The optimization of target zones is a premise of shale gas exploration and development.This paper aims to rank the development potential of five shale gas pilot zones in the Nanxiang Basin, western Hunan and Hubei area, eastern Chongqing area, etc., which were taken as case studies. To achieve this goal, the interval grey target decision was adopted according to the uncertainty and complexity of geological parameters. Through a systematic analysis of different parameters and their impacts on shale gas enrichment, we established an evaluation system for shale gas exploration and development by selecting seven indexes: effective shale thickness, organic matter abundance, burial depth, content of brittle mineral, porosity, and gas content. Then we determined the combination weight vector of each index by using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and interval central point distance method, modifying the impact of evaluation indexes of one single method to determine weight and make the weighted value up to the unity of subjectivity and ohiectivity. Based on the grey system theory, a grey target decision model was established to optimize and rank the shale gas exploration and development potential of the above five pilot zones, the evaluation indexes of which are interval numbers. Thus, the shale gas reserves were preliminarily estimated in the studied area. The evaluation results are in good agreement with the real data from practical exploration and development, which proves the feasibility of this study.