Syn - Exactly. Remember how front loaded the cash flow is based upon the high initial production rate. The ROR of any project is dependent upon the TIMING of the revenue stream: the longer it takes to recover the investment the lower the ROR. Every shale well evaluated used an estimated cash flow metric to calculate the ROR: reduce that revenue stream, especially in the very critical early days of a shale well, and you will kill many of those potential drilling projects. Also remember that for many operators they needed that early high production rate to generate revenue to pay for future wells to replace the rapidly declining earlier wells.
We all understand the Red Queen concept. Now imagine an operator intentional breaking its Red Queen's leg: exactly how is that beneficial to the operator?