Bechtel Now Cleared for $6.7bn Rio Grande LNG Project

Bechtel has been cleared to start Train 4 at the Rio Grande LNG Facility in Brownsville, Texas, after NextDecade confirmed financial close on the $6.7 billion project.

According to a company news release on September 9, NextDecade made a positive final investment decision (FID) on Train 4 and completed all related financial transactions, fully funding the train and associated infrastructure. 

The release also noted that a full notice to proceed had been issued to Bechtel, which was contracted for the job in June.

Of the $6.7 billion project cost, Bechtel’s portion for constructing Train 4 is estimated at $4.77 billion, according to announcement made in June.

Bechtel is also involved in Train 5, a $4.32 billion contract, and the initial $12 billion Phase 1 work that includes the first three trains. Together, the company’s total contracted work at Rio Grande LNG approaches $9 billion, excluding Phase 1.

Train 4 at Rio Grande LNG is set to produce around six million tonnes of LNG per year, lifting the site’s total capacity under construction to about 24 million tonnes.

NextDecade expects Train 4 to be substantially complete in the second half of 2030, with Train 5 following in early 2031.

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The project had been delayed after a 2024 U.S. appeals court ruling overturned the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s authorisation. The court reversed that decision in March 2025, clearing the way for NextDecade to proceed.

“The global call for additional natural gas infrastructure continues to be strong, and we are well-positioned to meet this growing demand for cleaner energy,” said Matt Schatzman, NextDecade’s CEO, in the release.

“We have approximately 24 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of expected LNG production capacity currently under construction, Train 5 nearing a positive FID, and significant additional expansion capacity under development at the Rio Grande LNG site.”

The renewed momentum for the project comes amid a broader U.S. policy environment favourable to energy infrastructure, including steps to accelerate permitting and encourage the adoption of technology in federal project approvals.

NextDecade anticipates a positive final investment decision for Train 5 in the fourth quarter of 2025, cementing the facility’s position as one of the largest LNG expansions under development in the United States.

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