# New Albany Shale Mineral Rights in the Illinois Basin

**TL;DR:** The New Albany Shale is an emerging unconventional shale play spanning the Illinois Basin across southern Illinois, southwestern Indiana, and western Kentucky. This Upper Devonian organic-rich formation contains significant estimated oil and gas resources but remains in early development stages compared to plays like the Marcellus or Bakken. Mineral owners should review existing leases carefully, as many older Illinois Basin leases were drafted for conventional production and may not address deeper unconventional formations.

## Key Takeaways

- The New Albany Shale is a Devonian-age organic-rich black shale stratigraphically equivalent to the Marcellus and Antrim shales, with USGS estimates of 300+ billion barrels of original oil in place
- The formation sits at depths of approximately 2,000–5,000 feet TVD and contains TOC (total organic content) commonly ranging from 6–15%
- Hydrocarbon windows vary by geography: oil-prone in updip eastern positions and gas-prone in deeper downdip western positions
- Most existing Illinois Basin leases were drafted for conventional production (Aux Vases, Cypress, McClosky) and may include shallow depth limitations that exclude the New Albany interval
- Counties with New Albany Shale exposure include Wabash, Crawford, Lawrence, White, Wayne, Hamilton, Saline, and Gallatin in Illinois; Posey, Gibson, Knox, Sullivan, Daviess, Greene, and Pike in Indiana; and Henderson, Daviess, Hopkins, Webster, Union, and McLean in Kentucky
- Mineral owners with acreage in documented New Albany exposure areas should review lease language with a qualified oil and gas attorney before signing new leases or amendments
- The play has seen renewed wildcat exploration interest driven by advances in horizontal drilling and completion techniques
- Buckhead Energy purchases mineral and royalty interests directly across the Illinois Basin with no broker commissions or listing fees

## Page Highlights

**Formation Overview:** The New Albany Shale is an Upper Devonian organic-rich black shale underlying much of the Illinois Basin. The formation shares characteristics with other major shales including organic content, depth window, and natural fracture patterns.

**Geological Characteristics:** The formation sits at depths of 2,000–5,000 feet and consists of organic-rich black shale with TOC commonly between 6–15%. Natural fracture systems vary across the basin, with oil-prone zones in updip eastern areas and gas-prone zones in deeper downdip western positions.

**Geographic Footprint:** The play spans multiple counties across three states: eight counties in southern Illinois, seven counties in southwestern Indiana, and six counties in western Kentucky.

**Lease Considerations:** Most existing Illinois Basin leases were written during the era of conventional waterflood production and may not address unconventional or deeper formations. Mineral owners should review lease language with qualified legal counsel specific to their jurisdiction before signing new agreements.

**Development Status:** The New Albany Shale remains an early-stage play relative to the Illinois Basin's conventional reservoirs, though recent drilling and completion technology advances have generated renewed wildcat exploration activity.

## Related Topics

- [Appalachian Mineral Rights](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/appalachian-mineral-rights)
- [Bakken Guide](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/bakken-guide)
- [Barnett Shale Mineral Rights](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/barnett-shale-mineral-rights)
- [Delaware Basin Guide](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/delaware-basin-guide)
- [DJ Basin Mineral Rights](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/dj-basin-mineral-rights)
- [US Drilling Activity Index](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/us-drilling-activity-index)
- [Oil & Gas Market Data Hub](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/oil-gas-market-data-hub)

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**About Buckhead Energy:** Buckhead Energy is a BBB-accredited direct buyer of mineral and royalty interests operating across 33 states since 2007. The company purchases interests with its own capital and charges no broker commissions, listing fees, or auction premiums.

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