U.S. LNG developer NextDecade plans to expand further its Rio Grande export project with a sixth train, for which it has just initiated the pre-filing process with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
NextDecade has already approved and is building five trains at its flagship Rio Grande LNG export facility in Brownsville, Texas. All of these trains are expected to come online by the early 2030s.
The company is now seeking with the FERC further expansion at Rio Grande LNG that includes a sixth liquefaction train (Train 6) and an additional marine berth, NextDecade said on Monday, adding that it expects to file a full application for this expansion with FERC in 2026.
“With five trains now under construction at Rio Grande LNG and space at the site to potentially double capacity, we are intently focused on the next phase of growth for NextDecade, and today we have advanced the permitting process for our expansion capacity by initiating a pre-filing with FERC for Train 6,” NextDecade’s chairman and CEO Matt Schatzman said.
“We look forward to working with FERC and other agencies throughout the Train 6 permitting process, as we expand our liquefaction capacity to deliver reliable, cost-effective and lower-carbon energy to the world.”
Last month, NextDecade decided to invest $6.7 billion in the expansion of Rio Grande LNG with Train 5, in another boost to America’s LNG export capacity in the coming years.
Train 5 has expected LNG production capacity of about 6 million tonnes per annum (MTPA), bringing the total expected LNG production capacity under construction at Rio Grande LNG to approximately 30 MTPA.
A sixth train will further increase the production capacity of the plant.
NextDecade is one of several U.S. LNG developers that are building export facilities in the new supply wave of American LNG, which is set to continue through this decade as companies are taking advantage of market and regulatory tailwinds to approve investments in new projects.
By Michael Kern for Oilprice.com
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