Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), the $45-billion Indian hydrocarbon giant, has failed to expand its acreage in Eagle Ford Shale field after talks collapsed with Chesapeake Energy Inc, the largest player in the Eagle Ford gas field in South Texas.

Citing sources Reuters today reported that RIL has ended talks for a stake in the Eagle Ford shale liquid play in south Texas with Oklahoma-based Chesapeake.

Chesapeake, the second-largest producer of natural gas in the US, holds around 400,000 acres in the Eagle Ford shale, making it to be the largest holder of shale acreage in the area.

Like other shale acreage holding companies, Chesapeake has been looking for a partner to invest and develop its 400,000 acres position in the Eagle Ford.

Chesapeake had said on 10 May 2010, ''By the end of the third quarter of 2010, the company intends to enter into a joint venture on its Eagle Ford Shale play that currently includes approximately 400,000 net acres of leasehold.''

Had the talks fructified, RIL would have added to its 45-per cent interest in approximately 212,000 net acres in Eagle Ford Shale fields, which it had acquired in June 2010 through a joint venture with Pioneer Natural Resources Co for $1.15 billion.

Aat the company's annual general meeting in June 2010, the oil refinery-to-retail conglomerate's chairman Mukesh Ambani had said that his company would continue to pursue ''similar joint development opportunities with operators besides building on its own a substantial upstream business in North America.''

RIL is competing with other oil and gas majors in the US for shale assets and has made shale acquisitions in the US worth $3.242 billion since April 2010.

In April 2010, RIL had acquired a 40-per cent or 120,000 net acres in Atlas Energy's Marcellus Shale position for $1.7 billion (See: Reliance to invest $1.7 billion in JV with Atlas Energy)  and followed it up in June 2010 by acquiring 45 per cent interest in approximately 212,000 net acres in Eagle Ford Shale play from Pioneer Natural Resources Co for $1.15 billion. (See: RIL to enter into shale gas JV with Pioneer of US)

In August 2010, it acquired a 60-per cent stake in the Marcellus Shale acreage in Central and Northeast Pennsylvania from US-based Carrizo Oil & Gas Inc, for around $392 million. (See: Reliance in new 60:40 shale gas joint venture in US)