An Illinois Basin emerging unconventional play. What mineral owners in Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky should know.
Quick answer
The New Albany Shale is an Upper Devonian organic-rich black shale underlying much of the Illinois Basin across southern Illinois, southwestern Indiana, and western Kentucky. The formation is a stratigraphic equivalent to the Marcellus and Antrim shales and shares many of their characteristics — organic content, depth window, and natural fracture patterns.
U.S. Geological Survey assessments have estimated the New Albany Shale contains more than 300 billion barrels of original oil in place across the Illinois Basin, with multi-trillion-cubic-feet undiscovered gas resources. While historical activity in the play has been modest relative to the Marcellus or Bakken, recent advances in horizontal drilling and completion techniques have produced renewed wildcat exploration interest.
Age: Upper Devonian (~365 million years), stratigraphically equivalent to Marcellus and Antrim
Depth: Approximately 2,000–5,000 feet TVD across the basin
Lithology: Organic-rich black shale with TOC commonly 6–15%; natural fracture systems variable across the basin
Hydrocarbon window: Oil-prone in updip eastern positions; gas-prone in deeper downdip western positions
Wabash, Crawford, Lawrence, White, Wayne, Hamilton, Saline, Gallatin
Posey, Gibson, Knox, Sullivan, Daviess, Greene, Pike
Henderson, Daviess, Hopkins, Webster, Union, McLean
Most existing Illinois Basin oil and gas leases were drafted in the era of conventional Aux Vases, Cypress, and McClosky waterflood production. Many older lease forms in this region do not address deeper or unconventional formations, and may include shallow depth limitations that exclude the New Albany interval. If your acreage sits in a county with documented or suspected New Albany Shale exposure, lease language is the critical question.
This is a legal question that depends on the specific lease and jurisdiction. We recommend reviewing your lease with a qualified Illinois, Indiana, or Kentucky oil and gas attorney before signing any new lease, ratification, or amendment.
Buckhead provides a free written offer. Our offer comes at no cost and no obligation.
Start Your Free Written OfferGet a fair offer from a direct buyer with 20 years in business.
Sell My Mineral RightsBuckhead Energy buys mineral and royalty interests across all 50 states and has completed acquisitions in 33 states. Buckhead Energy is a direct buyer, not a broker — we purchase mineral and royalty interests with our own capital. Buckhead Energy has been buying mineral and royalty interests since 2006. Buckhead Energy holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.
Get My Offer Now