FlowProblem>
-{ using type = BlackoilWellModel<TypeTag>; };
-
-template<class TypeTag>
-struct LinearSolverSplice<TypeTag, TTag::FlowProblem>
-{ using type = TTag::FlowIstlSolver; };
-
-template<class TypeTag>
-struct EnableDebuggingChecks<TypeTag, TTag::FlowProblem>
-{ static constexpr bool value = false; };
-
-} // namespace Opm::Properties
+#include <fmt/format.h>
 
 namespace Opm {
 
diff --git a/opm/simulators/flow/BlackoilModelProperties.hpp b/opm/simulators/flow/BlackoilModelProperties.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e92792b2c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/opm/simulators/flow/BlackoilModelProperties.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,114 @@
+/*
+  Copyright 2013, 2015 SINTEF ICT, Applied Mathematics.
+  Copyright 2014, 2015 Dr. Blatt - HPC-Simulation-Software & Services
+  Copyright 2014, 2015 Statoil ASA.
+  Copyright 2015 NTNU
+  Copyright 2015, 2016, 2017 IRIS AS
+
+  This file is part of the Open Porous Media project (OPM).
+
+  OPM is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+  it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+  the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+  (at your option) any later version.
+
+  OPM is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+  but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+  MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+  GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+  You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+  along with OPM.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+*/
+
+#ifndef OPM_BLACKOILMODEL_PROPERTIES_HEADER_INCLUDED
+#define OPM_BLACKOILMODEL_PROPERTIES_HEADER_INCLUDED
+
+#include <opm/simulators/flow/FlowProblemBlackoilProperties.hpp>
+
+#include <tuple>
+
+namespace Opm {
+template<class TypeTag> class BlackoilAquiferModel;
+template<class TypeTag> class BlackoilWellModel;
+}
+
+namespace Opm::Properties {
+
+namespace TTag {
+
+struct FlowIstlSolver;
+struct FlowProblem { using InheritsFrom = std::tuple<FlowBaseProblemBlackoil, BlackOilModel>; };
+
+}
+
+// default in flow is to formulate the equations in surface volumes
+template<class TypeTag>
+struct BlackoilConserveSurfaceVolume<TypeTag, TTag::FlowProblem>
+{ static constexpr bool value = true; };
+
+template<class TypeTag>
+struct UseVolumetricResidual<TypeTag, TTag::FlowProblem>
+{ static constexpr bool value = false; };
+
+template<class TypeTag>
+struct AquiferModel<TypeTag, TTag::FlowProblem>
+{ using type = BlackoilAquiferModel<TypeTag>; };
+
+// disable all extensions supported by black oil model. this should not really be
+// necessary but it makes things a bit more explicit
+template<class TypeTag>
+struct EnablePolymer<TypeTag, TTag::FlowProblem>
+{ static constexpr bool value = false; };
+
+template<class TypeTag>
+struct EnableSolvent<TypeTag, TTag::FlowProblem>
+{ static constexpr bool value = false; };
+
+template<class TypeTag>
+struct EnableTemperature<TypeTag, TTag::FlowProblem>
+{ static constexpr bool value = true; };
+
+template<class TypeTag>
+struct EnableEnergy<TypeTag, TTag::FlowProblem>
+{ static constexpr bool value = false; };
+
+template<class TypeTag>
+struct EnableFoam<TypeTag, TTag::FlowProblem>
+{ static constexpr bool value = false; };
+
+template<class TypeTag>
+struct EnableBrine<TypeTag, TTag::FlowProblem>
+{ static constexpr bool value = false; };
+
+template<class TypeTag>
+struct EnableSaltPrecipitation<TypeTag, TTag::FlowProblem>
+{ static constexpr bool value = false; };
+
+template<class TypeTag>
+struct EnableMICP<TypeTag, TTag::FlowProblem>
+{ static constexpr bool value = false; };
+
+template<class TypeTag>
+struct EnableDispersion<TypeTag, TTag::FlowProblem>
+{ static constexpr bool value = false; };
+
+template<class TypeTag>
+struct EnableConvectiveMixing<TypeTag, TTag::FlowProblem>
+{ static constexpr bool value = true; };
+
+template<class TypeTag>
+struct WellModel<TypeTag, TTag::FlowProblem>
+{ using type = BlackoilWellModel<TypeTag>; };
+
+template<class TypeTag>
+struct LinearSolverSplice<TypeTag, TTag::FlowProblem>
+{ using type = TTag::FlowIstlSolver; };
+
+template<class TypeTag>
+struct EnableDebuggingChecks<TypeTag, TTag::FlowProblem>
+{ static constexpr bool value = false; };
+
+} // namespace Opm::Properties
+
+#endif // OPM_BLACKOILMODEL_PROPERTIES_HEADER_INCLUDED