diff --git a/CMakeLists_files.cmake b/CMakeLists_files.cmake
index 929cbaf77..0e589313d 100644
--- a/CMakeLists_files.cmake
+++ b/CMakeLists_files.cmake
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 # originally generated with the command:
 # find opm -name '*.c*' -printf '\t%p\n' | sort
 list (APPEND MAIN_SOURCE_FILES
+  ebos/nncsorter.cpp
   opm/autodiff/MPIUtilities.cpp
   opm/autodiff/MissingFeatures.cpp
   opm/core/props/rock/RockFromDeck.cpp
diff --git a/ebos/ecltransmissibility.hh b/ebos/ecltransmissibility.hh
index 06b4db3d8..89e04b526 100644
--- a/ebos/ecltransmissibility.hh
+++ b/ebos/ecltransmissibility.hh
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@
 #ifndef EWOMS_ECL_TRANSMISSIBILITY_HH
 #define EWOMS_ECL_TRANSMISSIBILITY_HH
 
+#include <ebos/nncsorter.hpp>
+
 #include <ewoms/common/propertysystem.hh>
 
 #include <opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/EclipseState.hpp>
@@ -619,49 +621,7 @@ private:
 
         auto nncData = nnc.nncdata();
         auto editnncData = vanguard_.eclState().getInputEDITNNC().data();
-        auto nncLess =
-            [](const Opm::NNCdata& d1, const Opm::NNCdata& d2)
-            {
-                return
-                    (d1.cell1 < d2.cell1)
-                    || (d1.cell1 == d2.cell1 && d1.cell2 < d2.cell2);
-            };
-        std::sort(nncData.begin(), nncData.end(), nncLess);
-        auto candidate = nncData.begin();
-        for (const auto& edit: editnncData) {
-            auto printNncWarning =
-                [](int c1, int c2)
-                {
-                    std::ostringstream sstr;
-                    sstr << "Cannot edit NNC from " << c1 << " to " << c2
-                         << " as it does not exist";
-                    Opm::OpmLog::warning(sstr.str());
-                };
-            if (candidate == nncData.end()) {
-                // no more NNCs left
-                printNncWarning(edit.cell1, edit.cell2);
-                continue;
-            }
-            if (candidate->cell1 != edit.cell1 || candidate->cell2 != edit.cell2) {
-                candidate = std::lower_bound(candidate, nncData.end(), Opm::NNCdata(edit.cell1, edit.cell2, 0), nncLess);
-                if (candidate == nncData.end()) {
-                    // no more NNCs left
-                    printNncWarning(edit.cell1, edit.cell2);
-                    continue;
-                }
-            }
-            auto firstCandidate = candidate;
-            while (candidate != nncData.end()
-                   && candidate->cell1 == edit.cell1
-                   && candidate->cell2 == edit.cell2)
-            {
-                candidate->trans *= edit.trans;
-                ++candidate;
-            }
-            // start with first match in next iteration to catch case where next
-            // EDITNNC is for same pair.
-            candidate = firstCandidate;
-        }
+        sortNncAndApplyEditnnc(nncData, editnncData);
 
         for (const auto& nncEntry : nncData) {
             auto c1 = nncEntry.cell1;
diff --git a/ebos/nncsorter.cpp b/ebos/nncsorter.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..495cb3d33
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ebos/nncsorter.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+// -*- mode: C++; tab-width: 4; indent-tabs-mode: nil; c-basic-offset: 4 -*-
+// vi: set et ts=4 sw=4 sts=4:
+/*
+  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 2 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/>.
+
+  Consult the COPYING file in the top-level source directory of this
+  module for the precise wording of the license and the list of
+  copyright holders.
+*/
+#include <config.h>
+#include <ebos/nncsorter.hpp>
+
+#include <opm/common/OpmLog/OpmLog.hpp>
+
+#include <sstream>
+#include <algorithm>
+#include <iostream>
+namespace Ewoms
+{
+void sortNncAndApplyEditnnc(std::vector<Opm::NNCdata>& nncData, std::vector<Opm::NNCdata>& editnncData,
+                            bool log )
+{
+    auto nncLess =
+        [](const Opm::NNCdata& d1, const Opm::NNCdata& d2) {
+            return
+                (d1.cell1 < d2.cell1)
+                || (d1.cell1 == d2.cell1 && d1.cell2 < d2.cell2);
+        };
+    std::sort(nncData.begin(), nncData.end(), nncLess);
+    auto candidate = nncData.begin();
+
+    for (const auto& edit: editnncData) {
+        auto printNncWarning =
+            [](int c1, int c2) {
+                std::ostringstream sstr;
+                sstr << "Cannot edit NNC from " << c1 << " to " << c2
+                     << " as it does not exist";
+                Opm::OpmLog::warning(sstr.str());
+            };
+        if (candidate == nncData.end() && log) {
+            // no more NNCs left
+            printNncWarning(edit.cell1, edit.cell2);
+            continue;
+        }
+        if (candidate->cell1 != edit.cell1 || candidate->cell2 != edit.cell2) {
+            candidate = std::lower_bound(candidate, nncData.end(), Opm::NNCdata(edit.cell1, edit.cell2, 0), nncLess);
+            if (candidate == nncData.end() && log) {
+                // no more NNCs left
+                printNncWarning(edit.cell1, edit.cell2);
+                continue;
+            }
+        }
+        auto firstCandidate = candidate;
+        while (candidate != nncData.end()
+               && candidate->cell1 == edit.cell1
+               && candidate->cell2 == edit.cell2)
+        {
+            candidate->trans *= edit.trans;
+            ++candidate;
+        }
+        // start with first match in next iteration to catch case where next
+        // EDITNNC is for same pair.
+        candidate = firstCandidate;
+    }
+}
+} // end namespace Ewoms
diff --git a/ebos/nncsorter.hpp b/ebos/nncsorter.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2a6e865d0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ebos/nncsorter.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+// -*- mode: C++; tab-width: 4; indent-tabs-mode: nil; c-basic-offset: 4 -*-
+// vi: set et ts=4 sw=4 sts=4:
+/*
+  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 2 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/>.
+
+  Consult the COPYING file in the top-level source directory of this
+  module for the precise wording of the license and the list of
+  copyright holders.
+*/
+
+#ifndef EWOMS_EBOS_NNCSORTER_HPP
+#define EWOMS_EBOS_NNCSORTER_HPP
+
+
+#include <opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/Grid/NNC.hpp>
+
+#include <vector>
+
+namespace Ewoms
+{
+void sortNncAndApplyEditnnc(std::vector<Opm::NNCdata>& nncData, std::vector<Opm::NNCdata>& editnncData,
+                            bool log = true);
+}
+#endif