Estimated ultimate recovery

Although ultimate recovery of a well cannot be known with certainty until the well ceases production, petroleum engineers will often estimate an Estimated Ultimate Recovery (EUR) based on decline rate projections years into the future. Various models, mathematical techniques and approximations are used.

Shale gas companies may intentionally choose methods that tend to extend the estimated production life of the well, or use models that estimate slower rates of production decline, in order to boost EURs, estimated returns, and stock prices.