NextDecade Provides Second Quarter 2025 Business Update
CEO Commentary
“NextDecade continues to make significant progress constructing Phase 1 of Rio Grande LNG safely and developing expansion capacity at Rio Grande LNG. We recently completed the commercialization of Train 4, updated the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract for Train 4, signed our first long-term offtake agreement for Train 5, and signed the EPC contract for Train 5,� said Matt Schatzman, NextDecade’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “Phase 1 remains on schedule and on budget, and we are progressing Trains 4 and 5 quickly toward final investment decisions (FIDs).�
“In April, we completed the commercialization of Train 4 with the announcement of 20-year LNG sale and purchase agreements (SPAs) with Aramco and TotalEnergies, which join ADNOC as the long-term customers supporting Train 4. In May, we announced a 2 million tonnes per annum (MTPA), 20-year LNG SPA with JERA, marking the first long-term SPA for Train 5 and serving as a testament to the strong demand we continue to see for offtake from the Rio Grande LNG Facility.�
“We are progressing the financing process for Train 4 and, subject to finalizing adequate financing, we expect to achieve a positive FID on Train 4 by mid-September 2025.�
“We continue to work on contracting an additional 2.5 MTPA under long-term SPAs to support a positive FID on Train 5. We have started the financing process for Train 5 and, subject to obtaining appropriate commercial support and financing, we are targeting FID of Train 5 in mid-September 2025.�
Significant Recent Developments
Construction
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Under the EPC contracts with Bechtel Energy Inc. (Bechtel), Phase 1 progress is tracked for Train 1, Train 2, and the common facilities on a combined basis and Train 3 on a separate basis. As of June 2025:
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The overall project completion percentage for Trains 1 and 2 and the common facilities of the Rio Grande LNG Facility was
48.3% , which is in line with the schedule under the EPC contract. Within this project completion percentage, engineering was91.9% complete, procurement was80.6% complete, and construction was21.2% complete. -
The overall project completion percentage for Train 3 of the Rio Grande LNG Facility was
22.7% , which is also in line with the schedule under the EPC contract. Within this project completion percentage, engineering was55.7% complete, procurement was45.5% complete, and construction was2.2% complete.
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The overall project completion percentage for Trains 1 and 2 and the common facilities of the Rio Grande LNG Facility was
Strategic and Commercial
- In April 2025, the Company announced a 20-year LNG SPA with a subsidiary of Saudi Aramco (Aramco), pursuant to which the Aramco subsidiary will purchase 1.2 MTPA of LNG from Train 4 at the Rio Grande LNG Facility for 20 years, on a free on board (FOB) basis at a price indexed to Henry Hub, subject to a positive FID on Train 4.
- In April 2025, the Company announced that TotalEnergies exercised its LNG purchase option with respect to Train 4 and the Company entered into a 20-year LNG SPA with TotalEnergies, pursuant to which TotalEnergies will purchase 1.5 MTPA of LNG from Train 4 at the Rio Grande LNG Facility for 20 years, on an FOB basis at a price indexed to Henry Hub, subject to a positive FID on Train 4. The Company believes sufficient long-term commercial agreements are now in place to support a positive FID on Train 4.
- In May 2025, the Company announced a 20-year LNG SPA with JERA, pursuant to which JERA will purchase 2.0 MTPA of LNG from Train 5 at the Rio Grande LNG Facility for 20 years, on an FOB basis at a price indexed to Henry Hub, subject to a positive FID on Train 5.
- In June 2025, the Company finalized a pricing refresh of the Company’s lump-sum, turnkey EPC contract with Bechtel for the construction of Train 4 and related infrastructure and executed a lump-sum, turnkey EPC contract with Bechtel for the construction of Train 5 and related infrastructure. Pricing validity under the Train 4 and Train 5 EPC contracts extends through September 15, 2025.
Financial
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In April 2025, Rio Grande LNG, LLC elected to terminate
of commitments under its working capital facility due to a decrease in expected requirements for credit support during construction, which reduced the outstanding commitments under the working capital facility to$250 million and is expected to reduce related commitment fees by approximately$250 million annually.$2 million -
In May 2025, the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Rio Grande LNG Super Holdings, LLC, entered into an amended credit agreement with the lender of its existing senior secured loan to increase the loan amount by
to a total of$50 million initial principal. Incremental proceeds from the senior secured loan were disbursed at closing on May 14, 2025, and net proceeds will be used to fund working capital and general corporate purposes, including development expenses for expansion trains at the Rio Grande LNG Facility and specifically pre-FID expenses for Trains 4 and 5. Borrowings under the senior secured loan bear interest at$225 million 12.0% , with interest payable quarterly. Interest may be paid in-kind until March 31, 2027 and up to50% in-kind thereafter. The senior secured loan matures December 31, 2030. -
In conjunction with the closing of the May 2025 amendment to the senior secured loan, the Company issued warrants that are exercisable for an aggregate of approximately 2.0 million shares of NextDecade common stock to the lender of the senior secured loan. The warrants are exercisable for five years after the amendment date. The warrants are exercisable at
per share, which represented a$9.30 30% premium to the volume weighted average price for the 30 trading-day period immediately preceding the amendment date.
Regulatory
- In July 2025, FERC issued a final SEIS for the first five liquefaction trains at the Rio Grande LNG Facility. Based on its published schedule, FERC anticipates issuing a final order on the remand by November 20, 2025.
Rio Grande LNG Facility
NextDecade is constructing and developing the Rio Grande LNG Facility on the north shore of the Brownsville Ship Channel in south
Phase 1 (Trains 1-3)
Phase 1 at the Rio Grande LNG Facility is under construction. Phase 1 includes three liquefaction trains with a total expected LNG production capacity of approximately 18 MTPA, two 180,000 cubic meter full containment LNG storage tanks, and two jetty berthing structures designed to load LNG carriers up to 216,000 cubic meters in capacity. Phase 1 also includes associated site infrastructure and common facilities including feed gas pretreatment facilities, electric and water utilities, two totally enclosed ground flares for the LNG tanks and marine facilities, two ground flares for the liquefaction trains, roads, levees surrounding the development area, and warehouses, administrative, operations control room, and maintenance buildings.
As of June 2025, progress on Trains 1 through 3 is in line with the schedule under the EPC contracts. During the second quarter 2025, the construction team continued piping fabrication, rebar installation, equipment setting and concrete placement, and structural steel erection in the areas of Trains 1, 2, and 3. The eighth wall lift was completed for Tank 1. Across the site, Bechtel also continued installing concrete foundations, instrument air receivers, floodgates, permanent fencing, temporary facilities, and other siteworks.
NextDecade holds equity interests in the Phase 1 joint venture that entitle it to receive up to
Final Investment Decision on Train 4
The Company has completed commercialization of Train 4 and has executed 20-year LNG SPAs totaling 4.6 MTPA of LNG with ADNOC, Aramco, and TotalEnergies in support of Train 4.
In June 2025, the Company finalized an EPC contract pricing refresh with Bechtel for Train 4 and related infrastructure. Pricing validity under the EPC contract for Train 4 extends through September 15, 2025.
The Company launched the financing process for Train 4 in June 2025 and expects to finance construction of Train 4 using a combination of debt and equity funding at the project level. The Company is in the process of entering into a term loan bank facility at Rio Grande LNG Train 4, LLC for the debt portion of the funding.
The Company’s Phase 1 equity partners each have options to invest in Train 4 equity which, if exercised, would provide
NextDecade currently expects to fund
The Company expects to achieve a positive FID on Train 4 by mid-September 2025, subject to obtaining adequate financing.
Final Investment Decision on Train 5
The Company is also progressing Train 5 toward FID, and the commercialization process is underway for Train 5. In May 2025, the Company announced a 20-year LNG SPA with JERA for 2.0 MTPA of LNG in support of Train 5. The Company is targeting an additional 2.5 MTPA of long-term contracts to support a positive FID of Train 5.
In June 2025, the Company finalized an EPC contract with Bechtel for Train 5 and related infrastructure. Pricing validity under the EPC contract for Train 5 extends through September 15, 2025.
The Company began the financing process for Train 5 in the second quarter 2025 and expects to finance construction of Train 5 using a combination of debt and equity funding at the project level. The Company expects to enter into bank facilities at Rio Grande LNG Train 5, LLC for the debt portion of the funding. Certain of the Company’s Phase 1 equity partners have options to invest in Train 5 equity, which if exercised, would provide
The Company continues to pursue financing for Train 5 and, subject to obtaining appropriate commercial support and financing, is targeting FID by mid-September 2025.
Development of Additional Liquefaction Capacity
The Company is developing and beginning the permitting process for additional liquefaction capacity at the Rio Grande LNG Facility site beyond Trains 1 through 5. Trains 6 through 8 are wholly owned by NextDecade and are cumulatively expected to increase the Company's total liquefaction capacity by approximately 18 MTPA once constructed and placed into operation.
Train 6 is being developed inside the existing levee at the Rio Grande LNG Facility site and adjacent to Trains 1 through 5. The Company expects to pre-file an application with FERC for Train 6 in 2025 and a full application with FERC in early 2026. The Company is evaluating multiple areas on the site for the development of Trains 7 and 8 and expects to provide an update on the expected permitting timeline for Trains 7 and 8 in 2025.
Investor Presentation
NextDecade has posted an updated investor presentation to its website concurrently with this release. A copy of this release and the investor presentation can be found on its website at .
About NextDecade Corporation
NextDecade is committed to providing the world access to reliable, lower carbon energy. We are focused on delivering secure, low-cost, and sustainable energy solutions through the safe and efficient development and operation of natural gas liquefaction and carbon capture and storage infrastructure. Through our subsidiaries, we are developing and constructing the Rio Grande LNG natural gas liquefaction and export facility near
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of
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Investors
Megan Light
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Susan Richardson
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832-413-6400
Source: NextDecade