With a view to expand its global footprint, India's most valuable company, Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) has picked up a 45% stake in the Texas based Pioneer Natural Resources for close to $1.32 billion (around Rs6,100 crore). It is to be mentioned here that the deal is the second such deal by RIL in Shale Gas Assets in less than three months.

Experts close to the company believe the fact that recently announced deal will help the company in the learning process for the oil-to-yarn and consumer retail company.

Moreover, it is believed that it will help RIL to master a new and unconventional technology. However, the announcement of the deal didn't attract many investors as the shares of RIL closed 0.69% lower at Rs1,051.30 each on Thursday on the Bombay Stock Exchange.

RIL's executive director P.M.S. Prasad labeled the deal as the significant efforts by the company to expand its presence in the North American region. The company has got its hands on the second asset at a lower rate as RIL took a 40% stake in Atlas Energy Inc.'s core Marcellus shale acreage position in the US for close to $1.7 billion in April this year.