In this paper, the optimal development of multiple shale gas systems and production and transportation of shale gas are studied. By tracing the path of shale gas from development to production to transportation to selling, a discrete-time mixed integer linear program (MILP) formulation is developed, which when solved, yields the economical scheduling of pad development operations and shale gas production, and planning of development resource and pipeline contracts. The MILP formulation is applied to two case studies to demonstrate the benefits of simultaneously optimizing development, production, and transportation for a multi-system shale gas development area. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.