Flush Production
The high initial output a new well delivers in its first months, before reservoir pressure drops and production declines.
Flush production is the burst of high output a new well delivers right after it comes online. Fresh reservoir pressure pushes oil and gas to the surface fast, so the first few months often carry the strongest rates the well will ever post. This is the steep front end of the decline curve.
The flush period matters because it produces an outsized share of a well's early revenue — and then fades. A royalty check that looks big in month three can be a fraction of that a year later. Buyers who price a deal off flush-period checks alone tend to overpay.
When you value a recently completed well, treat the flush numbers as a peak, not a baseline. Look at where the rate is heading, not just where it started. Our value guide walks through reading production history.